After the Col de Turini in 2022 and the Col de la Couillole in 2023, another leg-breaking climb awaits the riders at the finish of the penultimate stage: a 7.3 km slog at an average gradient of 7.2% for a total elevation gain of 600 m between Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée and Auron, at the gates of the Mercantour National Park. Auron, which opened in 1937, is one of the iconic ski resorts of the mountains of the region, under an hour and a half from Nice and its international airport. Its vast ski area (135km) with premium slopes and a wide range of activities in all seasons have put it on the map for decades. It boasts 50km of mountain biking tracks, a bike park and hiking trails that culminate at over 3,000 masl. Auron, a family-friendly resort with positive vibes, is also known for its dynamism as the venue of the 1984, 2008, 2019 and 2022 French national Alpine skiing championships and the 2013 French national MTB championships. Nastasia Noens and Matthieu Bailet, two leading figures of French skiing who hail from Nice, burst onto the scene on its slopes.
