Ultimate 4WD Destination: Col des Lessieres in the Alps
France, europe
4.2 km
2,936 m
hard
Year-round
# Col des Lessières: A Wild Alpine Adventure
Ready for some serious altitude? Col des Lessières sits pretty at 2,936m (9,632ft) above sea level, making it one of Europe's highest drivable roads. You'll find it perched in the Savoie department of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, right in the heart of the French Alps near the Italian border within the stunning Tarentaise Valley.
Fair warning: this isn't your average scenic drive. The 4.2 km (2.60 mile) ascent from the paved D902 is an unpaved beast featuring loose gravel, scattered rocks, and a chairlift service road that's strictly 4x4 territory only. You're looking at an average gradient of 10.90% with some gnarly sections hitting up to 25%—throw in narrow passages and relentless hairpin turns, and you've got yourself quite the challenge.
The landscape up here is absolutely breathtaking though. These are the real Alpine heights, and the views are worth every jolting moment of that 458m elevation gain. Just keep in mind: this road is only accessible from July to September. Winter and spring don't play nice at this elevation, so plan accordingly if you're dreaming of tackling this high-altitude gem.
Where is it?
Ultimate 4WD Destination: Col des Lessieres in the Alps is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 44.4530, 1.9835
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 4.2 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,936 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 44.4530, 1.9835
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