Agnel Pass is one of the European highest paved roads
France, europe
35.2 km
2,744 m
hard
Year-round
# Col Agnel-Colle dell'Agnello
Ready for an Alpine adventure? This stunning international mountain pass sits at a whopping 2,744m (9,003ft) and straddles the French-Italian border in the gorgeous Queyras Regional Natural Park. It's the gateway between the Hautes-Alpes in southeastern France and the Cuneo province in Italy's Piedmont region.
The fully paved route stretches 35.2km (21.87 miles) from the charming French village of Molines-en-Queyras down to Casteldelfino in Italy. Known as the D205T in France and SP251 in Italy, it's seriously one of the Alps' highest roads. Plan on spending about 1 to 1.2 hours driving it without stops—though honestly, you'll want to linger at that tiny summit parking lot for the absolutely insane panoramic views.
Fair warning though: this pass is a seasonal beast. Expect it to be snowed in from late October through late June or early July, so timing is everything. Once you're up there, the narrow sections and intense 15% gradients will keep you on your toes. Rock slides are a real concern, and heavy vehicles are banned for good reason.
This isn't some tourist trap either—despite being the highest international pass in the Alps, it flies under the radar compared to other Alpine crossings. But the cycling world knows it well: both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France have tackled this beast, with the Tour featuring it back in 2008 after a fresh resurfacing.
Where is it?
Agnel Pass is one of the European highest paved roads is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 46.9400, 1.7622
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 35.2 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,744 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 46.9400, 1.7622
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