Take the Scenic Road and Discover French Pass in NZ
New Zealand, oceania
38.3 km
413 m
hard
Year-round
Want to get off the beaten path in New Zealand? Head to French Pass, a sleepy little village at the top of the South Island! The road there, winding through the Marlborough Sounds, is a stunner.
The road to this timeless seaport (also called Te Aumiti) is an adventure in itself. Picture this: mostly gravel, one-lane bridges, hairpin turns, and some seriously narrow bits with steep drop-offs. It's a real "Kiwi" road! Keep an eye out for sheep and cattle roaming free – and plenty of cattle stops (and gates!). You'll want to secure anything loose in your car before you hit the first one!
Starting from Ōkiwi Bay, the road stretches for about 38 km, climbing to 413m above sea level near Saddle Hill. This twisty road was built way back in 1957.
It'll probably take you an hour or two to drive without stopping, and you might not even see another car the whole way. This isn't a popular tourist route, but that's part of its charm! Prepare to be amazed by the scenery – rolling farmland, a unique mineral belt, lush native bush, and those incredible sea views of the French Pass and d’Urville Island. Oh, and did I mention French Pass has some of the fastest tidal flows in New Zealand?
Where is it?
Take the Scenic Road and Discover French Pass in NZ is located in New Zealand (oceania). Coordinates: -39.9236, 175.3645
Road Details
- Country
- New Zealand
- Continent
- oceania
- Length
- 38.3 km
- Max Elevation
- 413 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- -39.9236, 175.3645
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