Whether it’s the first or the umpteenth time, placing your tires on the asphalt of the Col de Turini transmits that unmistakable thrill that gives shape to a magical moment. Petrol turns into joy and every curve writes the story of a climb of emotions which echoes in those bends the sound of the legendary feats of great drivers. The eighth edition of the Col de Turini Tour has gathered enthusiasts ready to leave their mark on this sacred ground. We gorged on switchbacks, laughed and spent a day of pure happiness on wheels.

Words Andrea Balti / Photos Luca Riva

After a wait of almost two years, the Col de Turini Tour comes back with its eighth edition ready to offer new and loyal crews an always engaging climb on what is honestly considered the Mecca for every self-respecting enthusiast. Turini means rally, hairpin bends – many hairpin bends – but this year we mix things up by bringing forward the date on the calendar and choosing mid-May for our start-of-season event. A strategic weekend that fits precisely between the Grand Prix Historique and the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Monaco. The Principality is down there, a handful of kilometers from the location chosen for the meeting, accreditations and breakfast: the Hermitage hotel in Èze.

At the first light of dawn we enter the large parking area that the Municipality has kindly granted us, the only spot where we can accommodate the approximately 50 teams registered at this edition. Time for a coffee and the silence of the morning is interrupted by the arrival of the first cars. It is impossible and unfair to mention just a few of them, with a representation of the most prestigious brands flanked by sports cars that smell of rallying and some last-minute swaps, in some cases remedied by taking a car that is considered more practical for today’s curves.

One of the organization’s cars is the GR Yaris tuned by Romeo Ferraris, the same one with which we attacked these hairpin bends last year during a test in which we found how much this is the perfect car for this type of road. Romeo Ferraris – main partner of the event – ​​deploys two other cars as well: a Caterham Seven 485 CSR and a Morgan Plus Six. At 8.45 it’s time for our briefing, a quarter of an hour later the engines are on and off we go. It’s a celebration of sounds and the cars set off towards Èze, before heading up again tackling the curves of the Route de La Turbie.

Quick transfer to Menton and after passing Sospel the adventure, the real one, begins. The group of cars is surprisingly compact and there is almost no traffic, except for a few cyclists, some of whom may not have appreciated our noisy convoy. One bend after another, the Col de Turini Tour does exactly what it does best, which is to amaze those who have never set foot here. The sky is clear and the temperature is almost perfect, so much so that those who have come with a convertible can easily drive with their top rolled down. Petrol turns into fun and every hairpin bend is tackled with the same focus and joy of a child unpacking presents on Christmas morning.

We reach the Col de Turini and it’s time for a coffee break at the Hotel Les 3 Vallées. This is a magical place, where the walls are literally covered with motoring history, tables of past events and rallies, demonstrating how a place can truly represent the center of a world tailored for enthusiasts. At this point, most of the teams leave for the stage towards La-Bollène-Vésubie, traveled in both directions in order to return to the summit and catch up with the rest of the group, thus leaving for Peira-Cava. Choosing which route is your favorite is impossible and after a dozen kilometers on the most covered side of the valley, we turn for Lucerame, facing the narrow but panoramic hairpin bends that take down to L’Èscarene, the penultimate checkpoint spot. Another stamp, a new start and this time we complete what is the most driven (and fastest) section of the entire tour, namely the climb up the Col de Braus. The asphalt is once again in impeccable condition and traffic is totally absent. Gorgeous. Up, down, up again and down again, passing Sospel and back up again along the Col de Brouis.

Last stop and with a little delay accumulated due to some prolonged stops we enter into Italy towards Ventimiglia, where we are expected by our friend Andrea at his Pasta & Basta restaurant for a lunch capable of recharging all the energy spent along the approximately 180 kilometers. The atmosphere is once again that of a great party among friends and we are happy to award the 6 special prizes of the day, three of which were drawn and which are added to the fixed ones such as “The Sprinter”, “The Transfer Driver” and “The Veteran” who respectively take home a Wallace Design handmade drawing of their car, a bag from the Molte Curve by Alpinist collection and a key ring with the outline of the Monaco GP created by Circuiti Gioielli by the exceptional Novara goldsmith Gianfranco Quartaroli.

Some do not waste time and immediately put on their t-shirts, some other couldn’t wait to get to the garage and move the sticker (once again produced by our precious partners at Wrapping Italy) onto the wall. All of them seem living a day that we would like to be able to repeat the very next day. All we have to do is say thank you to all those who made this edition extraordinary, with the hope that they can cherish the beautiful memories while waiting to write new ones at our next appointments. As for the hunger for curves – and pasta as well – we were assured that both have been amply satisfied.

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