Where is Col de Joux Plane?
France, europe
23.7 km
N/A
hard
Year-round
Col de Joux Plane, sitting pretty at a lofty elevation in the Haute-Savoie department of France, is a cycling legend. Seriously, this climb is up there with the toughest in the French Alps!
You'll find it nestled in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, close to the Swiss border and chilling at the southern end of the Chablais Alps.
What awaits at the summit? A welcome sight: Le Relais des Vallées bar! Keep going north, and you can actually climb a bit higher to the true summit. The views overlooking Mont Blanc are totally worth it.
Heads up: the road is paved, but it's narrow—sometimes just a single lane—and seriously steep. Some sections hit a brutal gradient! If you're tackling this climb in summer, start early. The whole slope faces south, making it a scorcher.
The road stretches for 23.7 km (14.72 miles), connecting Morzine and Samoëns. From Morzine, it's 12.2 km with a 825m elevation gain and 6.7% average gradient. Samoëns gives you 11.7km, a 851m gain, and a slightly steeper 7.3% average.
Considered a Tour de France beast, expect some seriously tough climbing, especially from Samoëns. It might not be super long, but it is relentless. Forget the famous climbs, this one's just a brutal challenge.
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 23.7 km
- Difficulty
- hard
Related Roads in europe
easyRoad 258 is an awe-inspiring drive in the Czech Republic
🌍 Czech Republic
Road 258 in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic is a total hidden gem! Located in the northern part of the country, super close to the German border, this paved beauty takes you on a 29.4 km (18.26 miles) ride from Duchcov to Ústí nad Labem. Think winding roads, charming villages, and lush forests – it's picture-perfect! The drive only takes about 40 minutes without stops, and the smooth, sweeping turns make it an easy cruise. Be ready for some climbs, though, as you'll reach a peak of 464m (1,522ft). The best part? You'll most likely encounter minimal traffic. This road is a must-do for any road trip lover!
hardFort de Lenlon
🇫🇷 France
# Fort de Lenlon: A High-Alpine Adventure in the French Alps Ready for a serious mountain challenge? Fort de Lenlon sits pretty at a whopping 2,508 meters (8,228 feet) in the Dauphiné region of southeastern France—and getting there is half the adventure. The road itself is a historical gem, carved out between 1890 and 1893, and it's exactly what you'd expect from that era: rough gravel and seriously steep grades that'll test both your nerve and your vehicle's suspension. This isn't a leisurely Sunday drive—it's a genuine mountain climb that demands respect. Here's the catch: you can only tackle this route during the summer months. The road becomes completely impassable from September through June thanks to snow and weather conditions, so timing your visit is crucial. One more thing to know: this fortress sits within a military restricted area, which means you'll need to snag a permit before you head up. It's worth the paperwork though—the views and the sense of accomplishment once you reach the top? Absolutely worth it.
hardLac de Cap-de-Long: One of the Highest Paved Roads in the French Pyrenees
🇫🇷 France
# Lac de Cap-de-Long: A Alpine Adventure Ready for one seriously epic mountain drive? Lac de Cap-de-Long sits pretty at 2,161m (7,089ft) in France's Hautes-Pyrénées, making it one of the loftiest paved roads in the entire French Pyrenees—yep, it actually beats the legendary Col du Tourmalet! Nestled in the Occitania region of southwestern France, this stunning reservoir is just south of Lac d'Aubert. The road curves dramatically around the northern edge of the Crête des Alharisses, treating you to absolutely jaw-dropping mountain vistas the whole way. The best part? The entire route to France's largest Pyrenean reservoir is paved. Sure, it gets a bit squeezed in places, but totally doable. The D929—locals call it the Route des Lacs—climbs as a dead-end road, snaking toward the dam through a spectacular finale of hairpin turns that'll get your adrenaline pumping. Starting from the village of Aragnouet, you're looking at a 13.5 km (8.38 miles) push uphill that gains 1,029 meters of elevation. The average gradient hangs around 7.62%, but some sections crank up to a spicy 11.8%. Once you reach the top, you'll find a sprawling parking area (fair warning: it gets packed during peak season), a café for well-deserved refreshments, and tons of hiking trails branching out through the alpine landscape.
hardWhere is Rikoti Pass?
🇬🇪 Georgia
Okay, buckle up, road trippers! Rikotskiy Pass, perched high in eastern Georgia, is a wild ride! This beauty straddles the border between two regions and marks the divide between eastern and western Georgia. We're talking serious elevation here! The road is fully paved, though get ready for some steep climbs - a maximum gradient, so be prepared for some shifting! The entire route stretches for a good length winding through the southern part of the Greater Caucasus mountains. And trust me, the scenery is worth every white-knuckle moment! Expect views that will leave you breathless. So here's the deal: this route used to be *the* way to get from Tbilisi to Kutaisi. But it became notorious for being a tough drive, so they built a tunnel in 1982 to make life easier (that tunnel is pretty long!). The original Rikotskiy Pass road is still around, though, offering a more adventurous option if you're feeling up to it.