This is a list of the highest paved roads in Europe. It includes roads that are at least long and whose culminating point is at least above sea level. This height approximately corresponds to that of the highest settlements in Europe and to the tree line in several mountain ranges such as the Alps and the Pyrenees, where most of the highest roads are located.
Some of the listed roads are closed to motorized vehicles, although they are normally all accessible to pedestrians and cyclists. These mountain roads are visited by drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists and hikers for their scenery and often feature in the routes of European bicycle races such as the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de Suisse, the Tour of Austria, the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. Due to snow conditions, most of the high roads are closed between (late) autumn and late spring/early summer.
Notes: Some places have several names, usually because of locating in an area with multiple official languages or locating on a language border. Near the highest point of the road there is often a sign that indicates the name and the elevation of the pass/hill/summit. The sign may, though, indicate a wrong elevation, being usually some old measurement. Also, popular navigation devices may present inaccurate elevations.
Below the list of highest roads is a list of the highest motorways (controlled-access highways) in Europe. It includes motorways whose culminating point is over above sea level.
Highest paved roads Highest elevation Name(s) Mountains Country Type From / between Remarks Highest point 3,300 m Veleta Baetic System Spain dead end (used to cross over, unpaved) Granada Access road from Granada. 2,829 m Ötztaler GletscherstraßeTiefenbachfernerRettenbachferner Alps Austria dead end Sölden Access road to Tiefenbachferner (2,803 m) and Rettenbachferner (2,795 m) glaciers. Tiefenbachferner:Rettenbachferner: 2,802 m Cime de la Bonette Alps France loop road Jausiers and Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée, via Col de la Bonette Highest point in the Tour de France. 2,770 m Col de l'Iseran Alps France pass Val-d'Isère (Tarentaise) and Bonneval-sur-Arc (Maurienne) Highest paved pass in the Alps. 2,758 m Stelvio Pass Alps Italy pass Prad am Stilfser Joch and Bormio The highest paved pass in the Eastern Alps. Often designated the Cima Coppi in the annual running of the Giro d'Italia. 2,750 m Kaunertaler Gletscherstraße Alps Austria dead end Prutz Access road from Prutz via Feichten to the Weißseeferner skiing area. Also the highest bus stop in Austria. 2,744 m Col Agnel / Colle dell'Agnello Alps FranceItaly pass Queyras and Pontechianale The highest international paved pass in the Alps. 2,715 m Col de la Bonette Alps France pass Jausiers and Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée Hors catégorie climb in the Tour de France. 2,645 m Col du Galibier Alps France pass Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne and Briançon / Le Bourg-d'Oisans 2,641 m Colle del Nivolet Alps Italy pass, dead end Locana (Piedmont) Lago Serrù (2,275 m) is bypassed along the road. Film location in The Italian Job, including the final bus crash. 2,621 m Passo di Gavia Alps Italy pass Bormio (Sondrio) and Ponte di Legno (Brescia) Often designated the Cima Coppi in the annual running of the Giro d'Italia. 2,571 m Edelweißspitze Alps Austria dead end Fusch (Salzburg) and Heiligenblut (Carinthia) 2,552 m Road to Vintcheto Rila Bulgaria pass, dead end Pastra village (Rila valley) Highest concrete-paved road in the Balkans. 2,504 m Großglockner Hochalpenstraße Alps Austria pass Fusch (Salzburg) and Heiligenblut (Carinthia) It has two passes: Hochtor (tunnel, 2,504 m) and Fuscher Törl (2,428 m). 2,501 m Umbrailpass / Giogo di Santa Maria / Pass Umbrail Alps SwitzerlandItaly pass Santa Maria Val Müstair and Bormio Highest paved road in Switzerland. 2,481 m Colle Fauniera Alps Italy pass Ponte Marmora / Valgrana and Demonte Also known as Colle dei Morti ("Hill of the Dead"). 