Col d'Izoard in France 2025

The Col d'Izoard is a legendary French Alps pass with an elevation of 2,360 m (7,746 ft). Located in Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region, the scenic pass is traversed by Route des Grandes Alpes. D902 road, running over the pass, links Guillestre in the valley of the Guil on the south to Briançon on the north. This picturesque area is known as Casse Déserte, famous for dramatic Tour de France moments that took place along its curvy twists. Col d'Izoard witnessed the victory of Warren Barguil in 2017 Tour de France's Stage 18.

The road starts to climb for 31,5 km (20 mi) from Guillestre with a gradient of 4.8%. The road gains 1,095 m (3,593 ft) with gradient reaching 10% in some sections. If you go up from Briançon, you'll cover 19 km (11.8 mi) to reach the top gaining 1,105 m (3,625 ft) of elevation with a maximum gradient of 8.9%. The road is closed every year for winter roughly from November to mid-June. For the road closure updates, please check local websites to plan accordingly.

Besides motorized vehicles, the road is also popular among cyclists. You'll find kilometer markers info on gradient and altitude—a sure sign you are in a cycling country.

There is a small bar on the summit and a cycling museum. About 2 km south from the top there’s a monument to legendary cyclists Fausto Coppi and Louison Bobet. Visitors will also be rewarded by magnificent Casse Deserte scenery.