Col du Petit Mont Cenis
Col du Petit Mont Cenis Height Climbing height
2183m 794m (Lanslebourg); 753m (Lanslevillard)
1707m (Susa)
Difficulty Beauty
West 2-3 (5); East 4 (5) 4-5 (5)
How to get there This pass was tarmacced on the north side just as I (thought to have) finished climbing all tarmacced passes above 2000 meters in the Alps in 2004! Now I have returned there (2006) and inspected this pass as well. This is reached by a road on the ”french side” (north) of the lake near the Col du Mont Cenis (2081m). The first few kilometres of the road to the junction at the other side of the lake is in a very poor state, but still heavily used. From here the newly paved road winds its way up some more kilometres to the pass. The last 50m are actually still gravel. It is irregularly steep, but not very difficult. There are some drainage gullies to remember to go over softly on the return ride. There is only a path down the other side of this pass.
Other comments It is quite nice up here and there are usually many people picknicking up in the meadows. There should be relatively easy access to some nearby rough-stuff passes as well.
[73-2183b]