Cols des Alpes

For more than twenty years, the Cols des Alpes brought together motorcyclists from across Europe, united by a shared passion for classic motorcycles, spectacular Alpine trails, and adventure in its purest form.

Conceived and organised each year by the legendary long-distance rider Jean-Marie Debonneville, these week-long expeditions — reserved, as he famously put it, "for motorcycles from the days before disc brakes" — led participants along some of the most breathtaking mountain roads in Europe.

Riding machines steeped in history, they crossed Switzerland, Italy and France, following forgotten military roads, remote Alpine passes, ancient stone tracks and narrow mountain trails, many of them little more than rough strips of tarmac, suspended between the sky and the peaks.

Originally built between the late nineteenth century and the Second World War by the Italian and French armies to supply high-altitude forts and protect the Alpine frontiers, these remarkable roads have since become a true paradise for enthusiasts of classic motorcycle touring.

Over the years, the Cols des Alpes evolved into far more than just another motorcycle gathering. They became a remarkable human adventure — a celebration of freedom, historic machinery, breathtaking landscapes and the unique spirit of friendship that unites motorcycle enthusiasts from every walk of life.

At the request of Jean-Marie Debonneville, who wished to share some of the finest photographic memories of this extraordinary adventure with LPMCC readers, we are delighted to present the following collection of images, spanning more than two decades of the Cols des Alpes.

Text: Jean-Francois Helias
Images: J.M. Debonneville