Passage du Gua — Col de la Bonette to Jausiers via the Highest Paved Mountain Road in the Alps
Highest paved road in the Alps. Earn the view.
The Col de la Bonette sits at 2,802 metres above sea level in the Alpes-Maritimes, making the circuit road over the Cime de la Bonette the highest paved route in the Alps. The climb from Jausiers on the north side is 24km of tight switchbacks, barren scree slopes, and near-zero guardrails above thousand-metre drops. In clear weather the views stretch to the Écrins and the Mediterranean coastline on a good day. The summit circuit road itself — the Cime loop — adds a short kilometre of pure exposure around the top. The descent south toward Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée is equally unrelenting. This is a proper mountain road, not a scenic drive in the resort sense.
The road is paved but narrow — two-way traffic on single-lane sections requires patience and mirrors that aren’t decorative. Any road vehicle can physically drive it in dry conditions, but it deserves respect at pace. It closes entirely from October to late June due to snow; check Bison Futé or the departmental road service before committing. No permit required, no fuel on the col — fill up in Jausiers or Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée. What you earn is the Alps at their most stripped-back: no lifts, no chalets, just rock, sky, and altitude.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Overland Route, Scenic Drive |
| Surface | Gravel, Mixed |
| Features | High Altitude, Historic, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 30 mi / 48 km |
| Duration | 1 day |
| Max elevation (ft) | 9193 ft |
| Best season | July-September |
| Minimum vehicle | Any road vehicle (dry conditions); stock 4WD for early/late season snow |
| Nearest town | Jausiers, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence |
| Land manager | Direction Départementale des Territoires des Alpes-de-Haute-Provence |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | Spotty |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | No |
| Official sources | Bison Futé road conditions (France) Parc National du Mercantour |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need a 4WD or lifted vehicle to drive Passage du Gua?
In peak summer (July–September), any stock road vehicle with decent ground clearance can handle it — the surface is paved with gravel sections, not a rock crawl. Early or late season when snow lingers on the upper switchbacks, a stock 4WD with all-terrain or winter tires is the smart call.
When does the Col de la Bonette road open and close each year?
Typically opens late June and closes by late October or first heavy snowfall — whichever comes first. Check Bison Futé (bison-fute.gouv.fr) for real-time closure status before you leave, because the upper section near 2,802m can get hit with snow any month outside July–September.
Are there permits or fees to drive this route?
No permit or toll required to drive the road itself. The upper section passes through Parc National du Mercantour — camping inside park boundaries is restricted to designated zones and you must stay on established tracks. No off-road bushwhacking is legal here.
What's the hardest part of this route and what should I actually expect?
The difficulty is altitude and exposure, not technical terrain. The final switchbacks below the col are narrow, unguarded, and have serious drop-offs — passing a camper van or tour bus going the opposite direction requires one vehicle to reverse to a wide point. Wind above treeline can be violent even on clear days; temps drop fast at 2,800m.
How far is it to the nearest fuel from the start at Col de la Bonette, and can I camp along the route?
Jausiers at the end of the route has fuel — plan on that as your stop, roughly 30 miles from the col. There's no gas on the mountain. Dispersed camping is not permitted inside Mercantour park boundaries, but there are established aire de camping spots near Jausiers and Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage just west of the start.
Trail track
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