The narrow, bad and old road to the top of Col de Sarenne
France, europe
20.9 km
2,004 m
extreme
Year-round
# Col de Sarenne: France's Ultimate Alpine Challenge
Perched at a heart-pounding 2,004 meters (6,574 ft) in the Isère department, Col de Sarenne ranks among France's most intense mountain passes. Nestled high in the Grandes Rousses massif of the Central French Alps in the Rhône-Alpes region, this beast of a road isn't for the faint-hearted.
The 20.9-kilometer (12.98-mile) Route du Col de Sarenne stretches from Mizoën to Huez, climbing relentlessly with gradients hitting 14.1% at their steepest. What makes it truly gnarly? The road surface itself is a mixed bag—mostly paved, but with sketchy unpaved sections that'll keep you white-knuckling the wheel. The asphalt quality ranges from decent to downright sketchy, especially at the edges, and narrow pinch points mean you definitely can't pass an oncoming car.
Those steep drops? Unguarded. A 30-meter plunge awaits any mistakes. Guardrails? Forget about it. Bigger vehicles are banned from this road entirely.
But here's the thing: despite being relatively close to civilization, Col de Sarenne feels genuinely remote. The rough pavement and quiet atmosphere make it feel like you've discovered some hidden corner of the Alps. There's even a tiny restaurant and parking lot at the summit if you need to catch your breath.
The road closes from late October through early June and runs alongside the GR54 hiking trail for much of its length. Oh, and it's famous enough to have been tackled by Tour de France cyclists—so yes, people actually race up this monster.
Where is it?
The narrow, bad and old road to the top of Col de Sarenne is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 44.4365, 1.3153
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 20.9 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,004 m
- Difficulty
- extreme
- Coordinates
- 44.4365, 1.3153
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