Route des Grandes Alpes
The Route des Grandes Alpes is a tourist itinerary through the French Alps between Lake Geneva and the French Riviera climbing all the high Alpine passes within France.
This true classic trip is 720 km long. The construction of this scenic route started in 1909 and was opened in 1913. In that period the Alps were still an isolated region of France with poor access possibilities. In 1937 it was totally paved. It was renamed “Route des Grandes Alpes” in 1950. The journey starts at Thonon-les-Bains and climbs via Les Gets and Cluses. It then heads to Saint-Gervais and Megève, over the Col des Saisies. It then passes through Beaufort, Bourg-Saint-Maurice and onto Val-d'Isère. The road then crosses the Col de l'Iseran.
The road then passes through Modane and over the Col du Galibier and then the Col du Lautaret to La Grave. The road heads to Briançon and then over the Col d'Izoard. The road then heads through Embrun and over the Col de Vars and onto Barcelonnette via Jausiers, where the choice can be made to turn south over the Col de la Bonette —with access to the highest paved through road in Europe, the Cime de la Bonette—or continue via the Col de la Cayolle.
The official end of the modern day RdGA cycling route switched in 2012 from Menton to Nice adding a further 37 km and bringing the addition of the Col d'Èze, reached via the cols of Saint-Martin, Turini and Castillon. The route traditionally ends for motorised vehicles in Menton.
Set high in the French Alps, this journey enjoys legendary status. It tops out at 2,802 m above sea level. The route is totally open between June and October. Most of the passes are open at the end of May. But the highest ones – Iseran, Galibier and Izoard – are clear only after mid-June, at the earliest. The highest mountain passes generally close when the first snows arrive.
Col des Gets
Col de la Colombière
Col des Aravis
Col des Saisies
Cormet de Roselend
Col de l’Iseran
Col du Télégraphe
Col du Galibier
Col du Lautaret
Col d’Izoard
Col de Vars
Col de la Cayolle
Col de Valberg
Col de la Couillole
Col Saint-Martin
Col de Turini
Col de Castillon
Col d’Èze