Colle della Maddalena from Borgo San Dalmazzo

A beautiful climb, never difficult and steep. Very fun to descend as well. From Vinadio onwards there is also little traffic

If you come from the Col de la Lombarde you turn left at the end of the descent on the climbing route of the Italian side of the cross-border Colle della Maddalena, with 31 km to go to the top.
You cycle slowly uphill from village to village along the Sturo mountain river on a wide road with lots of new asphalt and 5 tunnels (4 short / 1 long). After the last village Argentera, where a fixed traffic light with countdown timer makes the traffic go alternating up/down through the narrow village street, the road goes slightly uphill and the last 16 numbered hairpin turns follow shortly after each other.
The last kilometer is almost flat along a mountain lake in pure mountain nature including marmots.
Italian-French border at the top is an open plateau with shops/cafés on both sides for supplies. Also on the road this is not a problem.
Despite the fact that freight traffic is allowed up to 35 tonnes the traffic was not too bad on a Wednesday morning (August 2018). You will have to have some luck with this!
Excellent long warm up col without extremes.

Note: French side of this climb is called Col de Larche

After the winter of 2020 the road will be asphalted again. Because there is freight traffic and an avalanche rushes over the top every now and then, the road will need frequent maintenance. Nice combination to cycle from Barcelonnette to the colle de Lombarda.