Where is Col d'Espreaux?
France, europe
13 km
1,160 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, picture this: the Col d'Espréaux, a totally awesome mountain pass chilling at 1,160 meters (3,805 feet) in the Hautes-Alpes department of France. You'll find this gem in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, southeast France, linking the Buëch and Durance valleys.
The D20, or Col d'Espréaux road, is your path to the top. It's paved, but watch out for loose gravel, especially when you're heading down – things can get a little dicey! It's a steep climb, hitting a max gradient of 9.1%, and the road gets pretty narrow in spots.
The whole shebang is about 13 kilometers (8.07 miles) long, running north-south from Châteauneuf-d'Oze to Barcillonnette.
Why's it famous? Well, the Col d'Espréaux has seen some action in the Tour de France and the Monte-Carlo Historic Rally. If you're into the Monte-Carlo rally scene, this pass, along with the nearby Col de Faye, is a must-do special stage!
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 13 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,160 m
- Difficulty
- hard
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