A paved road to Col de la Platriere in the French Alps

Col de la Platrière is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.220m (7,283ft) above the sea level, located in the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France.

Col de la Platrière

Where is Col de la Platriere?

Set high in the French Alps, the road to the summit is totally paved, with narrow parts and countless hairpin turns. It’s called D902. The pass is located two and half kilometers south to the popular Col d'Izoard. Atop there’s a small parking lot, the famous Casse Deserte. The climb is frequently featured in the Tour de France race. At the pass itself, a short climb to the orientation boards is worthwhile.

How long is Col de la Platriere?

Tucked away on the southeastern part of the country, the road to the summit is 23.6 km (14.66 miles) long, running south-north from Arvieux to Cervières. The road to the summit is very steep, hitting a 12% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps and has dangerous drop offs.