
Col de Gembre
France, europe
14 km
1.6 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, adventure junkies, listen up! Col de Gembre in the Hautes-Pyrénées, France, is calling your name. This high mountain pass tops out at a cool 1,635m (5,364ft) – are you ready for those views?
The road starts out smooth in Nistos, a cute little mountain town. Cruise along for 14km on asphalt until you hit the Nistos ski resort, sitting pretty at 1,600m. But that's where the real fun begins! The pavement ends, and the road turns to gravel for the final push to the summit.
Word of warning, though: this gravel road is steep and narrow. But don't let that scare you away – it's all part of the experience! Get ready for some seriously epic scenery. Plus, you'll be driving along Route de Thiéry, a balcony road with views for days as you head towards Col de la Madone. What are you waiting for? Time to add this one to your bucket list!
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 14 km
- Max Elevation
- 1.6 m
- Difficulty
- hard
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