What are the most spectacular roads in France?
France is a true paradise for those wishing to experience the most spectacular roads, and it provides endless experiences for each driver. From stunning balcony roads, mountain passes, and coastal drives, to roads disappearing with the tides, it hosts more than 750 roads listed as the most spectacular in the world.
Located in the western part of Europe, France covers an area of 551,695 square kilometers and shares borders with 7 countries: Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and Andorra. With high mountains in the Alps and the Pyrenees, the roads of the country are famous worldwide because of the Tour de France, the most important cycling race. When traveling to the country, be sure to experience a drive through the best balcony roads. Dramatically carved out of rock on the side of mountains, the balcony roads are a unique experience for any rider.
The country also hosts iconic roads, known worldwide, including Col du Chaussy, a mountain pass at 1,533m (5,029ft) above sea level, famous for the “Lacets de Montvernier,” a special 3 km stretch with 17 hairpins as the road virtually climbs a cliff, or Col de Turini, a treacherous Alpine road with a legendary driving history, as one of the most dangerous and challenging stages of the Monte Carlo Rally and one of the most scenic drives in the world. For those preferring another kind of experience, don’t forget to drive Passage du Gois, the tide-covered road. It’s a natural passage flooded twice a day by the high tide leading to the island of Noirmoutier.
Les Tourniquets d'Astoin
Les Tourniquets d'Astoin is the name of the sharply winding and precipitous ascent in a steep and narrow zig-zag road in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.
Driving the extreme 15% climb to Col d’Anglas in the Pyrenees
Col d’Anglas is a high mountain pass reaching an elevation of 2,453m (8,047ft) above sea level, located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department of south-western France. Situated in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park, the route is a brutal high-altitude track used primarily for chairlift maintenance and logistical access to the upper sectors of the Gourette resort.
Col de Scaldasole is the highest road of Corsica
Col de Scaldasole is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.938m (6,358ft) above the sea level, located in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica. It’s one of the highest roads of Corsica.
Collada del Vent
Collada del Vent is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.301m (7,549ft) above the sea level, located in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France, near the border with Spain and the Autonomous Community of Catalonia.
How to drive the steep 14.24% ascent to Col de Balme?
The Col de Balme is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,209m (7,247ft) above sea level, situated on the border between France (Haute-Savoie) and Switzerland (Valais). The French side is accessed via a narrow and extremely steep gravel track from Vallorcine, while the Swiss side consists exclusively of a walking path toward Trient. Logistically, the summit is a dead-end for motor vehicles, and the ascent requires a high-performance 4x4 to manage the sustained vertical climb.
A very bumpy, grueling road to Bocca di Battaglia
Bocca di Battaglia is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.104m (3,622ft) above the sea level, located in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica. The road to the summit is awesome, with sections up to 12%. Tight bends and faster sweepers.
How to drive the D76 road to Col de Lachau in the Vercors?
Col de Lachau is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1,332m (4,370ft) above sea level, located in the Drôme department of southeastern France. Situated within the Vercors Natural Regional Park, the pass is a critical logistical link on the D76 road, serving as the technical gateway to some of the most challenging cliff-edge sectors in the French Prealps.
Piau-Engaly
Piau-Engaly is a ski resort at an elevation of 1.870m (6,135ft) above the sea level, located in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in southwestern France.
Adventure along Breche du Grand Creux
Breche du Grand Creux is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.830m (9,284ft) above the sea level, located in Rhone-Alpes in the Isère département, in France.
Lac des Estaris
Lac des Estaris is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2.578m (8,458ft) above the sea level, located in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.
Collet des Michels
Collet des Michels is a mountain pass at an elevation of 920m (3,018ft) above the sea level, located in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.
What are the highest roads in Corsica?
Surrounded by rugged and rocky coasts, Corsica is a Mediterranean island located southeast of France and west of Italy. The island represents a large variety of morphological landscapes, and for the most part, the terrain of Corsica is mountainous: Mont Cinto is the highest peak, reaching to 2706m, while more than 30 summits surpass 2000m. It one of 18 French regions, with Ajaccio as its capital. It is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean, behind Sicily, Sardinia and Cyprus.
Driving the Piste du Capet to Pêne Det Pouri in the Pyrenees
Pêne Det Pouri is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2,030m (6,660ft) above sea level, located in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées in France. Situated in the heart of the central Pyrenees, the summit offers one of the best balconies overlooking the famous Tourmalet area.
D428 is a balcony road through Vallon de Pierlas
Vallon de Pierlas is the name of a very scenic valley located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. It's one of the famous French balcony roads.
Boismint lift
Boismint lift is a high mountain lift at an elevation of 2.671m (8,763ft) above the sea level, located in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
Hautacam is a legendary Tour de France climb
Station du Hautacam is a ski resort at an elevation of 1.523m (4,996ft) above the sea level, located in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region of France.
