Alpine Passes

Mountain Roads of Europe

Col Bayard

Col Bayard

France · Hautes-Alpes

1,246m

Key Facts

Elevation
1,246m
Route length
12 km
Max gradient
7%
Hairpins
24
Driving difficulty
Challenging (3/5)
Surface
Excellent
Open
Year-round

Route & Map

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Route

SGap
12 km · max 7%
Col Bayard (1,246m)
Descent
ESaint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur
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Pass on the Route Napoléon between Gap and the Champsaur valley. Gentle main-road climb and historic gateway to the southern Alps.

Weather & Conditions

Driving Experience

Elevation Profile

740m962m1,184m1,405m1,627m0 km10 km20 km1,627m
1,198m gain
926m loss
741m → 1,627m → 1,013m

Difficulty

Challenging

3/5 — car driving difficulty

Based on steepness, elevation gain, hairpins, road length & surface quality

Hairpin Turns

24

Serious switchback territory

When to Drive

Year-round (best: July - September)

  • Open year-round, though winter conditions may require snow equipment.
  • Morning hours offer the best driving conditions with less traffic.
  • The switchbacks reward smooth, deliberate driving over speed.

Coordinates

Summit
44.6428°N, 6.0639°E
Start (Gap)
44.5594°N, 6.0783°E
End (Saint-Bonnet-en-Champsaur)
44.6847°N, 6.0733°E
#route-napoleon#year-round#gentle

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Image: Wikimedia Commons