Where is the Lysevegen road?
Norway, europe
32.6 km
932 m
hard
Year-round
Cruising through southwestern Norway? You HAVE to check out Lysevegen! This road is a total rollercoaster through the mountains of Rogaland and Vest Agder. Think 27 hairpin turns, people! And get this – there's this crazy narrow tunnel where only one car can pass at a time.
Lysevegen (aka FV500) straddles the border of Agder and Rogaland counties. This insane stretch of road officially opened in 1984, built originally to help with the Tjodan hydroelectric power station. Back then, boats were the only way to get in and out of Lysebotn! The first road was carved INSIDE the mountain back in the 50s and 60s to get rid of all the rock.
The road clocks in at around 32.6 km (20.25 miles), all paved. It kicks off from Fv450 and plunges down to Lysebotn, a tiny, super-remote village chilling at the end of Lysefjorden.
Heads up though – this isn't a Sunday drive! Lysevegen climbs to 932m (3,057ft) above sea level at Andersvatn lake. It’s packed with hairpin bends, averaging a crazy 9.4% gradient, with some spots hitting 16%! Seriously, pay attention.
Tight corners and reverse camber bends are your constant companions. And those 27 hairpin turns in a row? Epic! Two big reasons to tackle this road: hiking to Kjerag and catching a ferry through Lysefjord back to Stavanger. Oh, and did I mention the tunnel that does a 340-degree turn before spitting you out in Lysebotn?
It can get super narrow, so be prepared to pull over and let other cars pass. This road is usually only open for about 5 months a year, so plan accordingly. It’s notorious for being misty. Usually, it opens in May and closes in October/November, but it all depends on the snow. Sometimes the snowplows are still working in late May, and you can see snow well into summer! Even in June, snow isn't uncommon.
Road Details
- Country
- Norway
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 32.6 km
- Max Elevation
- 932 m
- Difficulty
- hard
Related Roads in europe
hardCeresole Tunnel is the steepest tunnel in the Italian Alps
🇮🇹 Italy
Cruising through the Italian Piedmont region, just outside Turin, you'll find the wild Ceresole Tunnel. Nestled way up in the Graian Alps, right in Gran Paradiso National Park, this baby is a thrill! Clocking in at 3.5km, this paved tunnel is part of the SP460 road. It's well-lit and roomy, but hold on tight because it's rumored to be the steepest tunnel in the Alps, with sections hitting a crazy 14-16% grade! You start at 1172m above sea level and climb to 1456m, gaining 284 meters in elevation. That's an average gradient of 8%! If you're feeling adventurous, ditch the tunnel and take the old service road to the left. It's a repaved beauty (thanks, Giro d'Italia!) with three hairpin turns and views for days. Prepare for a challenging 10-15% slope, but the waterfalls, overhangs, and the Orco stream will totally make up for it. Get ready for an epic Alpine experience!
hardDriving to Col de La Madeleine in Savoie is Pure Adventure
🇫🇷 France
# 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.
extremeWhere is Bicaz Gorge?
🇷🇴 Romania
Okay, picture this: you're cruising through Transylvania, Romania, and BAM! You hit Bicaz Gorge. This isn't just any road; it's a wild ride carved right through the mountains! Officially called DN12C, this totally paved road winds for about 10.8 kilometers (6.7 miles) between Lacu Roșu and Bicaz-Chei. What makes it epic? For starters, the road is pretty narrow and has 12 hairpin turns to keep you on your toes. The cliffs are insane, towering 300 meters (almost 1000 feet!) straight up. There are even tunnels, and the road hugs the rock face so close in a section called the "Neck of Hell" that you'll feel like the walls are closing in. Located inside the Cheile Bicazului-Hășmaș National Park, you can find cool bazaars selling local crafts. The scenery is non-stop gorgeous, with cliffs that seem to rise straight out of the asphalt. And if you’re up for more exploring, just past the gorge is the beautiful Lake Bicaz. Just be prepared for serpentine roads with rock on one side and a sheer drop on the other. The legend says that the nearby "killer lake" was formed from the blood of unfortunate picnickers crushed by a mountainside collapse. Morbid? Maybe. Unforgettable? Definitely!
hardVeliko Rujno
🇭🇷 Croatia
Okay, picture this: You're in Starigrad, a cute little harbor town in northern Dalmatia. Get ready for an adventure because you're about to head up to Veliko Rujno, a ridiculously scenic plateau sitting pretty at almost 3,000 feet! The road is about 8 miles long and twists its way up with eight seriously sharp hairpin turns. The first half is paved, taking you 4 miles to a parking lot. But don't stop there! The real fun begins as the asphalt turns to gravel and you rumble through another 4 miles inside the stunning Paklenica National Park. Now, a little heads-up: this road is not for the faint of heart! It's super steep, narrow, and has some serious drop-offs. But the views? Totally worth it. You'll be gazing out at the sparkling Adriatic Sea and catching glimpses of the charming Sveta Bogorodica church along the way. The final stretch gets a little wild with bigger, sharper rocks on the road. Starting at sea level, you'll climb almost 3,000 feet in just over 8 miles, making for an average incline of around 6.7%. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!