High Estéron

From Entrevaux, you follow the route clockwise. You first cycle through the Var valley to Puget-Théniers on the main road.
Then come very winding roads, forests, rock faces and tiny villages. You first climb the Col de Saint-Raphaël, then you stay informed with beautiful views from the southern ridge of the Crête de Roccaforte and then you descend to the valley of Saint-Antonin. Then you pedal through the Clue de Riolan (the gorge of Riolan).
The route then descends to the valley of the river Estéron and then you leave the valley via the village of Aiglun to the top of the Col de Pinpinier. Incidentally, just after the passage of Aiglun (i.e. before the climb of Pinpinier) follows a beautiful rocky crossing on the Estéron river with some short unlit tunnels.

After passing the summit of Pinpinier you stay for a long time in altitude and then go back down to the Estéron where you pedal through the Clue de Saint-Auban (still some short unlit tunnels), this clue is longer than the Clue d'Aiglun. You then climb to the top of the Col du Buis, you descend quite steeply on a narrow road through a beautiful pine forest area (note: maybe stones here and there on the road that have tumbled down the steep slopes!). Then comes the short side (with the slightest difference in altitude) of the Col de Félines, and finally the descent of nearly 8 km to Entrevaux.

Routeyou.com overestimates the number of altimeters in this area (at least until September 2022). The routes are therefore less difficult than they seem. The number of altimeters on this route is 2000 meters, instead of 2700 meters that indicate route.

Photos: Koen van de Wiel.