GR510: Col de Braus to Sospel

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The GR510 (Grande Randonnée: Sentier des Huit Vallées) runs 74 km (46 mi) through the alpine environment of the Parc National du Mercantour from Villars-sur-Var to Breil-sur-Roya. This section covers the Col de Braus to Sospel segment, sometimes called Baisse du Pape.

This segment starts at the Col de Braus pass (1002 m; 3287 ft), near the ruins of a former border post on the old Franco-Italian border. The "new" border dating from post World War II is about 8 km (5 mi) to the east. There is a very gentle climb and descent the first 3 km (1.8 mi) along a dirt road. Do take the Tete de la Lavina Spur (forest road) out to a prominence where there is a great view down into Sospel along the la Bevera valley with the Alpes Maritimes in the background.

At the 3 km mark, you'll come to an intersection of several roads and one singletrack called la Baisse du Pape. It is recommended to take an easy loop on the Cime du Farguet trail to get great views of Nice and the Cote d'Azur coast. The GR510 continues along the singletrack towards the east.

The first singletrack segment is 2 km (1.2 mi) of a narrow, steep affair down to the D2204 provincial road through the forest and scrubby brush.

Then you follow paved roads for some time, gaining a little bit more altitude for the next descent. In the third hairpin turn along the road up to the Ourvage du Barbonnet fort, a second singletrack segment begins another narrow, steep descent most of the way back to Sospel.

If you've got the legs left, it is worth continuing up to the Ourvage du Barbonnet atop Mont Barbonnet, approximately 100 m (300 ft) additional climbing before taking the second singletrack segment. It's a cool old fortification, part of the Maginot line that was supposed to make the border impregnable in 1940. Mont Barbonnet dominates the local landscape, so there is a commanding view.

Just before you reach Sospel at the end of the second singletrack, you'll pass near another old fort, the Ourvage de Saint-Roch.

Also of note, a popular road bike route climbs from L'Escarène to the Col de Braus along a famous set of switchbacks if you're into that sort of thing.