The legendary Col de l’Iseran, linking Bonneval-sur-Arc (Maurienne) and Val d’Isère (Haute Tarentaise), will open this Friday 6 June 2025 at 4pm. The highest road pass in the Alps at 2770m and the highest point on the Route des Grandes Alpes, every summer it attracts cyclists, motorcyclists, walkers and other itinerant travellers who enjoy the cool temperatures and breathtaking views of the Vanoise glaciers at the summit: an immersive, timeless experience.
The Col will remain open throughout the summer and until the snow returns in mid-autumn, providing a link between the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys.
L'Iserane, the cycling event22 June 2025
To celebrate the opening of the Col and the summer season, meet up in Val d’Isère on 22 June for the Iserane.
On the occasion of the event the Col route will be entirely reserved for cyclists all day between Val d’Isère and Bonneval-sur-Arc. This is your chance to take on the Col de l’Iseran with or without electric assistance: a 17km climb and 900m of positive ascent from Val d’Isère awaits participants. It’s a great morning for a round trip between the two valleys, for the more adventurous!
Summer skiing at Pisaillasfrom 7 June to 6 July 2025
The opening of the Col de l’Iseran will allow road access to the Pisaillas glacier. Amateurs and professional teams will be able to enjoy the ski area from this Saturday 7 June, with an average snow depth of 1m50.
6 runs will be open, including 3 open to all (Moraine, Montet and Combe du géant) and 3 reserved exclusively for club and national team training (Champions, Aiguille-Perse, and Pisaillas). These runs will be accessible via the Cascade chairlift and the Montets ski lift.
Summer ski area open from 7am to midday, every day, ski pass from €36 for 1 day, €289 for the season. All prices
Access: The car park at the foot of the glacier is accessible from the Col de l’Iseran, where you will find the ski pass sales point at the foot of the Cascade chairlift.
A little history
From the 18th century onwards, the Col de l’Iseran was used as a mule crossing, which is attested to in all seasons. Peddlers, merchants and sometimes smugglers made their way to the rich and fertile Italian Piedmont.
On 10 July 1937, the President of the Republic Albert Lebrun inaugurated the road over the Col after 7 years of work. This was the occasion for the first summer skiing Grand Prix at Iseran on the Pisaillas glacier. This was followed in 1938 by the first visit by the Tour de France.
Over time, summer skiing on the Pisaillas became increasingly popular and a road from the Col was built in 1963 to facilitate access. With its rich historical and sporting heritage, the Col de l’Iseran has become an essential stop-off point on the Route des Grandes Alpes, and a mecca for cyclists, motorists, bikers and itinerants in search of a sporting challenge or a stroll through some magnificent scenery.
