27 Mountain Passes to Explore in France

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France, including its overseas territories, has the most number of time zones with a total of 12 time zones. France has long been a global center of art, science, and philosophy. It hosts the world's fourth-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is the leading tourist destination, receiving around 83 million foreign visitors annually.

Mountain Passes by destinations in France

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (8)

Nouvelle-Aquitaine (3)

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (2)

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (2)

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Mountain Passes to Explore in France

Ballon d'Alsace

The Col du Ballon d'Alsace is a mountain pass situated close to the summit of the Ballon d'Alsace in the Vosges Mountains of France. It connects Saint-Maurice-sur-Moselle with Masevaux and Belfort. The Ballon d'Alsace was the first official mountain climb in the Tour de France. One of the nice trekking destination and also it offers a panoramic view of the natural beauty.

The Col d'Aspin is a road mountain pass in the Pyrenees, located at 1,493 m in the French department of Hautes-Pyrénées, in Occitanie. It is taken by the route des cols. It connects the Campan valley and the Aure valley , or Sainte-Marie-de-Campan to Arreau , access can be done from the cross-country ski resort of Payolle. You can go hiking there all year round and admire the Payolle lake and many fir trees.

Col d'Aubisque is a beautiful mountain pass which was located in the south of Tarbes and Pau in the department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. It is a center for winter sports and is regularly part of the Tour de France, generally rated an hors catégorie climb. It is almost the perfect climb for cyclists and also this picturesque location offers a panoramic view of nature.

Col d'Izoard is a mountain pass that connects Briançon and the Guil valley in the French Alps. Near the summit, there is a monument remembering the epic battles between Fausto Coppi and Louison Bobet in 1950.

The Col de Bavella is a mountain pass at an altitude of 1,218 meters on the French island of Corsica. The mountain pass connects Solenzara on the east coast of the island with Zonza in the Alta Rocca. The col is the most southerly of the four great Corsican mountain passes that cross the main ridge of the island. The pass forms an important connection between the southwest of the island and the northeast.

Col de la Bonette

Col de la Bonette is a mountain pass and the highest asphalt road in Europe, situated within the Mercantour National Park of the French Alps. The mountain pass offers many beautiful viewpoints.

Col de la Croix de Fer

Col de la Croix de Fer is a high mountain pass in the French Alps linking Le Bourg-d'Oisans and Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. The pass has featured in the Tour de France nineteen times since it was first passed in the 1947 tour when the race was led over the summit by Fermo Camellini. One of the beautiful locations in the area and also a nice picnic spot too.

Col de la Madeleine

Col de la Madeleine is a high mountain pass in the Alps in the department of Savoie in France. Madeleine is one of only two roads that crosses the Vanoise Alps. Until the 18th century, it was known as Col de la Colombe. Itconnects La Chambre in Maurienne with La Léchère in Tarentaise. The pass is closed from November to the beginning of June. It has been described as "beautiful, but heartbreaking".

Col de la Pierre St Martin

A mountain pass on the France-Spain border in the western Pyrenees in the department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Navarra. La Pierre St Martin is the highest road climb in the Basque Pyrenees and it is, without doubt, one of the toughest. One of the picturesque locations in this area which was famous among tourists.

Col de la Schlucht

The Col de la Schlucht Listen is one of the main passes in the Vosges mountains, located between the municipalities of Valtin and Stosswihr, providing links between these two departments. The pass is located in a beautiful location which is historically and naturally beautiful. This place has long been a popular destination for winter sports.

Col de Peyresourde

The Col de Peyresourde is a mountain pass in the Central Pyrenees on the border of the Haute-Garonne and Hautes-Pyrénées department in France. It is located on the D618 road between Bagnères-de-Luchon and Arreau . - https://es.qaz.wiki/wiki/Col_de_Peyresourde. One of the picturesque location which gives a panoramic view of the nature.

The Col de Teghime is one of the main passes in Corsica. It offers a view of the two coasts of Corsica, with Bastia and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the east, Saint-Florent, the Desert of Agriates and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. A monument at the pass pays homage to the sacrifice of Moroccan goumiers in this battle and in the Liberation of Corsica. One of the nice location which was flourished with stunning views and natural beauty.

The Vergio pass (in Corsican Bocca Verghju ) is a collar of Corsica between Corte and Vico . It thus connects Albertacce in Niolo ( En-Deçà-des-Monts ) to Évisa in Deux-Sevi ( Au-Delà-des-Monts ). It is the highest road pass on the island. It is, with the passes of Vizzavona , Verde and Bavella , one of the four “great passes” of Corsica, making it possible to connect the two sides of the island from the interior.

Col de Vizzavona

Col de Vizzavona connects Corte to Ajaccio and is one of the four big passes in Corsica linking the island’s two slopes from west to east. Located in the heart of Corsica’s regional park. It was located in a picturesque location and you can enjoy wonderful views over Corsica and also start hikes in the surrounding area.

Col des Aravis is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.487m above the sea level, located in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. The pass is traversed by the scenic Route des Grandes Alpes. Col des Aravis is the lowest pass in the Aravis mountain range. The road to the summit is a bit steep. One of the beautiful locations in this area and also a nice place which is blessed with natural beauty.

Col du Bonhomme

The Col du Bonhomme is a pass over the ridge of the Vosges which was 36cated at an altitude of 949 m in Le Bonhomme in Alsace. It is an area that is flourished with natural beauty and picturesque locations. It connects the Alsatian Weisstal with the Meurthe valley in Lorraine. There are two restaurants at the top of the pass. The view of the valleys from the pass is truly mesmerizing and The Col du Bonhomme is particularly popular with heavy goods vehicles.

Col du Galibier

The Col du Galibier is a mountain pass in the southern region of the French Dauphiné Alps near Grenoble. It is the eighth-highest paved road in the Alps, and recurrently the highest point of the Tour de France. It connects Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne and Briançon via the col du Télégraphe and the Col du Lautaret. The pass is closed during the winter. It is located between the massif d'Arvan-Villards and the massif des Ceres, taking its name from the secondary chain of mountains known as the Galib

Col du Glandon is one of the beautiful Alpine mountain passes, which most people are very familiar with. It sits on the road connecting Le Bourg-d’Oisans and La Chambre, both often used as bases by cyclists visiting the Alps. It was a place which is flourished with natural beauty and is also a nice trekking destination too. The pass is normally closed from the beginning of November to mid May.

Map of Mountain Passes to Explore in France