Col de la Lariée: Driving the 1,964m unpaved military border track

# Col de la Lariée: A Wild Alpine Adventure

Just northwest of Basera Pass sits Col de la Lariée, a rugged 1,964m (6,443ft) mountain pass that sits right on the France-Italy border. This isn't your typical scenic mountain drive—it's a genuine slice of Alpine history and challenge rolled into one.

This pass connects the Alpes-Maritimes in southeastern France with Piedmont's Province of Cuneo in Italy, following an old military route that traces the watershed line through the Ligurian Alps. On a clear day, the views are absolutely stunning—jagged limestone peaks dominating your windshield and glimpses of the Mediterranean coast in the distance. And yes, you'll spot remnants of early 20th-century military fortifications scattered around, adding a fascinating historical layer to the drive.

Now, let's talk about what you're actually getting into. This isn't paved—it's a rough-and-tumble gravel and crushed rock track that demands serious respect. We're talking narrow, exposed sections with steep drops and zero guardrails. A high-clearance 4x4 is basically essential here. After rain, the loose rocky surface gets slippery fast, and patches of thin mountain soil turn into genuine mud. You'll need nerves of steel and excellent vehicle handling to navigate this properly.

The stretch itself is surprisingly short—just 650 meters (0.4 miles) from Passo di Tanarello—but don't let that fool you. At this elevation with this terrain, those few hundred meters pack serious intensity. The pass typically opens late June and closes by October when heavy snow and ice shut down the high ridgelines. It's a short but genuinely technical section that connects the historic military roads linking Italy and France.