Driving paradise in the south of France – go to the Col de Turini

The stage on the Col de Turini pass is over 20 kilometres long, its highest point is at an altitude of 1,607 metres and the drivers must overcome an elevation gain of over 1,000 metres when starting from the village of Sospel. However, it is only part of a larger set of interesting and iconic routes under the Provençal Alps. Your journey does not have to end at this one point as the same point can easily turn into a base for an all-day driving.

Col de Turini offers stunning views. But of course, don't enjoy yourself behind the wheel.

From Monaco to the legendary stage 

Before you head off to the famous stages, you can extend your drive along the famous roads of the Côte d'Azur. One of the ideal starting points is northeast of Nice, where the picturesque Grande Corniche Road is located. Alternatively, you can extend your journey even further and start on the Route de Gentelly, where the famous car chase from the James Bond film Golden Eye was filmed.

Marinas with luxury yachts are an essential part of Monaco.

From the Grande Corniche, a sufficiently wide and pleasantly winding road leads to the town of La Turbie. From there, you can take the serpentines down to Monaco, or take the D2564, which skirts north around the principality and the passenger gets a panoramic view of the Monaco skyline in the rear-view mirror. The town from which you start to climb steeply from the coast up towards Mont Bégo is called Menton. The D2566 road leads from it heading to Sospel. The journey takes half an hour and you will be amazed by the passages, where one side of the road is lined with rocks and the other with stone walls, behind which valleys open.

There are more than enough narrow and winding roads lined with walls to enjoy.

The final part of the journey and the highlight of the trip is finally the climb from Sospel to the top of Col de Turini. It is here that the over 1,000 meters of ascent await you, where not only the fauna but also the surface gradually changes. From Sospel, the road narrows and the surface deteriorates. Scratched, peeling and other stone walls are your chaperones there and tracks from racing car tyres will lead you to the top.

This is where the Skoda Kodiaq feels at home and its agility shines through.

At the top, there is the option to leave your car in the parking lot and refresh yourself in one of the three restaurants. If you're not yet ready enough, you can take the Col de Turini as a starting point from which the stage continues to the other side of the pass to La Bolléne-Vésubie. You can also consider the equally panoramic and winding road to Lucéram.

Hotel Turini Ranch is one of the places to enjoy refreshments along the way.

Škoda and Rallye Monte Carlo

Škoda, or rather Laurin & Klement, has been an integral part of the Monte Carlo Rally since 1912. In 1936, the Škoda Popular finished second in the under 1,500 cm3 class. At the end of the 1970s, the Škoda 130 RS cars achieved their first international successes here. The series of victories was continued by modern Škoda Motorsport drivers such as Freddy Loix in the Škoda Fabia S2000 or Jan Kopecký, Andreas Mikkelsen or Kalle Rovanperä at the wheel of the Škoda Fabia Rally2.

In the 2025 season, the trip to the Col de Turini was part of the Monte Carlo Rally program and several Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 cars were once again on the track.

The Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 race special shows off its skills.