A very bumpy, grueling road to Colle Lauson

A very bumpy, grueling road to Colle Lauson

Italy, europe

Length

39.3 km

Elevation

2,000 m

Difficulty

moderate

Best Season

Year-round

# Colle Lauson: Italy's Alpine Adventure

Ready for an epic ride through the Italian Alps? Colle Lauson is calling your name. This stunning mountain pass sits at a whopping 2,497 meters (8,192 feet) in the Province of Torino and serves as the gateway to the legendary Assietta Road—one of those bucket-list drives that'll make your heart race.

Nestled in northern Piemonte within the breathtaking Parco Naturale del Gran Bosco di Salbertrand, the pass sits between Mount Genevris and its namesake, offering some seriously dramatic Alpine scenery. The Strada Provinciale 173 (aka the Assietta Road) stretches an impressive 39.3 km (24.23 miles) and keeps you cruising above the 2,000-meter mark for nearly the entire journey—yeah, you'll be spending serious time in thin air.

Fair warning though: this isn't a year-round playground. The road only opens from June through October, so plan your adventure accordingly. Oh, and there are some restrictions—no vehicles heavier than 3.5 tons or wider than 2 meters allowed. During peak summer (July and August), expect weekend and Wednesday closures from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Here's a fun bit of history: Italian Alpine troops (the 3rd Reggimento Alpini) carved this route out in 1890 to access the Genevris observatory and military barracks. That's over a century of adventurers following in their tire tracks, and now it's your turn.

Where is it?

A very bumpy, grueling road to Colle Lauson is located in Italy (europe). Coordinates: 43.1473, 12.3834

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Road Details

Country
Italy
Continent
europe
Length
39.3 km
Max Elevation
2,000 m
Difficulty
moderate
Coordinates
43.1473, 12.3834

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