Aosta Valley · Italy
Great St Bernard Pass
SS27Gignod to Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses
The historic Alpine climb of The Italian Job’s opening titles.
The SS27 climbs the Aosta valley to the Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard at 2,469 m, one of the oldest and highest crossings in the Alps, taken by Napoleon’s army in 1800 and watched over by the ancient hospice and its St Bernard dogs. It is the road of The Italian Job’s opening, a Lamborghini Miura sweeping up the hairpins to 'On Days Like These'. The pass closes in winter (the road tunnel below stays open); in the warmer months it is a flowing, historic climb to the col.
Pure cinema, hairpins, a high col, and a thousand-year-old hospice. Drive it for the opening of The Italian Job, and stay for the Alps.
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Where it runs14.5 mi · point to point
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Character
Corners
busiest around mile 13Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%1,103.4 – 2,456 mFrom the road
Points of interest3 stops
- Château VerdunLandmark4.4 mi in
- Statue de Saint BernardLandmark14 mi in
- Petite ChenaletteViewpoint14 mi in
Hazards
- Open only in the warmer months (snow-closed in winter)
- High altitude at the 2,469 m col
- Tight hairpins; watch for cyclists and coaches
Is Great St Bernard Pass open? Typical season and live summit weather ›
Sources
“Perhaps the most famous of the mountain passes in the European Alps”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
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