Where is Col de La Buffere?

Col de Buffère: Picture this, you're cruising through the Hautes-Alpes department of France, and you stumble upon this beast of a mountain pass. We're talking a whopping 2,431m (7,975ft) above sea level!

You'll find it nestled in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the southeastern part of France.

This road has some serious history, dating all the way back to the early 1900s when it was built for military use. Up at the top, you can still spot remnants from World War II—part of the old Maginot Line. Pretty cool, right?

Now, don't get me wrong, the Piste du Col de La Buffere is gorgeous, with killer views of the Écrins National Park. But it's not for the faint of heart. It's unpaved the whole way, think gravel and rocks, with some crazy steep sections hitting up to 20% gradient! You'll definitely want a 4x4 for this one.

The fun starts from the D234T, clocking in at about 5.1 km (3.16 miles) with a 314-meter climb. That’s an average gradient of 6.15%, so get ready to work those gears!

Heads up, though: this route is usually closed from late October to late June/early July due to snow.

You can drive part of it, but private vehicles aren't allowed on the very last stretch to the summit. It's all about keeping things safe and preserving the area because the road gets super narrow with some serious drop-offs.

Honestly, the views are worth it, offering epic panoramas of the surrounding peaks. Plus, you get a dose of history with the military fortifications.