NO PAIN, NO PAIN AU CHOCOLAT
2. COL DE BRAUS
The second instalment of our guide to the best cafés and bakeries around Nice, strategically placed near our favourite climbs!
Coffee, pastries and cycling are a natural combination. Exertion deserves reward, and nowhere is that more true than on the classic climbs outside Nice – so we’re sharing our recommendations for where to find a caffeinated or sugary delight when you’re riding in our backyard. Our first tip was our favourite boulangerie close to the Col d’Èze. Next up is Pain d’Aqui, our go-to pitstop on the way to the Col de Braus.
Hazy morning sun falls gently on L’Escarène, a small village that’s far enough into the hills outside Nice to live at its own relaxed rhythm. However, Pain d’Aqui, a boulangerie on the main street through town, is bustling with villagers, chatting and buying their morning bread. Boulangeries in villages like this are a social hub.
Inside, golden brown pastries are laid out for local gourmands and the small coffee machine at the back is doing brisk business with passing motorists, who pull in for a quick caffeine hit and a chat.
Outside, as the smell of baking wafts on the breeze, villagers catch up on the terrace, and cyclists stretch out in the sun, taking a moment before the challenge ahead.
There are several climbs out of L’Escarène, on road, gravel or on mountain bike. For us, the classic is the Col de Braus, which rises 630 metres over almost 10 kilometres to top out at 1,002m. It follows the course of a small mountain stream (with secret opportunities for a swim), and then rises majestically out, via some picture-perfect hairpin bends with around three kilometres left to go.
Before the climb we recommend Pain d’Aqui’s tourte de blettes. A local speciality, it’s a pastry made with Swiss chard that, confusingly, can be served either savoury or sweet. Here they make a killer sweet version: make sure you don’t get a dusting of sugar on your kit! When sitting on the terrace, you’ll often see local pro riders go past on training rides, or even stop for an espresso, and Pain d'Aqui is a favourite with all the local clubs.
We like riding here in all seasons, and especially at sunset as it’s an easy ride back into town. In the autumn and winter, when the air’s clear, the view sometimes extends hundreds of kilometres across the Mediterranean to Corsica – and you can stop at Pain d’Aqui for a warming drink on the way home! The auberge at the top of the col is usually open on the weekends, and it serves a good rabbit stew.
