Guide
The highest roads in Europe
Europe’s highest tarmac lives above the treeline, where the air thins, the guardrails get optional and the season lasts four months. These are the highest paved roads in Europe from our catalogue, ranked by summit elevation. Every height is measured from the road’s real geometry, not a rounded-up legend.
Ötztaler Gletscherstraße (Sölden Glacier Road)7 mi · 17 min · 2,862 m summitView the roadbook ›
Summit
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1
2,862 m9,390 ft
Ötztaler Gletscherstraße (Sölden Glacier Road)
Toll climb from Sölden to Europe’s second-highest paved road at 2830 m glacier.
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2
2,774 m9,101 ftStelvio Pass
The cathedral of mountain passes, 48 stacked hairpins to a 2,757 m sky.
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3
2,764 m9,068 ftCol de l'Iseran
The highest paved mountain pass in the Alps, at 2,764 m.
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4
2,730 m8,957 ftCol Agnel
A very high paved Alpine pass on the France–Italy border in the Queyras.
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5
2,690 m8,825 ftCol de la Bonette
One of the highest paved roads in the Alps.
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6
2,666 m8,747 ftKaunertal Glacier Road
Tyrolean toll road climbing to a glacier at about 2750 m.
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7
2,617 m8,586 ftPasso di Gavia
A wild, narrow, high pass for the brave, barely two cars wide near the top.
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8
2,609 m8,560 ftColle del Nivolet
A breathtaking dead-end climb to a string of high lakes.
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9
2,554 m8,379 ftCol du Galibier
A Tour de France giant on the Route des Grandes Alpes.
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10
2,526 m8,287 ftGrossglockner High Alpine Road
Austria’s grand toll road, sweeping past glaciers to 2,500 m.
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11
2,508 m8,228 ftUmbrail Pass
Switzerland’s highest paved pass road, hairpins up to the Stelvio.
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12
2,486 m8,156 ftTimmelsjoch
A high toll pass on the Italy–Austria border, 2,474 m.
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13
2,479 m8,133 ftNufenen Pass
The highest paved pass lying entirely within Switzerland, 2,478 m.
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14
2,466 m8,091 ftFurka Pass
A high Swiss pass of Bond-film fame above the Rhône glacier.
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15
2,463 m8,081 ftGreat St Bernard Pass
The historic Alpine climb of The Italian Job’s opening titles.
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16
2,447 m8,028 ftSierra Nevada
Climbing toward the Pico Veleta, Europe’s highest paved road, high above Granada.
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17
2,407 m7,897 ftCol du Granon
One of France’s highest paved cols, a steep dead-end above Briançon.
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18
2,393 m7,851 ftFlüela Pass
A bare, beautiful pass between Davos and the Engadin.
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19
2,355 m7,726 ftCol de la Lombarde
A relentlessly twisting border climb above the Isola 2000 ski resort, famous for its near-continuous ladder of hairpins.
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20
2,340 m7,677 ftCol d'Izoard
A legendary Tour de France climb through the Casse Déserte.
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21
2,313 m7,589 ftAlbula Pass
Quiet Graubünden pass shadowing the UNESCO Albula Railway viaducts.
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22
2,308 m7,572 ftPasso del Bernina
A high glacier pass between the Engadin and Valtellina.
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23
2,301 m7,549 ftPasso del Foscagno
The high pass guarding the duty-free enclave of Livigno.
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24
2,288 m7,507 ftJulier Pass
An ancient, fast Roman pass into the Engadin.
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25
2,280 m7,480 ftCol de la Cayolle
A wild, gorge-and-meadow pass in the southern Alps.
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26
2,279 m7,477 ftTre Cime di Lavaredo Toll Road
Steep tolled hairpin ramp from Misurina up to Rifugio Auronzo beneath the Three Peaks.
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27
2,261 m7,418 ftPasso Sella
A Dolomites pass beneath the sheer Sella massif.
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28
2,256 m7,402 ftCol du Sanetsch
Reputedly the most demanding climb in Valais, Sion up to the 2250 m col and Lac de Senin.
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29
2,253 m7,392 ftCol d'Allos
A narrow, hairpin southern-Alps col above Barcelonnette.
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30
2,247 m7,372 ftPasso Pordoi
Flowing Dolomite hairpins on the legendary Great Dolomites Road.
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