A demanding narrow ridge road to Col de Portel in the French Pyrenees
France, europe
7.1 km
1,432 m
moderate
Year-round
Col de Portel is a mountain pass sitting pretty at 1,432m (4,698ft) in the Ariège department of France. This is where things get interesting—a ribbon of asphalt that literally hugs the spine of the Massif de l'Arize, serving up some seriously spectacular Pyrenean views.
You'll find it in Occitania, in the southwestern corner of the country. It's the crown jewel of the D72, a gloriously remote mountain road that connects Saint-Girons and Foix by basically following the mountain ridgeline the entire way.
What makes the D72 so special? It's relentless about staying high—we're talking several kilometers cruising above the clouds, stringing together three distinct passes like pearls on a necklace. It's a trifecta of mountain passes that deserves to be experienced as one epic adventure.
Fair warning: the road is paved, which is great, but it's incredibly narrow and completely exposed. Think minimal guardrails and big drop-offs. The road simply follows the natural ridge contours without much concern for your nerves.
The real wild card is the 7.1km (4.41 mile) stretch running east-west from the legendary Mur de Péguère to Col de la Crouzette. This section is intense—you'll spend much of it above the tree line with unobstructed 360-degree views of the entire Pyrenean range. It's the kind of drive that makes your heart race and your camera work overtime.
Where is it?
A demanding narrow ridge road to Col de Portel in the French Pyrenees is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 46.6806, 2.7528
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 7.1 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,432 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 46.6806, 2.7528
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