Driving the scenic road to Col de la Croix de Fer in the Alps

Col de la Croix de Fer is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.071m (6,794ft) above the sea level located in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in France. The pass is traversed by the scenic Route des Grandes Alpes.

Where is Col de la Croix de Fer?

Set high in the French Alps, on the southeastern part of the country, the road to the summit (Pass of the Iron Cross) is totally paved. It’s called D926. The route is undulating on both sides with short downhill sections when you climb with high mountains views on both sides full of waterfalls from melting snow. Atop there’s a small bar and a parking lot.

How long is Col de la Croix de Fer?

Tucked away, the pass is 34.2 km (21.25 miles) long, running west-east from the turquoise Lac de Grand'Maison to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.

Is Col de la Croix de Fer challenging?

The road to the summit features countless turns and narrow parts. It is very steep, hitting a 15.5% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. The pass has featured in the Tour de France many times since it was first passed in the 1947 tour when the race was led over the summit by Fermo Camellini and organizers wanted to add a little difficulty to a stage before climbing Col du Galibier via Télégraphe.