Bugey, Ain · France
Col du Grand Colombier
D120Culoz to Lochieu
The Jura’s fiercest climb, cliff-cut lacets from Culoz to 1,501 m.
The Grand Colombier is the great wall at the southern end of the Jura, and the D120 from Culoz attacks it head on: lacets cut into the cliff with ramps of 12 to 14 per cent and the Rhône shrinking below. The 1,501 m col arrives suddenly, with Lac du Bourget a thousand metres beneath and Mont Blanc across the horizon on a clear day, a twenty-minute walk to the summit cross earning the full panorama. Down the far side the road eases through high pasture to the quiet Valromey at Lochieu. A Tour de France climb since 2012, so expect cyclists all season; the whole mountain closes from November until late April.
Where it runs18.1 mi · point to point
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Character
Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%248 – 1,502 mThe strip below the profile is corner density: taller, warmer ticks mean tighter bends.
Points of interest3 stops
- Fenestrez viewpointViewpoint2.0 mi in
- Col du Grand Colombier summitLandmark10 mi in
- Croix du Grand Colombier orientation tableViewpoint10 mi in
Hazards
- Closed in winter, generally November until late April
- Ramps of 12 to 14 per cent on the Culoz hairpins
- Narrow cliff-cut lacets unsuitable for large motorhomes
- Heavy cyclist traffic in season
See the typical season and live conditions for the high passes ›
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