The Iseran pass

At 2,770 m, it marks the boundary between Haute Maurienne Vanoise and Tarentaise, two high-altitude valleys in Savoie. In the Northern Alps, the road over the Col de l'Iseran is the only road crossing within the Vanoise National Park and the highest point on the Route des Grandes Alpes. Open from June to September, it's a must for your vacation at Bonneval sur Arc.

The Col de l'Iseran, a must-see for Bonneval sur Arc

The Iseran giant

The word "inescapable" is not too strong to describe this high mountain pass, the majority of whose ascent takes place above 2000 metres altitude.

What cyclist, motorcyclist or motorist hasn't stopped at the top of the Col de l'Iseran to take a photo? A prestigious and not-to-be-missed stage of the Route des Grandes AlpesRou te des Grandes Alpes, the Col de l'Iseran remains THE obligatory passage before reaching the shores of the Mediterranean.

A visit to the chapel of Notre-Dame de la Toute Prudence, built in 1939, two years after the road was inaugurated on July 10, 1937 by French President Albert Lebrun, is a must.

At the pass, the temperature is often cool, so remember to bring something to cover up with, even if it's a bit hot out on the plains.

Road opening

Opening of the road giving access to the Iseran pass and allowing traffic between Bonneval sur Arc and Val d'Isere:

Each year, the route opens on the 2nd Friday in June*.

Closing :

the road is closed to traffic on the 1st Monday in November*.

All winter long, the road is closed (it is "transformed" into a ski slope on the Val d'Isere side) and snow heights frequently reach 8 to 10 meters in some areas, notably at the "Pot de la neige", just below the pass.

Provisional dates, subject to weather conditions (it frequently snows as early as September, so the pass may close earlier). Snow-clearing operations may also be delayed by new snowfalls in spring. Official road opening on savoie-route.fr)

*The opening and closing dates of the access road to the pass may vary according to the weather.

 

Col de l'Iseran, walls of snow at the opening of the pass on the Bonneval sur Arc side, in June.

2770m: the highest road pass in the Alps

Ski and bike

- From an altitude of 2,700 m to 3,200 m, and with sunshine all day long, the Pissaillas glacier in the commune of Bonneval sur Arc welcomes summer skiing enthusiasts from mid-June to mid-July (depending on snow conditions). With two runs and a slalom stadium, it's a very pleasant place to ski, with very few people and no waiting at the two lifts!

- A legendary stage in the Tour de France cycling race, the ascent of the Col de l'Iseran - the highest road pass in the Alps - remains engraved in the calves of thousands of amateur and professional cyclists.

Col de l'Iseran à Vélo by Bonneval sur Arc