Route des Grandes Alpes

Section of the Route des Grandes Alpes in Val d´Isère

Route des Grandes Alpes, sign in Bourg-Saint-Maurice towards Cormet de Roselend

The Route des Grandes Alpes is one of the famous French routes through the Alps to the Mediterranean . It leads from Thonon-les-Bains on Lake Geneva to Menton on the Côte d'Azur and crosses 16 Alpine passes (6 of which are over 2000 m), including the Col de l'Iseran , the highest road pass in the Alps at 2764 m. The route overcomes a total height difference of 15,700 m over a length of approx. 700 km. Opened in 1913 for the first five stages, the route today consists of 600 km of departmental roads and 68 km of national roads. Several sections form stages of the Tour de France .

Within sight of the route are a number of former military installations that were built between the 17th ( Vauban ) and 20th ( Maginot Line ) centuries. A selection: Ouvrage de la Platte (Fort 2000), Barrière de l'Esseillon , Briançon , Redoute de Berwick, Fort de Tournoux, Petit ouvrage de Fressinea and Ouvrage du Castillon.

The course of the route is signposted (sometimes a bit sparse) and shown on many road maps. The Route des Grandes Alpes is open from June to October 15th.

Mountain passes

The following pass heights are reached during the Route des Grandes Alpes:

• Col des Gets (1163 m)
• Col de la Colombière (1613 m)
• Col des Aravis (1487 m)
• Col des Saisies (1650 m)
• Cormet de Roselend (1967 m)
• Col de l'Iseran (2764 m)
• Col du Télégraphe (1566 m)
• Col du Galibier (2645 m)
• Col du Lautaret (2058 m)
• Col d'Izoard (2360 m)
• Col de Vars (2109 m)
• Col de la Cayolle (2326 m)
• Col de Valberg (1673 m)
• Col de la Couillole (1678 m)
• Col Saint-Martin (1500 m)
• Col de Turini (1607 m)
• Col de Castillon (706 m)

The information about the number of passes on the Route des Grandes Alpes varies depending on the counting method. B. the south ramp of the Col du Galibier ends at the pass of the Col du Lautaret, but from the Col du Lautaret only one of the two ramps that is used on the east ramp. Also, in route descriptions, often only a selection of the passes is given, the Col de Valberg is e.g. B. not even mentioned on the official homepage.

Web links

Commons : Route des Grandes Alpes  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Info, photos, map and GPS waypoints of the Route des Grandes Alpes on passes. Info (German)