COL DU GRANON

9 October 2023 Redazione Lifestyle, Mountain Roads

A few kilometers from Briançon, in case you want to opt for an unusual pass compared to the more traditional Alpine roads, you have the opportunity to drive towards the Col du Granon. After turning onto the Route du Ponte Levis, you will take the Route du Granon, discovering a road that, although it does not offer a wide carriageway, allows you to drive away from the busiest roads of the area. The surrounding landscape is typical of the Cottian Alps, with more scarce vegetation as you climb towards the summit located at 2,413 meters above sea level.

Location: Route du Granon

Type: mountain road

Length: 12km

Elevation: 2.413m

Let’s take into consideration the section commonly considered due to an asphalt in suitable conditions for any type of car and which, having left the larger surrounding urban center for less than half an hour, catapults you into a glimpse of an almost lunar panorama from which you can admire the Massif du Pelvoux and the Barre des Écrins, which are none other than the highest mountains in France. It is a road to be approached with caution that reveals all of its visual splendor only once you reach the summit, but which if you are nearby, or maybe you have a mountain bike, could also offer an excellent starting point for a ride on the opposite side, that is the unpaved one.