The Col de l'Iseran

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 that crosses the Col de l'Iseran is the only road passage within the Vanoise National Park and the highest point on the Route des Grandes Alpes. Open from June to September, it is a must for your holidays in Bonneval sur Arc.

The Iseran Pass, a must-see location in Bonneval sur Arc

L’Iseran, this giant

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

Which cyclist, motorcyclist or motorist has not stopped at the top of the Col de l'Iseran to take a photo? A prestigious and unmissable stage of the Route des Grandes Alpes, the Col de l'Iseran remains THE essential passage before reaching the Mediterranean shores.

Une visite s’impose à la chapelle de Notre-Dame de la Toute Prudence construite en 1939, soit deux ans après l’ouverture de la route inaugurée le 10 juillet 1937 par le Président de la République Albert Lebrun.

At the pass, the temperature is often cool, remember to take something to cover yourself, even if there is a heat wave in the plains.

Road opening

Opening of the road that gives access to the Iseran pass and allows to circulate between Bonneval sur Arc and Val d’Isere:

chaque année, l’ouverture de la route à la circulation est prévue le 1er vendredi de juin, soit cette année le 12 juin 2026*.

Closing:

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

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

Provisional dates, subject to weather conditions (it snows frequently from September onwards and the pass may therefore close earlier. Snow removal work may also be delayed following new snowfall in the spring. Official road opening information on savoie-route.fr)

*The opening and closing dates of the road to the pass may vary depending on the weather.

 

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

2770m: the highest road pass in the Alps

Skiing and cycling

• From 2700 m to 3200 m altitude, with a sunny area all day long, the Pissaillas glacier, in the commune of Bonneval sur Arc, welcomes summer ski enthusiasts from mid-June to mid-July (depending on snow conditions). With its two slopes and a slalom stadium, it is very pleasant to ski due to the small number of people and the non-existent waiting time at the two ski lifts!

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

Col de l'Iseran by bike from Bonneval sur Arc