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Col du Glandon

The Col du Glandon tops out at 1,924 m between the Isère and the Savoie, 2.5 km from the Croix de Fer. In 2026 its Savoyard side did not open before 19 June.

View on mapOfficial site
Col du Glandon from the Villards valley, Savoie
Benoit Kornmann · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Type
Road pass and viewpoint
Access
Free
Best season
Late June – October
Town
Saint-Colomban-des-Villards
Winter access
closed

Official source →

What is Col du Glandon

The Col du Glandon tops out at 1,924 m and links, per en.wikipedia, Le Bourg-d'Oisans to La Chambre — that is, the Isère to the Savoie. It is the focal point of the Villards valley, and it touches the Col de la Croix de Fer, about 2.5 km away.

In 2026 one fact outranks all others: the pass was not reachable from Saint-Colomban-des-Villards before 19 June, because of the replacement of a drainage structure undertaken after several mudslides. That is far later than the other Savoie passes, and it affects this side only.

The count of its Tour de France crossings is uncertain: the tourist office claims fourteen, en.wikipedia lists thirteen ranked appearances since 1977 while dating the first crossing to 1947. No number is published here.

Activities

What you can do here

Practical

Practical information

Altitude
1,924 m (Saint-Colomban tourist office and en.wikipedia agree)
Coordinates
45.239444° N, 6.175556° E (en.wikipedia)
Road
D927 per en.wikipedia. No French source consulted gives a number.
2026 opening
No access from Saint-Colomban-des-Villards before 19 June 2026, because of the replacement of a drainage structure after several mudslides. Neither time nor weekday published.
2026 closing
Price
Free, open access
Situation
Links Le Bourg-d'Oisans (Isère) to La Chambre (Savoie) per en.wikipedia. The pass straddles two départements.
Neighbouring pass
The Col de la Croix de Fer is about 2.5 km away. They are two distinct passes: dates for one do not apply to the other.
Road construction
1898 per the Saint-Colomban-des-Villards tourist office (single source).
Parking
Dogs
Accessibility
Access

How to get there

By car

On the D927 per en.wikipedia — a number no French source consulted repeats. In 2026, access from Saint-Colomban-des-Villards was closed until 19 June for the replacement of a drainage structure.

Open in Maps

By bike

The Villards valley is described by its tourist office as a cycle-touring site with the Glandon as its focal point. No climb profile, from La Chambre or from Le Bourg-d'Oisans, is published by the sources consulted.

Open in Maps

Parking

Parking checked on 2026-08-09 · © les contributeurs d'OpenStreetMap sous licence ODbL

When to visit

When to visit

en.wikipedia describes the pass as "normally closed from the beginning of November to mid May", which is a seasonal habit rather than an announcement. In 2026 the Savoyard side opened far later: no access from Saint-Colomban before 19 June. No 2026 closing date is published.

Winter

Winter season

Winter access window
Closed (road shut in winter) — Live status: savoie-route.fr
Winter infrastructure
Not specified
Snow panorama
Not specified
Equipment mandated
Loi Montagne II — winter tyres or chains required (1 Nov – 31 Mar)
Nearby

Where to eat, drink, stay

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A nearby stay?

Gîte, B&B, campsite, rental in Saint-Colomban-des-Villards.

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Photos

Gallery

Been there? Share your photos — we'll add them to this page with credit. Tag #loisirs73 or email photos@loisirs73.fr

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How high is the Col du Glandon?

1,924 m. The tourist office and en.wikipedia give the same figure.

When did the Col du Glandon open in 2026?

Much later than the other Savoie passes: access from Saint-Colomban-des-Villards was not possible before 19 June 2026, because of the replacement of a drainage structure after several mudslides. Neither the time nor the weekday is published.

Are the Glandon and the Col de la Croix de Fer the same pass?

No. They are two distinct passes about 2.5 km apart, often ridden back to back. The 2026 works affected access to the Glandon from Saint-Colomban, not the Croix de Fer.

How many times has the Tour de France crossed the Glandon?

The sources contradict each other: fourteen crossings per the tourist office, thirteen ranked appearances since 1977 per en.wikipedia, which also dates the first crossing to 1947. Those claims are not compatible, so no number is retained.

Is the Col du Glandon in Savoie or in Isère?

en.wikipedia describes it as linking Le Bourg-d'Oisans, in the Isère, to La Chambre, in the Savoie. It straddles the two: this page treats it from its Savoyard side, Saint-Colomban-des-Villards.

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The Maurienne cycling passes: profiles and openingsThe great passes of Savoie: altitudes, openings, access
Sources

Sources & verification

Multi-source verification at publication. Information may change — confirm with the official operator before travelling.

Published 8 août 2026·Updated 10/08/26

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