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Best guess based on
https://www.transalp.info/gravel/albrecht-route-gravelbike?start=1
WARNING – a genuinely dangerous road with a risk of death. Officially closed. Presented here as 'Off Grid' and for reference.
This road is formally closed by Cuneo Province but remains in use, mainly by locals. This year (2022) there was a report of two riders being fined 60 Euros by the police for using the road.
Sheer valley sides subject to regular rockfall onto the road, with tunnels, missing barriers creating real risk of a fatal fall and regular road debris all posing severe risks. If you ride this way, do so with great care and the understanding that high risks are not within your control.
There is a high danger from the rockfall and road debris which may cause loss of control of your bike, and in many places there are no barriers to save you from going over the edge. Some of those barriers are broken and would cause serious or fatal injury in a collision. Cycle helmets offer no protection from falling rocks that can be large enough to kill instantly - there are clear signs of recent rock fall on this road at all times. Keep your speed down and attention up. Consider this route in the way a mountaineer would consider passing under a steep, snow and rock filled gulley subject to the afternoon sun.
DO NOT RIDE this road during or after periods of heavy rain when rockfall risk is highest. If in any doubts, take the SP335 road towards Stroppo instead – it’s a good road that ends in the same place on-route.
From the top of the Colle di Sampeyre there is a choice between this infamous road descent or the safer, easy SP335 road (SP335 is not included in TNR route files but it is signposted and easy to find on a map).
Both roads avoid the Strada Cannoni’s rocky descent and reducing the route distance by 20 miles approx. This route file follows the beautiful steep-sided valley, the Vallone di Elva, also known as ‘the death road’ for obvious reasons. Pause for a moment at the Madonna del Vallone at the top, perhaps.
Towards the end of either route, particularly SCR.2, there aren’t many options for supply if it’s late in the day. Route 3 passes more options on the valley road towards the end than the SCR.2 option. Restaurants and bars may be your only option so it’s wise to carry something in reserve.
At the end of section 3 it’s time to decide whether you’re up for some rough stuff in the Alps or a tough but beautiful climb on a small road.
The final run down to the sea at Nice. From the Turini you descend towards Sospel (keep an eye out just past Moulinet for a small bridge road above you, leading to a lovely little chapel, the Notre Dame de Menor), climb the Col Braus, then a small climb to the last col with great views of the Cote d'Azure. From there you ride a high road with a coastal view before descending to the coast road and Cafe du Cycliste in Nice. The route ends there but it's not far to Nice old town area to explore the market and old town shops, or go onto the Promenade des Anglais and follow the bike path there west towards the airport.
If the timing works for you, stock up in Sospel and enjoy a last night bivi a km or two along the track after the Col Braus. Beyond here it becomes harder to find good bivi sites and the views to the south west are nice from here. Strict Leave No Trace / ‘don't be a dick’ rules apply of course - take your litter with you and find a bin for it. Top marks to anyone carrying cold beers to share up here (wrap the in a jacket or sleeping bag, they'll stay cold for a while!).
Stopping at Café du Cycliste, or one of the bars on that road if you finish later, is traditional. There’s an Utile supermarket just behind the Café, a good spot for cheaper beers, also an Intermarche nearby. After that, ride past the old town area of Nice (to the north of Quai des Etats-Unis, well worth exploring), then onto the Promenade des Anglais toward the airport.
This is the shorter 'mini Via del Sale' descent to Tende, heading west from the col towards Casterino and descending towards the Roya valley. There are some steeper sections on the main descent, up to around 15-17% for short sections around 11km in, though overall the gradient profile is not severe.
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At the time of writing (July '21) there are roadworks in the Roya valley, related to the damage caused by Storm Alex.
Between Saint-Dalmas and Fontan is a 6 km long portion (downhill, on gravel track and tarmac) where traffic is one direction at a time.
At night and on week-ends, traffic can pass every hour between h00 to h15 from Saint-Dalmas to Fontan, and between h30 to 0h45 in the other direction. On weekdays the road is closed for works and only one crossing at 12:00 downwards and 12:30 upwards is allowed from 07:00 to 17:00.
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After La Brigue is the big climb to the Fort de la Forca and the Col de Turini, using a new road for the TNR. It's a tunnelled, balcony road that change into a dirt road towards the top.
The Roya valley between the Col Tende and the start of the climb to the Fort de la Forca is another potential supplies desert if you arrive there late after taking this route as a shorter-cut. Restaurants are the main options, though there is a Spar shop in Tende itself. Worth studying the options on the map.
The longer route off the Tende and onto the dramatic Via del Sale (VdS). The Via del Sale is a long, quite remote section of track through a karst limestone landscape. It's one of the most incredible mountain roads in Europe. The Refugio Don Barbera isn't too far from the Col Tende itself, a couple of hours ride on a good day.
The descent off the Via del Sale via the Pas du Tanarel / Monte Saccarello area is very rough for a couple of kms – rocky MTB terrain, though rideable with care on 650B 'Road Plus' type bikes – and it’s a long, arduous descent to La Brigue with some rolling terrain in the woods.
At the time of writing (July '21) there are roadworks in the Roya valley, related to the damage caused by Storm Alex.
Between Saint-Dalmas and Fontan you have a 6 km long portion (downhill, on gravel track and tarmac) where traffic is one direction at a time.
At night and on week-ends, traffic can pass every hour between h00 to h15 from Saint-Dalmas to Fontan, and between h30 to 0h45 in the other direction. On weekdays the road is closed for works and only one crossing at 12:00 downwards and 12:30 upwards is allowed from 07:00 to 17:00.
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After La Brigue is the big climb to the Fort de la Forca and the Col de Turini, using a new road for the TNR. It's a tunnelled, balcony road that change into a dirt road and onto the Circuit de l'Authion towards the top.
You can see the sea from the top if it’s a clear day. You can even smell the sea air sometimes... the coast isn't that far away now.
The Roya valley between the Col Tende and the start of the climb to the Fort de la Forca is another potential supplies desert if you arrive there late. Restaurants are the main options though there is a Spar shop in Tende itself if you back-tack up the valley on this route. Worth studying the options on the map perhaps.
Made in the Cotswolds. Published by Éditions Système D Ltd.
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