Pasul Bâlea is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.042m (6,699ft) above the sea level, located in the Făgăraș Mountains, the highest mountains of the Southern Carpathians, in Romania.
The road to the summit is the infamous Transfăgărăşan (DN7C), one of the most spectacular roads in the world. The surface of the road is asphalted, and is closed between late October and late June. The road was constructed between 1970 and 1974, during the rule of Nicolae Ceauşescu. It's the highest point of the road.
Starting from Cirtisoara, the ascent is 31 km long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 1.455 meters. The average percentage is 4.7 %. At the summit there’s a very beautiful alpine lake called Lacul Balea. There are also some souvenir shops, restaurants...