Taking on the Twists and Turns of Défilé de l'Inzecca
Défilé de l'Inzecca is a very scenic canyon located in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.
Road D93
Road D93 is challenging drive in the heart of the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. The average gradient is 6.82% with 18 hairpin turns along the way.
The breathtaking road to Couillade de Llerbès
Couillade de Llerbès is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.299m (7,542ft) above the sea level, located in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region of south-western France.
Pas de Saint-Anne
Pas de Saint-Anne is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.301m (7,549ft) above the sea level, located in the Maritime Alps, on the French-Italian border.
Pic de Montferrat
Pic de Montferrat is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.497m (8,192ft) above the sea level, located in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in southwestern France.
Col du Fouet
Col du Fouet is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.435m (7,988ft) above the sea level, located in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.
Le Gros Villan, one of the steepest tracks in the world
Le Gros Villan is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.522m (8,274ft) above the sea level, located in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.
Clue de Rouaine
Located in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France, the Clue de Rouaine is a very picturesque drive on an unrivalled location in the midst of grandiose scenery.
Moucherotte
Moucherotte is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.863m (6,112ft) above the sea level, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France.
Fort Pepin
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.
Col de la Cucumelle
Col de la Cucumelle is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.511m (8,238ft) above the sea level, located in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.
An iconic road to Col du Grand Ballon in the Vosges Mountains
Col du Grand Ballon is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.343m (4,406ft) above the sea level, located in the Haut-Rhin department of the Grand Est region, in France.
Driving the military track to Collalunga Pass in the Alps
Passo di Collalunga (also known as Pas de Colle Longue) is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,441m (8,008ft) above sea level, situated on the border between France (Alpes-Maritimes) and Italy (Piedmont). This former military route is one of the most scenic and technical tracks in the Maritime Alps.
Cheval Noir
Cheval Noir is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.166m (7,106ft) above the sea level, located in the Massif de la Vanoise range, in Savoie department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of the French Alps.
A brutally steep (17.67%) service road to Cime des Orres in the Hautes-Alpes
Cime des Orres is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2,655m (8,710ft) above sea level, located in the Hautes-Alpes department of France. It’s one of the highest roads in the country.
Lac d'Aubert
Lac d'Aubert is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 2.163m (7,096ft) above sea level, located in Hautes-Pyrénées, a department in southwestern France. It is part of the Midi-Pyrénées region.
Road trip guide: 26 hairpin turns to Pas de l’Escous
Pas de l’Escous is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1.012m (3,320ft) above the sea level, located in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in France.
Col de Mea
Col de Mea is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.486m (8,156ft) above the sea level, located in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.
Puy de Dome is an iconic Tour de France climb
Puy de Dôme, with its magnificent stature and awe-inspiring beauty, stands as an iconic climb in the legendary Tour de France. This dome-shaped volcanic plug rises proudly to an impressive elevation of 1,450 meters (4,757 feet) above sea level, gracing the picturesque landscape of the Puy-de-Dôme department in the enchanting region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes of France.
Mont Mirantin
Mont Mirantin is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.058m (6,751ft) above the sea level, located in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.
Guide to the Mines de Bentaillou
Anciennes mines du Bentaillou is a zinc and silver-bearing abandoned mine at an elevation of 1.875m (6,151ft) above the sea level, located in the Ariège department in southwestern France, near the Spanish border.
Road D954
D954 is a very scenic drive in the heart of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France. This road overlooks the blue Lac de Serre-Ponçon lake from above, and has some beautiful views.
Pas de l'Escalier
Pas de l'Escalier is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.907m (6,256ft) above the sea level, located in the Ariège department in the Occitanie region of south-western France.
Col de Frejus
Col de Frejus is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.474m (8,116ft) above the sea level, located in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.
Bocca di Vizzavona: A Strategic Pass in the Heart of Corsica
Bocca di Vizzavona (also known as Col de Vizzavona) is a mountain pass at an elevation of 1,163m (3,815ft) above sea level, located on the island of Corsica, France. Coordinates: 42.1121, 9.1158. The pass serves as the primary transport link between Ajaccio and Bastia.
Station de Ski Ghisoni
Located at the foot of the Monte Renosu, in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica, the Ghisoni ski resort sits at an elevation of 1.672m (5,485ft) above the sea level.
Col de Barteaux
Col de Barteaux is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.384m (7,821ft) above the sea level, located in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.
Setaz des Pres
Sétaz des Près is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.314m (7,591ft) above the sea level, located in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.
Driving the steep 13% track to the summit of La Norma
La Norma is a high mountain peak reaching an elevation of 2,584m (8,477ft) above sea level, located in the Savoie department in south-eastern France. Situated in the heart of the Vanoise National Park, the track to the summit is one of the most punishing unpaved climbs in the French Alps.