Where is Colle di Sampeyre?
Italy, europe
16 km
N/A
extreme
Year-round
Colle di Sampeyre is a seriously high mountain pass in the Province of Cuneo, up in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. We're talking serious altitude here. It's one of the highest paved passes you'll find in the Cottian Alps, and it's famous for its crazy steep drops and mind-blowing alpine scenery.
Think of it as a high-altitude doorway between the Varaita and Maira valleys. The very top is where the paved road meets up with that legendary unpaved ridge road, the Strada dei Cannoni.
Okay, so the road to the summit is paved, following the Strada Provinciale 335 (SP335). But don't get complacent! This road is wild. The climb is 16 km with an average gradient that kicks up to some serious maximum ramps.
The road is super narrow, mostly a single lane, and considered dangerous. Think gaps in the asphalt and unprotected drops of hundreds of meters. Guardrails? Forget about it.
For the final 6 km, you leave the trees behind and drive through high-altitude meadows, often going straight into the clouds.
The whole stretch is about 33.6 km (20.87 miles) long, running from south to north. The descent towards Sampeyre is a real test, with steepness and a deteriorating road surface.
But the views? Absolutely worth it. From the summit, you get a full 360-degree panorama of the deep valleys below. It's tough, it's beautiful, and it's made cycling history, featuring in the Giro d'Italia multiple times. This is a stairway to heaven for experienced drivers and cyclists looking for a serious high-altitude challenge, far from the tourist hordes.
Road Details
- Country
- Italy
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 16 km
- Difficulty
- extreme
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