
Travel Guide to Col de Mahourat in the Pyrenees
France, europe
N/A
1,740 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, so you're up for a real adventure, right? Then check out the Col de Mahourat, way up in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques of southwestern France! We're talking a whopping 1,740 meters (that's 5,708 feet!) above sea level.
Perched right on the French-Spanish border in the western Pyrenees, getting to the top is a true off-road experience. Think rocky, gravelly goodness. Seriously, this is more of a chairlift access trail than a leisurely drive, so a 4x4 is a must. And heads up: expect it to be totally snowed in and impassable from around October until June. This isn't your average Sunday drive, but the views? Totally worth it!
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Max Elevation
- 1,740 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
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