A treacherous paved road to the summit of Col du Parquetout
France, europe
9.8 km
1,448 m
hard
Year-round
Col du Parquétout is a mountain pass sitting pretty at 1,448 m (4,750 ft) in the Isère department of southeastern France, right in the heart of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
The fully paved D212F road stretches 9.8 km (6.08 miles) from Villelonge to Les Angelas, and honestly? It's an adventure. The pass rewards you with those postcard-worthy southern views of the valley that'll make you forget about the white-knuckle ride to get there.
Here's the real talk though: this isn't your average Sunday cruise. The road is narrow and bumpy in places, with gravel patches that'll test your grip. Sharp hairpin turns combine with steep gradients reaching up to 13.3%, and there's zero margin for error since guardrails aren't part of the equation. Meeting another car? That's when things get properly interesting. The vibe is definitely more "spirited motorcycle run" than "leisurely drive," and you'll need solid driving skills and nerves of steel to tackle it comfortably. There's a small parking area at the summit if you make it up and need a moment to collect yourself. This one's a proper challenge for those who live for these kinds of mountain thrills.
Where is it?
A treacherous paved road to the summit of Col du Parquetout is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 46.9761, 2.0654
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 9.8 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,448 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 46.9761, 2.0654
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