
A gravel road to Col de Cibieres in the Alps
France, europe
7 km
2,525 m
hard
Year-round
# Col de Cibières: A True Alpine Adventure
Ready for some serious off-road excitement? Col de Cibières sits pretty at 2,525 meters (8,284 feet) in the Hautes-Alpes region of southeastern France, right in the heart of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur area. This isn't your typical Sunday drive – we're talking about a genuine mountain challenge.
The 7-kilometer stretch (4.3 miles) connecting the north side of the paved D234T Road to Col du Granon is entirely unpaved and absolutely unforgiving. Expect a rough ride over scattered rocks and loose terrain that'll test both your vehicle and your nerve. Honestly? A 4x4 is basically essential here. Fair warning: once winter rolls around, you can forget about it – this pass becomes completely impassable.
But here's the thing – if you've got the right vehicle and some grit, the payoff is spectacular. You're threading through some of the most dramatic Alpine scenery imaginable, reaching heights that most casual tourists never experience. This is the kind of road that separates the serious adventurers from the casual road-trippers.
Where is it?
A gravel road to Col de Cibieres in the Alps is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 46.1387, 2.5907
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 7 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,525 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 46.1387, 2.5907
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