Where is Col de la Couillole?
France, europe
23.4 km
504 m
extreme
Year-round
Col de la Couillole, sitting pretty at 1,678m (5,495ft), is a must-drive in the Alpes-Maritimes department of France. You'll find it snaking through the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, smack-dab in the Mercantour National Park.
This beauty is part of the Route des Grandes Alpes, and the entire 23.4km (14.54 miles) stretch from Beuil to Saint-Sauveur-sur-Tinée is paved – just follow the D30, which magically transforms into M30 after you conquer the col towards Saint Sauveur sur Tinée.
Prepare for a steep and curvy adventure! Expect some narrow sections, hairpin turns, and charming tunnels. But trust me, the scenic views more than make up for it.
Cyclists, take note: this climb is a real workout. Starting from St. Sauveur-sur-Tinée (504m), it’s a 15.7 km grind with a whopping 1,174 meters of elevation gain, averaging a 7.5% gradient. It's consistently steep, barely dipping below 6%, with stretches hitting 8% and peaking at 11%!
Pro tip: make a detour to Roubion, a ridiculously picturesque village near the pass. It’s literally the end of the road, but totally worth the detour! Coming from Beuil, you won't see signs for it, so keep your eyes peeled.
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 23.4 km
- Max Elevation
- 504 m
- Difficulty
- extreme
Related Roads in europe
hardÇirmaniman Yaylası
🇹🇷 Turkey
Okay, adventure seekers, buckle up for Çirmaniman Yaylası in Turkey's Black Sea region! This ain't your grandma's Sunday drive. We're talking serious elevation here – almost 10,000 feet! Located in Rize Province, getting to the summit is an adventure in itself. The gravel road is infamous for its crazy tight hairpin turns and bone-jarring bumps. We're talking 4x4 territory, folks. Seriously. And if heights make you queasy, maybe sit this one out. Plus, Mother Nature throws curveballs. Expect steep climbs, and after even a sprinkle of rain, things can get dicey with loose gravel. Winter brings heavy snowfall, so the road can close without warning. But the scenery? Absolutely breathtaking. Just be prepared!
easyLærdal Tunnel is the longest road tunnel in the world
🇳🇴 Norway
# The Lærdal Tunnel: Norway's Underground Marvel Hidden beneath the mountains of Sogn og Fjordane county lies the world's longest road tunnel—and if you're claustrophobic, you might want to skip this one! Stretching an impressive 24.5 kilometers (15.2 miles), the Lærdal Tunnel is an engineering feat that'll blow your mind. This two-lane highway carries the European Route E16, connecting the charming villages of Aurland and Lærdal while bypassing the stunning 47km Aurlandsfjellet—a scenic mountain route that's now optional for travelers. Tucked in southwestern Norway, the tunnel is surprisingly quick to traverse. At the 80 km/h speed limit, you're looking at about 20 minutes underground—and here's the best part: it's completely toll-free. No hidden costs, no surprise fees. Built in the mid-1990s and opening in 2000, this tunnel was designed to revolutionize winter travel between Oslo and Bergen by eliminating treacherous mountain passes and ferry connections. Smart move! Here's where it gets interesting: the tunnel has no traditional emergency exits. Instead, engineers divided it into sections with wider chambers every 6 kilometers that create the psychological illusion of traveling through multiple tunnels. It's genius design mixed with psychology. The team even brought in specialists from SINTEF to tackle the monotony factor—they installed special lighting and fluorescent panels throughout to keep drivers alert and comfortable. It's a thrilling drive through one of the world's most impressive pieces of infrastructure.
moderateRoad trip guide: Conquering Mur de Peguere in the Occitanie
🇫🇷 France
Mur de Péguère is a mountain pass sitting pretty at 1,375m (4,511ft) in France's Occitanie region, specifically in the Ariège department down in the southwestern Pyrenees. This beast is also known as Col de Péguère, and it's definitely earned its fearsome reputation among cyclists. The road here is D17—a fully paved route that's narrow in stretches and runs 27km (17 miles) from Serres-sur-Arget to Massat, heading north-south through the stunning Massif de l'Arize. The climb's gotten the attention of the Tour de France for good reason. Here's where it gets spicy: while the average gradient is a deceptive 7.9%, don't let that fool you. If you're tackling it from Massat (the shorter route), you're looking at 9.8km (6.1 mi) with 726m (2,382 ft) of elevation gain at an average 7.4% grade. Sounds manageable until you hit the section after Col des Caougnous—that's where the road ramps up to brutal 18%+ pitches that'll have your legs screaming. Coming from the Serres-sur-Arget side? You're in for the long haul: 18km (11 mi) climbing 872m (2,861 ft) at a gentler 4.8% average. The scenery alone makes the effort worth it, but those steeper kicks will test your mettle. You can also connect via the descent from Col de Portel if you're chaining climbs together.
hardFort Pepin
🇫🇷 France
Fort Pepin is a military fortress at an elevation of 2.278m (7,473ft) above the sea level, located in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France, near the Italian border. The road to the summit is gravel, rocky, tippy and bumpy at times. It's an old military road. The road is usually impassable from October to June (weather permitting). The fortress was built in 1883. Expect a trail pretty steep. The track is authorized for motorcycles and ATVs. Le Gros Villan, one of the steepest tracks in the world Embark on a journey like never before! Navigate through our to discover the most spectacular roads of the world Drive Us to Your Road! With over 13,000 roads cataloged, we're always on the lookout for unique routes. Know of a road that deserves to be featured? Click to share your suggestion, and we may add it to dangerousroads.org.