Gorges du Guil is a scenic balcony road in France
Gorges du Guil is the name of a canyon located in the Hautes-Alpes department, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France.It’s one of the French balcony roads.
Can you drive through the Gorges du Guil?
Tucked away in the southeastern part of the country, the road through the gorges carved by the Guil river is totally paved. It’s called D902. The road is narrow in parts and short rock tunnels alternate with exposed passages that are only edge-secured with a low wall. To drive the road without stopping will take most people between 10 and 12 minutes.
When was the road through the Gorges du Guil built?
Set high within the Parc Naturel Régional du Queyras, the road was built between 1905 and 1911, The road has 4 tunnels: Tunnel de la Maison du Roy, Tunnel de Roches Brunes, Tunnel de Roches Violettes (the longest tunnel: 320m. It was built in 1949 after the collapse of the cliff which carried the road during the floods of 1948) and Tunnel de Montgauvie (also built in 1949 after the collapse of the cliff which carried the road during the floods of 1948).
How long is the road through the Gorges du Guil?
The road through the gorges, also known as Gorges du Queyras and Combe du Queyras, is 4.9km (3.04 miles) long starting at Guillestre. The Gorges du Guil provide a gateway to the Queyras and are truly impressive. The gorge overlooks the Guil River, one of the top venues for white-water sports in the Alps. The road has a high risk of rock slides.