Col de la Bonette, Alps Maritimes

As surprising as it is, the Col de la Bonette ascent is not as difficult as would be expected of the highest road in Europe. Fortunately, the road surface is very smooth and it goes without saying that the scenery breathtaking. As the beautiful sweeping roads reach higher there is a fantastic contrast between the greenery at the base of the pass and the barren, almost volcanic atmosphere at the top. The way the route is set out means that as you begin to slip into a driving rhythm, the roads test you more and more, bringing rewards in the form of one of the most stunning panoramas in Europe – accompanied by a plaque to confirm your achievements!

The run down the Col de la Bonette is much the opposite, once at the summit of the pass, the road down can be seen for the next 5km, looking more like a race circuit than a mountain pass. As you progress further down the pass, the corners become slightly more testing but the road surface improves due to the regular passage of the Tour de France.

The Col de la Bonette pass definitely merits a place in our top 10 simply on the staggering 2807M alone. However, that is not all as this pass is a fantastic test for people who really appreciate driving and brings rewards worthy of any mountain pass. Although it is fairly testing at times with some of the route becoming very narrow, it is a road that anyone can enjoy, with everything a real connoisseur needs to get the most out of his or her car.