Which climb is the highest paved pass ever used by the Tour de France?

Col de l’Iseran is the highest paved pass ever used by the Tour de France. It rises to 2,764 metres in the French Alps and crosses the road between the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys.

The Tour first crossed the pass in 1938, when Italian rider Gino Bartali was first over the summit. Its altitude makes it higher than other famous Tour climbs such as the Col du Galibier and Mont Ventoux. The pass is part of the Route des Grandes Alpes and lies within the Vanoise region.

The wording matters: Col de l’Iseran is a paved mountain pass, while the Tour has also used very high roads and summit areas that do not fit exactly the same description. Weather and snow frequently affect whether the pass can be included in a race route.

The climb is often approached from Bourg-Saint-Maurice through Val-d’Isère. Its long ascent, altitude, and exposed alpine environment make it one of the Tour’s most demanding high points.