Col de Font Belle

Col de Font Belle

France, europe

Length

N/A

Elevation

1,304 m

Difficulty

hard

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, picture this: you're cruising through the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in the south of France, and you stumble upon Col de Font Belle. This little gem of a mountain pass sits pretty at 1,304 meters (that's 4,278 feet!). You'll also see it labeled as Col de Fonbelle or Col de Font-Belle.

The road, known as D3, is paved, so no worries there! But fair warning, it's a steep climb! The views from the top are incredible, so definitely worth the trek. Get ready for some seriously breathtaking scenery as you wind your way up!

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Road Details

Country
France
Continent
europe
Max Elevation
1,304 m
Difficulty
hard

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