A scenic paved road to Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin
France, europe
52 km
1,760 m
hard
Year-round
# Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin (Piedra de San Martín)
Sitting pretty at 1,760 meters (5,774 feet) on the French-Spanish border, this mountain pass is a wild ride through the western Pyrenees. It's your gateway between France's Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Spain's Navarre region, with a generous parking area waiting for you at the summit.
The 52-kilometer stretch connecting the charming French town of Arette to the Spanish village of Isaba is fully paved—though "fully paved" doesn't mean "easy." This road is a technical masterpiece with narrow passages, endless switchbacks, and more hairpin turns than you can count. But here's the real showstopper: the legendary Nudo de Corbata, a mind-bending 360-degree spiral that loops back over itself like some kind of automotive magic trick. It's right up there with Mallorca's famous Sa Calobra in terms of jaw-dropping engineering.
The climbing gets serious too. The French side hits gradients of 11%, while the Spanish side mellows out at 7.4%—steep enough to get your adrenaline pumping but not quite in the same league as the Tour de France's most notorious climbs.
What really makes this pass special is the scenery. Every turn reveals new vistas, with contrasting landscapes that change dramatically as you climb. The views are genuinely spectacular—arguably rivaling those tougher, more famous passes. Whether you're a cyclist (yes, the Tour de France has tackled this beast) or a road-tripping adventurer, this drive delivers an unforgettable experience.
Where is it?
A scenic paved road to Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 46.6844, 3.0251
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 52 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,760 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 46.6844, 3.0251
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