Col de Vence, Mountain pass in southeastern France

Col de Vence is a pass in the French Alps of the Alpes-Maritimes department, linking the town of Vence with the Coursegoules plateau and Gréolières. The road over it is the D2; the climb from Vence is signed M2, like former departmental roads in the Nice area. The pass road runs through the Parc des Noves, and the summit is a starting point for several hiking trails.

The pass road is the D2, connecting Vence with the Coursegoules plateau; the climb from Vence is numbered M2, a metropolitan route like the former departmental roads of the Nice area. The pass is regularly included in the Paris-Nice stage race, and since 2003 a timed ascent from Vence to the summit has been held there each year.

The Col de Vence is regularly included in the route of Paris-Nice, the road race held each March, and the climb from Vence has hosted an annual ascent race since 2003. Ufologists claim the pass is a hotspot for UFO sightings; in February 2009 the "jellyfish of the Col de Vence" puzzled them before turning out to be an elaborate hoax.

The road from Vence winds steadily upward and can be traveled by car, bicycle, or on foot, with parking available near the summit. There are no facilities at the top, so it is worth filling up water in Vence before heading up, where a fountain is available along the way.

Ufologists claim the pass has unusual properties and is a hotspot for UFO sightings in France. In February 2009 the "jellyfish of Col de Vence" puzzled researchers before turning out to be an elaborate hoax. Unusual rock formations near the summit feed the speculation.