France, Savoie and Isere, France
Turquoise lakes and jagged aiguilles frame this classic crossing of the Grandes Alpes.
Length
30 km
In miles
18.6 mi
Driving time
56 min
Atlas rating
9.2 / 10
The run
Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Allemond, following the D926. Drive it in either direction, though the views usually favour the climb.
Season
Closed roughly November to May
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. Every road in the library carries a driving and scenery score set by the same method. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 1 April 2026
Nearby
19 km away
Alpe d'Huez
Twenty one numbered switchbacks, each hairpin named for a Tour de France stage winner.
25 km away
Col du Galibier
The spine of the Route des Grandes Alpes, a relentless climb to one of driving's holiest summits.
26 km away
Col de la Madeleine
A punishing Tour de France staple threading pine forest to a panorama of the Vanoise peaks.
27 km away
Col du Lautaret
A broad glacier flanked highway linking the Romanche and Guisane valleys beneath the Meije massif.
62 km away
Col d'Izoard
Hairpins through larch forest give way to the lunar Casse Deserte, a surreal high altitude finale.
69 km away
Col de l'Iseran
The roof of the Route des Grandes Alpes, a stark granite amphitheatre above 2700 metres.
Plan around it
Curated drives
France, Provence & Alpes
Route Napoléon
Lavender, limestone gorges and the finest sustained GT road in France.
France, French Alps
Route des Grandes Alpes
Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean across seventeen alpine cols.
France, Côte d'Azur
Col de Turini
The Monte Carlo Rally's night stage, and still the best test of a small quick car in Europe.
Longer journeys