Tunnel des Montets
France, europe
50 km
1.386 m
hard
Year-round
# Tunnel des Montets: Your Alpine Escape Route
Tucked away in the Haute-Savoie region of France, the Tunnel des Montets (also called Col des Montets Tunnel) is a clever bit of engineering that's been saving travelers since 1907. Located just past Argentiere at Montroc village, this dual-purpose railway and road tunnel is your lifeline when Mother Nature decides to throw a tantrum in the mountains.
At nearly 1,900 meters long and sitting at 1,386 meters elevation, this tunnel is all about practicality. When the Col des Montets pass gets hammered with snow or avalanche danger spikes, cars can slip straight through to Le Buet and Vallorcine instead of getting stuck outside. It's that simple.
Just keep a few rules in mind if you're using it: your vehicle can't exceed 2.5 meters in height or 5.5 meters in length, the speed limit caps out at 50 km/h, and you need to maintain at least 100 meters between you and the car ahead. These aren't suggestions—they're there for a reason in this narrow underground passage.
After a major renovation and reopening in December 2014, the tunnel is back in action and ready to get you safely through the mountains when conditions demand it. It's the kind of road feature that doesn't make headlines, but mountain travelers definitely appreciate it.
Where is it?
Tunnel des Montets is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 45.8623, 0.7390
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 50 km
- Max Elevation
- 1.386 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 45.8623, 0.7390
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