How to drive the 4x4 road to Col du Mottet?
Col du Mottet (also known as Col de Roche Blanche) is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2,374 meters (7,788 ft) above sea level, located in the Savoie department within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. Situated in the Massif de la Vanoise, the rough unpaved service track climbs directly to the summit station of the Mottet chairlift, connecting the Valmorel resort lines with the upper ridges of the Bellevilles valley.
| Road facts: Col du Mottet | |
|---|---|
| Location | Savoie, Alps (France) |
| Elevation | 2,374 m (7,788 ft) |
| Length | 10 km (6.21 miles) from Les Avanchers-Valmorel |
| Max Gradient | 15% |
| Surface | Totally unpaved / Loose shale, stone blocks, and clay mud |
What are the track conditions on the climb to Col du Mottet?
The 10-kilometer ascent starts from the village of Les Avanchers-Valmorel. The unmaintained track consists entirely of loose shale, large embedded stones, and deep mud ruts carved out by heavy ski resort excavators. The mountain ramps maintain a continuous steepness, hitting maximum gradients of 15% on the upper switchbacks. Driving this high-altitude trail requires a true four-wheel-drive vehicle with high ground clearance. While not a paved alpine pass like the famous Col du Galibier, this ski track leaves wheels inches away from soft, eroding dirt banks that lack concrete side walls.
How narrow are the forest hairpins up to Col du Mottet?
The single-lane mountain road cuts across steep alpine meadows and runs directly beside sheer, unprotected drops without any steel safety guardrails. The lane width is tight, forcing drivers to look out for natural wider clearings before entering the blind turns, as the route is used by local ski facility utility trucks. The route runs close to the rugged track of Col de Riondet.
Are private vehicles allowed to drive up to Col du Mottet?
Due to heavy alpine snow drifts, the track remains completely blocked from early October until late June. Beyond the weather limits, the path is a private maintenance road for the ski resort infrastructure. Motorized access for private cars is barred by local municipal signs and metal security barriers at the lower resort gates. Additionally, the mountain pass directly borders the protected Core Zone of the Vanoise National Park, where French environmental rangers enforce strict driving bans and issue severe fines for any unauthorized motorized vehicles drifting past the marked park boundaries.