This is a list of the highest paved roads in Europe. It includes roads that are over 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 The tree line is the edge of the habitat at which trees are capable of growing. It is found at high elevations and high latitudes. Beyond the tree line, trees cannot tolerate the environmental conditions (usually cold temperatures, extreme snowp ...

in several mountain ranges such as the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

and the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...

, 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 de Suisse ( en, Tour of Switzerland) is an annual road cycling stage race. Raced over eight days, the event covers two weekends in June, and along with the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is considered a proving ground for the Tour de France ...

, the

Tour of Austria The Tour of Austria (german: Internationale Österreich Rundfahrt) is a stage cycling race held in Austria. From 1949 to 1995 it was a race for amateur cyclists, turning into a professional event in 1996. In 2005 and 2006 it was organised as a 2 ...

, the

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...

and the

Vuelta a España The Vuelta a España (; en, Tour of Spain) is an annual multi-stage bicycle race primarily held in Spain, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. Inspired by the success of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, the r ...

. Due to snow conditions, most of the high roads are closed between (late) autumn and late spring/early summer. Note on the elevations: Near the highest point of the road there is often a shield that indicates the name (in local language) and the elevation of the pass/hill/summit. The shield 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 highway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...

s) in Europe. It includes motorways whose culminating point is over above sea level.

Highest paved roads

Highest controlled-access highways

References

External links

World Atlas - Highest and Lowest Points

Map of Spain, provided by the Spanish IGN, Instituto Geográfico Nacional

Map of Catalonia, provided by Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya

Map of Switzerland

ViaMichelin online road map

10 Most Beautiful Road Climbs in Europe
(September 25, 2013)
A Compendium of High Roads and Road Passes in Great Britain
{{DEFAULTSORT:highest paved roads in Europe *List of highest roads Paved roads Highest paved roads Europe Highest Paved Transport-related lists of superlatives Highest things

Highest paved roads

Highest controlled-access highways

See also

References

External links