D902 · France

Col de l’Iseran

The highest paved pass in the Alps, at 2,764 m, between Val-d’Isère in the Tarentaise and Bonneval-sur-Arc in the Maurienne.

StartFinishHairpin

29.9 kmLength

235Pace-note calls

15Hairpins

46Tight corners (1–2)

↑1,010 ↓1,040Climb and drop, m

≈2,770 mHighest point

Counts are from Turini’s pace-note engine on this route. Heights come from terrain data and can differ from signposted figures by a few tens of metres.

Where is the Col de l’Iseran?

The Col de l’Iseran is in France, on the D902. Also known as Iseran. The route on this page: Val-d’Isère to Bonneval-sur-Arc, over the 2,764 m pass, 29.9 km.

Why the Col de l’Iseran is famous

It is part of the Route des Grandes Alpes and has been crossed by the Tour de France several times since 1938.

Col de l’Iseran hairpins

Over 29.9 km Turini calls 15 hairpins, 2 square corners and 200 corners graded 1 to 6, plus 2 crests and 2 dips. That is 235 calls in all, one every 127 metres on average. Grade 1 is the tightest, 6 is nearly straight (how to read pace notes).

HP15

239

345

449

539

621

Col de l’Iseran elevation profile

From 1,837 m at the start to 1,802 m at the finish, with a highest point of about 2,770 m. Red marks are the hairpins.

2,800 m1,700 m

0 km15 km29.9 km

Col de l’Iseran pace notes, first few km

The first 25 calls, exactly as Turini reads them, with the distance from the start.

5 mRight 2

35 mLeft 3

150 mRight 1

230 mLeft 4

260 mSquare right

370 mCrest

390 mRoundabout, second exit

1.08 kmRoundabout, second exit

1.37 kmBridge

1.89 kmDip

2.07 kmRight 6

2.54 kmLeft 5

2.88 kmLeft 5

2.92 kmRight 3

3.02 kmLeft 2

3.05 kmRight 4

3.53 kmRight 5

3.71 kmRight 3

3.83 kmLeft 2

3.90 kmRight 2 long

4.03 kmLeft 3 very long opens

4.39 kmRight 6

4.50 kmLeft 5

4.96 kmRight 6

5.08 kmRight 6

That takes you to 5.08 km. 210 more calls follow over the remaining 24.8 km.

Before you drive the Col de l’Iseran

Closed in winter, when the area is part of the ski domain. It usually opens in early summer and closes in autumn.

It is high and exposed, and it can be cold at the top even in summer. The Bonneval side is the steeper one, with sections over 10%.

How to drive the Col de l’Iseran with Turini

Set the route before you leave and Turini saves its notes on the phone, so it works with the screen off and no signal. On the road it reads each call about 4.5 seconds before the corner, timed to your speed, and you never touch the phone. It also works through Android Auto. If pace notes are new to you, start in Simple mode (Easy, Medium, Hard) and switch to the 1–6 scale once it feels natural.

Always drive within the law, the conditions and what you can see. Turini tells you what the map says; the road is what counts.

More roads like the Col de l’Iseran

Col du GalibierFrance27.0 km · 225 calls · 25 hairpins

Col de la BonetteFrance23.1 km · 250 calls · 27 hairpins

Col de TuriniFrance12.6 km · 153 calls · 19 hairpins

Best driving roads in the Alps · Best driving roads in Europe · Best driving roads in France · All famous roads · How to read pace notes

Sources: Wikipedia: Col de l'Iseran.

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