Route de Thorenc - France
This is certainly one of the most unique examples of road-engineering.
Once again in the south of france, once again close to Nice. And with Verdon and Daluis not far away, this is yet another amazing road with a completely different character to the forementioned two. It is not very long, or hard to reach, but it still manages to blow your mind away, once you drive it.
I closed in from the northwest, which is also the driving direction I would recommend, despite it being the downhill option. This is because you'll be on the outer lane, the one closest to the abyss and therefor the best view. It starts rather unspectacular with some bends through some rocky cliffsides above you. Nothing to special if you spend the last couple days traversing the alps. But then you reach a long trailing left-hander and the valley materializes infront of you!
The view really takes your breath away and is a perfect example of a goosebump-moment. And you even still have time for that, as it takes roughly one and a half straights before the real fun starts. Then the roas enters into it's best part, with great corners, all different, all flowing into each other. Sometimes you have building-high rocks right next to you, just left standing there as the road was carved into the mountain. This building style is actually familiar to the Gorges de Daluis, but of course with a totally different kind of rock.
You'll pass through some tunnels and arches, including the famous double-hole arch you see on many pictures. Additional the barrier changes constantly between conrete and look-through wood, which offers a view all the way down the edge. Sometimes there's even no barrier at all, but sadly not at the best viewpoints. (Well probably that's a good thing, because safety and stuff, but.. ya know...)
The actual route continues down, passes through a sleepy village and goes right back up another ridge further east. But it never get's as breathtaking again as the part on top of the cliffside. Where Verdon is a long journey offering great views over and over, Thorenc is more short and intense, but actually sparking you more to drive it over and over again. In the maritime Alps this should be a must-drive for every petrolhead nearby.
Cheers, 7 Skyrex
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