Day 1 does not ease you out of Nice; it moves straight from the low coastal edge into the hard backcountry of the Alpes-Maritimes. The route climbs through the valleys behind the Côte d’Azur towards l’Escarène and Lucéram, where stone houses and tight medieval streets mark the first proper change of pace. Above Lucéram, the road turns more alpine, passing Peïra-Cava before reaching the Col de Turini, a high pass known for its hairpins and Monte-Carlo Rally history. The descent opens the Vésubie valley with forested slopes, gorges and Saint-Martin-Vésubie sitting below the Mercantour. There is no soft finish: the route climbs again to Col Saint-Martin / La Colmiane, then drops towards the Tinée before the final rise to Rimplas, a small mountain village with its fort above the valley.
