Col de Platé

Col de Platé

France, europe

Length

N/A

Elevation

2,362 m

Difficulty

hard

Best Season

Year-round

Alright, adventure seekers, listen up! Col de Platé is calling your name. This isn't your average Sunday drive; we're talking about a high-mountain pass sitting pretty at 2,362 meters (that's 7,749 feet!) in the Haute-Savoie department of southeastern France.

Now, picture this: a gravel service road that's rocky, bumpy, and ready to test your off-roading skills. This isn't a road for the faint of heart! You'll definitely need a 4x4 to tackle this steep, unpaved trail. And, pro tip: avoid it completely in winter when it becomes totally impassable.

Imagine conquering this beast, though! Just remember, if heights make your palms sweat, maybe sit this one out. Wet conditions can turn the road into a muddy slip-n-slide, especially as you near the top of those ski slopes. But, if you're an experienced wheeler looking for a challenge with insane views, Col de Platé might just be your next unforgettable adventure.

Share this road

Road Details

Country
France
Continent
europe
Max Elevation
2,362 m
Difficulty
hard

Related Roads in europe

Mitsikelihard

Mitsikeli

🇬🇷 Greece

# Mitsikeli: A Peak Worth the Drive Towering at 1,693 meters (5,554 feet) above sea level in Greece's stunning Pindus Mountains, Mitsikeli is a must-visit for anyone craving mountain adventure in the heart of Epirus. The road to the top is mostly paved concrete, but don't let that fool you—this is no leisurely scenic drive. Prepare yourself for a narrow, winding route with seriously steep grades and some pretty gnarly drop-offs along the way. Honestly, if mountain driving isn't your thing, you might want to skip this one. But if you're up for the challenge? You're in for an incredible experience. Once you've conquered the climb, you'll pull up to the summit where a communication tower stands guard. And here's the payoff: those 360-degree views are absolutely mind-blowing. Thanks to the peak's distinctive pointed shape, you get panoramic vistas stretching in every direction—mountain ranges, valleys, and sky meeting at the horizon. It's the kind of view that makes every white-knuckle moment of the drive totally worth it.

Adventure along the narrow road to Colle di Valcaveraextreme

Adventure along the narrow road to Colle di Valcavera

🇮🇹 Italy

# Colle di Valcavera Ready for an epic alpine adventure? Colle di Valcavera sits at a seriously impressive 2,416m (7,926ft) in the Province of Cuneo, nestled in Piedmont's northwestern corner near the French border. This 47 km (29.2 miles) road stretches north-south from Ponte Marmora to Demonte, and let me tell you—it's not for the faint of heart. The pavement is fully intact, but it's narrow and occasionally bumpy with rough patches that'll keep you on your toes. What really gets your adrenaline pumping is the relentless series of hairpin curves combined with some seriously steep sections reaching up to 15% gradient. The road's so legendary it's been featured in the Giro d'Italia, and you'll understand why once you start navigating those endless switchbacks. Perched high in the Cottian Alps in the southwestern reaches of the Alps range, this pass offers stunning mountain scenery at every turn. Just keep in mind it's a winter closure zone, so save your visit for the warmer months. Fair warning: this route also connects you to several other challenging passes—Colle del Vallonetto, Colle d'Esischie, and Colle Fauniera—so you could easily string together an entire alpine challenge if you're feeling ambitious.

How to drive the iconic road to Oclini Pass in the Dolomites?moderate

How to drive the iconic road to Oclini Pass in the Dolomites?

🇮🇹 Italy

Passo di Oclini (also called Oclini – Jochgrimm) is a stunning high-altitude mountain pass sitting pretty at 1,995m (6,545ft) in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of northern Italy. Tucked away in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano–South Tyrol within Val di Fiemme, this pass has become a proper mountain hub with a ski resort, hotels, and a spacious parking lot right at the summit. The Via Lavaze winds through the pass for 9.8 km (6.08 miles), stretching east-west from Passo di Lavaze to Stadt. The journey kicks off on smooth, fully paved road that takes you up to the summit, but fair warning—once you crest the top and head down the western side, it transitions to gravel. The entire route has a bit of a bumpy character to it, with moderate traffic and some seriously steep sections that'll test your nerves at gradients up to 9%. The ascent from Passo di Lavaze is relatively short at just 3.6 km (2.23 miles), climbing 187 meters with an average gradient of around 5%. Nestled in the heart of the Dolomites, this pass stays open year-round thanks to its relatively mild climate, though you might spot brief winter closures when the snow rolls in.

The abandoned Tunnel du Mortier in Francehard

The abandoned Tunnel du Mortier in France

🇫🇷 France

# Tunnel du Mortier: France's Haunting Mountain Passage Tucked away in the Isère department of southeastern France, the Tunnel du Mortier sits at a dramatic 1,370 meters (4,494 feet) in the heart of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. This quirky piece of mountain infrastructure has quite the backstory. Originally built back in 1911, the tunnel got a major makeover in 1968 for the Grenoble Winter Olympics. A plaque at the north entrance commemorates the upgrade, which was officially inaugurated on September 30th by Louis Verger. But here's where things get interesting: the road didn't last much longer. In April 1992, a massive rockfall—roughly 20,000 cubic meters of rock—came crashing down just below the summit of the Buffe, destroying the access road and making the whole situation dangerously unstable. The kicker? This happened just a kilometer from another epic collapse in 1971 (50,000 cubic meters). Given the road's limited importance and the ongoing threat of more slides, authorities threw in the towel and closed it for good. These days, the two-lane tunnel (all 500 meters of it) sees hikers and mountain bikers instead of cars. The first 100 meters are straightforward, but the middle section gets seriously dark—bring a light. The smooth interior is blessedly obstacle-free, though you'll spot a few rocks toward the Isère end where daylight returns. The approach road, D218, is paved but narrow with brutal gradients hitting 12% on some sections. The southeastern side is still drivable up to the tunnel, but the northwestern side has completely collapsed. Beyond the tunnel, a massive rockslide blocks any further progress, though adventurous souls with proper caution can cross it to descend into the Vercors. A forest track was briefly developed in 2017, but a landslide during winter 2021-2022 shut that down too. Mother Nature clearly has the final say here.