France
Col du Galibier usually opens late may and shuts late october. Those dates move with the snow every single year, so a late spring can hold the opening back by two or three weeks and an early autumn storm can close it without warning.
The pass road runs Valloire to Col du Lautaret in Savoie and Hautes-Alpes, France, 11.2 miles that take about 34 min if you drive it properly rather than chase it. We score it 9.5 out of 10 for driving and 9.7 out of 10 for scenery.
The tunnel below the summit sometimes opens before the pass itself.
Summit
2642 m
Typically opens
Late May
Typically closes
Late October
Country
France
Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk
Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Opening dates reflect the long term pattern of the pass, not a single season. Always check on the day. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 25 June 2026
The drive
The spine of the Route des Grandes Alpes, a relentless climb to one of driving's holiest summits.
Hotels
Tracing the road between your start and finish
0%About 20 seconds left
Nearby
1.9 mi away
A broad glacier flanked highway linking the Romanche and Guisane valleys beneath the Meije massif.
15.5 mi away
Turquoise lakes and jagged aiguilles frame this classic crossing of the Grandes Alpes.
17.4 mi away
Twenty one numbered switchbacks, each hairpin named for a Tour de France stage winner.
23 mi away
Hairpins through larch forest give way to the lunar Casse Deserte, a surreal high altitude finale.
24.9 mi away
A punishing Tour de France staple threading pine forest to a panorama of the Vanoise peaks.
Common questions
Col du Galibier typically opens late may and closes late october. Treat that as a planning window rather than a promise, because the snow decides the date.
The summit sits at 2642 metres in France.
About 34 min for the 11.2 miles between Valloire and Col du Lautaret, without stops. Allow twice that if you want photographs and a coffee at the top.
We rate it 9.5 out of 10 for driving and 9.7 out of 10 for scenery, which puts it among the roads worth building a trip around.