Where is Col du Portillon-Coll de Portilló?

Where is Col du Portillon-Coll de Portilló?

France, europe

Length

17 km

Elevation

1,293 m

Difficulty

moderate

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, adventure seekers, buckle up for the Col du Portillon-Coll de Portilló! This beauty straddles the French/Spanish border high up in the Pyrenees, hitting a cool 4,242 feet above sea level. You'll find it in southwestern France (Occitanie region) and northern Spain (Catalonia).

The road itself? Expect curves! It's paved, but get ready for a winding ride: about 10km (6.2 miles) on the French side and 7km (4.3 miles) on the Spanish. Even the Tour de France has tackled this one!

Total length comes in at around 17km (10.56 miles), heading east-west. It's usually open year-round, though winter can bring some temporary closures, so check ahead. This drive isn't recommended if you easily get motion sickness, as it offers dizzying drop-offs. Prepare for some stunning scenery, too!

Share this road

Road Details

Country
France
Continent
europe
Length
17 km
Max Elevation
1,293 m
Difficulty
moderate

Related Roads in europe

Numanpaşahard

Numanpaşa

🇹🇷 Turkey

Numanpaşa is a high mountain town at an elevation of 1.573m (5,160ft) above the sea level, located in Erzurum Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. The average gradient is 9.71%. The road to the town is gravel. This is definitely not a Sunday drive. Drive with care as this is a mountain road with dangerous dropoffs. It’s a mountainous drive with dangerous twists and turns. Open to traffic throughout the year. May be closed for short periods in winter when the weather is bad. The journey is pretty steep. Starting from D050 road, the drive is 5.3 km long via 9 hairpin turns. The elevation gain is 515 meters. The average gradient is 9.71%. TRT Vericisi İstasyonu is a challenging climb in Turkey Mihaliç Tepe in Karaman: The Ultimate Road Trip Guide Embark on a journey like never before! Navigate through our to discover the most spectacular roads of the world Drive Us to Your Road! With over 13,000 roads cataloged, we're always on the lookout for unique routes. Know of a road that deserves to be featured? Click  to share your suggestion, and we may add it to dangerousroads.org.

How long is Sognefjell National Route?moderate

How long is Sognefjell National Route?

🇳🇴 Norway

Okay, buckle up for an unforgettable road trip on the Sognefjell National Route in Norway! This scenic beauty straddles Vestland and Innlandet counties and it's a total must-do. This fully paved ribbon of road, also known as Fylkesvei 55, stretches for 110 km (70 mi) from Sogndalsfjøra to Lom. Just be aware it can get a little narrow in places, and those hairpin turns will definitely keep you on your toes! Heads up: this road is a high-altitude experience, so it's usually closed from November to May due to snow. But don't worry, they plow it open around May 1st, and driving between those towering snowbanks (up to 10 meters high!) is seriously epic. Even in the summer, it can get pretty windy, and the weather up there can change in a flash, so be prepared. Why is this road so special? Well, for starters, it's one of the highest mountain roads in Northern Europe, peaking at 1,437m (4,714ft) above sea level. And the views? Prepare to be blown away by jagged peaks, emerald lakes, and dramatic landscapes. It runs through Jotunheimen National Park and Breheimen National Park, so you'll transition from lush fjords to a stark, treeless plateau. Seriously, plan for a sunny day if you can, and make time for those hiking trails at the top! You'll be stopping at viewpoints every few minutes – trust me, the scenery is *that* good. Just remember, the section from Liasanden to Turtagrø is usually closed in winter and reopens in May. Happy driving!

Los Portillinos is a classic road trip in Castile and Leonmoderate

Los Portillinos is a classic road trip in Castile and Leon

🇪🇸 Spain

# Los Portillinos: A Hidden Mountain Gem Tucked away in the heart of Spain's León province, Los Portillinos (also called Alto de los Portillinos) sits at a breezy 1,957 meters (6,420 feet) in the northwestern corner of Castile and León. This is serious mountain pass territory. The 38-kilometer stretch of the LE-CV-192/21 road runs north-south between Salas de los Barrios and Corporales, winding through the stunning Montes de León range and the Valle del Silencio valley in the El Bierzo region. While it's fully paved, expect some rough patches and cracks that'll keep you on your toes—it's got character, you know? The best part? You'll barely see another car on the way up. The road generally stays open year-round, though don't be surprised by the occasional winter closure when the weather gets moody. If you're feeling adventurous, a minor gravel road branches off east toward Silla de la Yegua, a peak that tops out at 2,135 meters (7,004 feet). This is the kind of drive that rewards patient explorers with incredible mountain scenery and that satisfying feeling of discovering somewhere truly off the beaten path.

The road to Portillo de Lunada is not recommended for people afraid of heightshard

The road to Portillo de Lunada is not recommended for people afraid of heights

🇪🇸 Spain

# Portillo de Lunada: A Thrilling Mountain Adventure Want to experience a road that's been connecting Spain for nearly 2,000 years? The Portillo de Lunada is a stunning high mountain pass sitting pretty at 1,360 m (4,461 ft), straddling the border between Cantabria and Castile and León. This ancient route once guided Roman travelers from the Meseta down to Cantabria, and it's still doing the heavy lifting today. Stretching 31.5 km (19.57 miles) from Espinosa de los Monteros in the south to San Roque de Riomiera in the north, this road is definitely one for the brave-hearted. The paved route—labeled CA-643 on the Cantabria side and BU-572 in Castile and León—climbs steeply through the Cordillera Cantábrica and the beautiful Collados del Asón Natural Park. Fair warning: if heights make you queasy, this isn't your casual Sunday drive. The cliff-side sections are genuinely heart-pounding, and with gradients reaching a steep 12% in places, the local authorities have capped the speed limit at 40 km/h for good reason. The road itself is fully paved but honestly? It's seen better days. Expect plenty of potholes and rough patches that'll keep you on your toes. Rockslides are a real hazard here, so stay alert. If you're feeling extra adventurous, a closed-to-traffic minor road heads further north to Picón del Fraile at 1,590 m (5,216 ft). The pass stays open year-round, though winter snowstorms occasionally force temporary closures. It's a wild, unforgettable ride through some of Spain's most dramatic mountain scenery.