Driving to Col de La Madeleine in Savoie is Pure Adventure
France, europe
6.1 km
2,716 m
hard
Year-round
# Col de La Madeleine
Tucked away in the Savoie department of southeastern France, Col de La Madeleine sits pretty at 2,716m (8,910ft) in the heart of the Tarentaise Valley. Fair warning though—if you're thinking of the famous Tour de France version, that's a different pass entirely. This one's the real deal for adventurers.
Here's the thing: this isn't your typical alpine road. It's basically a service track for a chairlift, and it's completely unpaved. We're talking 6.1 km (3.79 miles) of raw, rugged terrain running north-south from the paved D902 straight up to Col des Lésières. The catch? You'll need a serious 4x4 to even think about attempting it.
What makes this route genuinely gnarly is the terrain itself. Narrow sections combined with some serious grades—we're talking slopes up to 25%—mean this isn't a Sunday cruise. The track demands respect and actual driving skills.
Winter? Forget about it. This place becomes completely impassable when the snow rolls in, which makes sense considering it's one of France's highest accessible roads. But in the right season, if you've got the vehicle and the nerve, it's an absolutely unforgettable high-altitude alpine experience set against some genuinely stunning mountain scenery.
Where is it?
Driving to Col de La Madeleine in Savoie is Pure Adventure is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 46.5781, 3.6597
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 6.1 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,716 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 46.5781, 3.6597
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