Col de Chalais
France, europe
6.7 km
940 m
hard
Year-round
Col de Chalais is a mountain pass sitting pretty at 930m (3,051ft) in the Isère department of southeastern France. What makes this spot special? The incredibly steep road leading up to it.
The route to the top, called Route de Chalais, winds through dense forest on asphalt—though "narrow" is definitely the word here. Heads up: this road gets seriously snowy in winter, so timing your visit matters. The drive tops out near the Monastère de Chalais (also known as Châlais-sur-Voreppe or Notre-Dame de Châlais), a Dominican convent perched at 940m.
Starting from the town of Voreppe, you're looking at a 6.7 km ride that climbs 736 meters—that's an average gradient of 11%, which means this thing is *steep*. It's the kind of road that'll have your calves burning if you're cycling it, or your brakes working overtime if you're driving. Either way, it's an unforgettable Alpine experience.
Where is it?
Col de Chalais is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 46.0568, 1.5197
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 6.7 km
- Max Elevation
- 940 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 46.0568, 1.5197
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