Driving the dizzying paved road to Col du Portillon on the Spanish-French border
France, europe
17 km
1,293 m
moderate
Year-round
# Col du Portillon-Coll de Portilló
Ready for a wild ride through the Pyrenees? Col du Portillon-Coll de Portilló sits at 1,293 meters (4,242 feet) and straddles the Spain-France border, connecting the Spanish town of Bossòst in Lleida province with the French alpine village of Bagnères-de-Luchon. It's a seriously scenic 17-kilometer (10.56-mile) east-west route that'll test both your driving skills and your nerve.
The fully paved road comes in two flavors: France calls it D618A, while Spain knows it as N-141. Here's the thing though—this pass is *not* for the faint of heart. We're talking 20 hairpin turns that wind their way up the mountain like a corkscrew. If you're prone to motion sickness, maybe grab some ginger candy before you go.
The good news? This road is open year-round, making it a solid option for most of the year. Winter can throw some curveballs your way with occasional closures, so check conditions first if you're planning a cold-season adventure.
Oh, and if you're into cycling, you've probably heard of this place—the Tour de France has tackled these switchbacks more than once, which tells you everything you need to know about the challenge ahead.
Where is it?
Driving the dizzying paved road to Col du Portillon on the Spanish-French border is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 45.1620, 2.0729
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 17 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,293 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 45.1620, 2.0729
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