2,478 m Nufenenpass / Passo della Novena Alps Switzerland pass Ulrichen and Airolo Views of the Finsteraarhorn and the Gries Glacier. 2,474 m Timmelsjoch / Passo del Rombo Alps AustriaItaly pass Ötz, Tyrol and St. Leonhard in Passeier, South Tyrol Paved road projected before WW II but completed only in 1967. 2,469 m Great St Bernard Pass Alps SwitzerlandItaly pass Martigny, Valais and Aosta, Aosta Valley Third highest road pass in Switzerland. 2,454 m Col de la Moutière Alps France pass Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage and Bayasse or Jausiers via the Col de Restefond 2,432 m Hochwurtenspeicher (Mölltaler Gletscherstraße) Alps Austria dead end Außerfragant 2,429 m Furkapass Alps Switzerland pass Gletsch, Valais and Realp, Canton of Uri Used as a location in the James Bond film Goldfinger. Site of the Rhone Glacier, source of river Rhone. 2,420 m Großsee Alps Austria dead end Döllach 2,418 m Mirador de Roque de los Muchachos La Palma (Canary Islands) Spain dead end Santa Cruz de La Palma and Hoya Grande Not located in continental Europe but is part of Spain. 2,416 m Colle Valcavera Alps Italy pass Demonte 2,413 m Col du Granon Alps France pass Saint-Chaffrey, La Salle-les-Alpes Hors catégorie climb in the Tour de France, paved only on the west side. 2,408 m Port d'Envalira Pyrenees Andorra pass Soldeu and El Pas de la Casa Highest paved road pass in the Pyrenees. 2,402 mCol de TougnèteAlpsFrancedead endLes Ménuiresclosed to motorised traffic45° 21' 52.79" N, 6° 33' 27.26" E 2,394 m Oscheniksee Alps Austria dead end Innerfragant Side road from the Mölltaler Gletscherstraße to a reservoir lake. 2,394 m Kalin Reservoir Rila Bulgaria dead end Pastra village (Rila valley) Concrete-paved road to the highest reservoir lake in the Balkans. 2,390 m Oberaarsee Alps Switzerland dead end Grimselpass (canton of Bern) The highest point of the access road is c. 900 m before Oberaarsee, a reservoir lake at 2,303 m. 2,388 m Griessee Alps Switzerland dead end Nufenen Pass road Side road from Nufenenpass-road (from 2,304 m) to a reservoir lake. 2,387 mMottolinoAlpsItalydead endPasso d'EiraPaved for the 2024 Giro d'Italia, stage 15. 2,384 m Flüelapass Alps Switzerland pass Davos and Susch, (Graubünden) 2,379 m Georgian Military Road, Jvari Pass Caucasus Mountains Georgia pass Vladikavkaz (Russia) and Tbilisi (Georgia) 2,370 m Colle Esischie Alps Italy pass Ponte Marmora and Pradleves Along the road to Colle della Fauniera. 2,370 m Plan du Lac Alps France pass, dead end Termignon In the Vanoise National Park. 2,369 m Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe Alps Austria dead end Fusch (Salzburg) and Heiligenblut (Carinthia) Side road of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road (listed above), from c. 1,860 m. 2,363 m Tenerife roads(Teide National Park) Tenerife (Canary Islands) Spain pass Several places, for example: Los Cristianos, El Médano, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (via La Laguna), Puerto de la Cruz (via La Orotava), Los Gigantes Not located in continental Europe but belongs to Spain. 2,361 m Col d'Izoard Alps France pass Briançon, and Guil, Queyras, Guillestre Hors catégorie climb in the Tour de France 2,350 m Lac de Moiry Alps Switzerland dead end Grimentz-Lac de Moiry-Lac de Châteaupré (canton of Valais) 2,350 m Col de la Lombarde / Colle della Lombarda Alps FranceItaly pass Isola, via Isola 2000 and Vinadio Hors catégorie climb in the Tour de France 2,350 mWilson, A: Ski Atlas of the World: the complete reference to the best resorts, page 45. New Holland Publishers, 2007. Val Thorens Alps France dead end Moûtiers Ski resort. Hors catégorie climb in the Tour de France 2,347 m Col du Gondran Alps France pass, dead end Briançon Not paved 2,340 m Azau Meadow Caucasus Mountains Russia dead end Russian A158, from E50 in Baksan via Tyrnyauz Road continues further up mount Elbrus unpaved. 2,340 m Tre Cime di Lavaredo Alps Italy dead end Misurina Sometimes designated the Cima Coppi in the annual running of the Giro d'Italia. 2,327 m