French Cols

Definitely done Bonette and possibly a couple of others. I remember that one specifically as it's the highest paved road in Europe or one of them and my rear brakes were almost on fire coming down. I only realised when I got half way down at about 4500ft in some village for a look round and someone pointed at my rear wheels which were smoking. :D

7.5 meter Kontiki but I used to take it anywhere.
 
mark61 said:
I remember theres some lowish tunnels on the Splügen Pass. Can't remember what I was driving though, but pretty sure the tunnels are short of 3 m though.
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I read somewhere there’s a new section of road bypassing the lowest tunnels, but unclear if there are more?
 
mark61 said:
You won't be a nuisance at all. The tightest bits will be in towns, but I don't recall anything of the drive up that would give me any concern at all.

Only thing I would suggest, Is don't drive up on a Sunday eve, when it seems like half of Turin are on their way home. During the week, once past the last towns, the road is pretty empty.

It's a great route and the stop up the top is one of the best, well worth doing. It's certainly one of the top places on my list to get back to.

I do have a video up on utube, from one of the reservoirs up.

Added a few pics to whet the appetite.
View attachment 110331View attachment 110332View attachment 110333
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Stunning, looks like a must-do. I notice you had a panel van, would the extra width be an issue…ours is 2.35m wide.
 
barge1914 said:
I’m revisiting this route. Since we first planned it COVID and a change of van have intervened. Whilst our van in theory fits within the dimensions allowed 6m x 2.35 x 2.9 we have awning and high level non-folding mirrors that add another 0.3m to our total width at high level. So I now have my doubts seeing the shape of the tunnel. Is it wider and higher than the max dimensions as most French tunnels are…or should I forget it?
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I'm sorry I can't remember it was a few yrs ago now
 
barge1914 said:
Stunning, looks like a must-do. I notice you had a panel van, would the extra width be an issue…ours is 2.35m wide.
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I don't think so, I took 6m x 2.35 x 2.9m A class with non-folding mirrors which add 300mm into account.
 
If you need to check the height of your vans, try the A86 Duplex first. If you pass through that, you will fit any other tunnel. ;)
 
witzend said:
Have You tried a search on utube ?

Lots of Videos on there may be what your looking for
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Thanks, I know that route well. This year subject to hip operation we were planning to do all the dead end valleys we missed when following that route, then a circuit round the cols of the southern alps, cross Col de la Lombarde into Italy and head north visiting all the dead ends on the Italian side. Over Simplon into Switzerland and up most of the dead ends off the Rhine Valley. Then finally Col de la Croix, Col de Pilon via Gstaad and Jaun to Fribourg before heading off back through France to Blighty.

My interest in Splugen was for late next year. Thinking of a trip linking up a lot of the passes in Italy and Switzerland that we missed in previous years travels.

From what I’ve gleaned Col de la Cayolle may be a bit troublesome without precise knowledge of the tunnel and narrow balcony. Allos probably ok. Bonette ok. Lombarde ok.

Width limit on Albula Pass is 2.3m. Limit on Klausen Pass is 2.3m unless you apply for permission for vehicles up to 2.5m mid-week. Forcola di Livigno, Passo di Foscagno ok. Gavia may be a bit tight. All the rest I’ve got my eye on seem fine…just a question of getting there before first autumn snow. Hopefully this time we’ll finally get to do the Stelvio.
 
Just got email from Switzerland. Because we are 2 inches wider than official limit of 2.3m we would have to buy a 50€ permit to use the Klausen Pass…grrr, it’s not worth that much.
 
I've cycled up Col (and Cime) de la Bonette, and it's worth noting that if you start from the Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée side your van will be away from the edge for most of the climb and descent. If you start from Jausiers you'll be near the edge. It freaked the hell out of me on an extremely traffic-free day in mid October on my bike. I really wouldn't want to pass oncoming traffic driving a van near that scree edge. Also there's nowhere reasonable (IMO) to stop a van on the Col de la Bonette.
www.questel.co.uk

Cime de la Bonette | Vince's Cycling Stuff

Spectacular scenery during this bike ride from Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée to la Cime de la Bonette, the highest paved pass in Europe, at 2804m
www.questel.co.uk www.questel.co.uk
 
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mark61 said:
Length won't be a problem, don't know how high your van is though.

Col de la Bonette, while the highest is comparatively a motorway compared to the others, which are single track with plenty of passing places for much of there length. They are all good drives though.
If you don't mind dead ends I can recommend Colle del Nivolet, if it's not too far out the way. Plenty of space at the top during the week, packed solid with locals on weekend. Famous as the escape route on The Italian Job.

https://goo.gl/maps/V2WyvgLKsao8K77A6

Bit of dash cam from Col de’Allos

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Looks interesting . What width van were you driving? Like you say length not a problem, but I’m interested in frequency and size of passing places with our 2.35m wide van with non-folding mirrors.
 
Good bit narrower, think its about 2.2/2.25 ish, can't remember exactly. Whatever a Sprinter is.
From memory I don't think any of it would be a problem with a few extra cm.

I wouldn't recommend this road in a wider van though. :)

 
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