A scenic Alpine road to Col du Telegraphe
France, europe
17.5 km
1,566 m
moderate
Year-round
# Col du Télégraphe: A Classic Alpine Adventure
Tucked away in the Savoie department of southeastern France, Col du Télégraphe sits pretty at 1,566 meters (5,138 feet) and serves as one of the crown jewels along the legendary Route des Grandes Alpes. Located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, this pass is an absolute must for any alpine road enthusiast.
The journey up D902 is seriously winding—we're talking 14 hairpin turns that'll keep you engaged the entire way. The road stretches 17.5 km (10.87 miles) connecting Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne and Valloire, and it also provides access to the notorious Col du Galibier. At the summit, you'll spot some impressive radio and TV towers housed in a striking cement structure that's visible from miles away.
Here's some cool history: the pass gets its name from the Fort du Télégraphe, a fortress built in 1884 that once housed a semaphore telegraph system at its peak. If you're visiting during summer months, you can actually explore the fort itself.
The numbers? Coming from Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne, expect an 11.8 km climb with 856 meters of elevation gain (averaging 7.3%). The Valloire side is gentler—just 4.8 km with 165 meters of gain at 3.4%. The steepest pitches hit 10% gradient, which keeps things interesting. Good news: the road typically stays open year-round, and yes, it's famous enough to have hosted the Tour de France multiple times.
Where is it?
A scenic Alpine road to Col du Telegraphe is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 45.0513, 1.9934
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 17.5 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,566 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 45.0513, 1.9934
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