Geographical location<\/h2>\n\n\n\nMassifs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Le Galibier pass FR-05-2642a<\/a> - is located between the Arves massif<\/strong><\/a> with the Pic des Trois Ev\u00e9ch\u00e9s (3,116 m) to the west of the pass and the Cerces massif<\/a>,<\/strong> with the Grand Galibier summit (3228 m) to the east of the pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Brian\u00e7onnais nappes de charriage (nappes of thrusting) are well known and have the particularity of having allowed recent geological layers to be covered by older geological layers. This stacking of nappes, displaced by between 20km and 30km, contemporaneous with the Alpine uplift (30 Ma), was facilitated by the presence of a layer of gypsum acting as a \"tectonic lubricant\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n The pass conceals a geological curiosity. Gypsum outcrops above the tunnel and below the north portal of the pass. This gypsum is riddled with decametric depressions reminiscent of karstic forms. Some tourists have even mistaken them for shell holes, but they are actually funnels in which water has dissolved the gypsum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Readers interested in this subject should refer to the comprehensive article by geol-alp.com Col du Galibier<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n It lies on the watershed between the Is\u00e8re basin to the north (Valloirette valley, tributary of the Arc and then the Is\u00e8re) and the Durance basin to the south (Guisane valley, tributary of the Durance).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Galibier road (now the D902 - formerly the RN202 - in both Savoie and the Hautes-Alpes) was built from 1874 onwards, and was completed with the boring of the tunnel in 1891. The (summit) road was completed at least by 1884.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It links :<\/p>\n\n\n This road has subsequently undergone numerous works, and the route has been modified several times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The original route of the road on the southern slope was completely different before the inauguration of a new road leading off at Col du Lautaret<\/strong><\/a> and the gradual abandonment of the old one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his story It was 1937... My first BRA<\/a> (BRA archives), Paul Maillet indicated that he had climbed the Galibier by the new route, which would confirm the date proposed by the TCF magazine (and invalidate the date according to Wikipedia<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The old route, to the east of the current one, joined the D1091 below the Col du Lautaret, just above Sestri\u00e8res, and had a much steeper average gradient than the current route (the last six kilometres at almost 10 %), with a shorter route but a greater difference in altitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A \"vague\" track follows the route of the old road, and is now used by downhill mountain bikers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The old and new routes merge at the Henri Desgrange monument and do not meet again. For more details, see Lucien Chevalier's article: A history of the Col du Galibier road.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bonnenuit ramp, between Valloire and Plan Lachat, which had a gradient of 14 %, has been softened by the creation of a long loop around the hamlet, along the river, considerably reducing the difficulty of the section before Plan Lachat. (date ???? - downstream from The tunnel was bored in 1891, at an altitude of 2,556 m on the north side and 2,555 m on the south side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The original road passed over the geographical pass as early as 1876 on the south side, and on both sides by 1884 at the latest. The summit road was restored in the 1920s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Due to its age, the tunnel was closed in 1976. The route over the topographic pass (2,642 m) was reopened for the 3th<\/sup> times, adding 1 km of road on each slope with an average gradient of almost 10 %.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since 2002<\/strong>the renovated tunnel is reopened to car traffic<\/strong> (the structure is 370 metres long and 4 metres wide, which only allows alternating traffic using traffic lights), but still closed to bicycles<\/strong>They have to get over the real pass and can't avoid the last kilometre, the hardest part of the climb.<\/p>\n<\/div> In the last km<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shortly before hamlet of Bonnenuit<\/strong>at Roche Bernard, on the left-hand side of the road (in On the flat area before the tunnel entrance is the monument (built in 1949) in the form of a large column with the inscription in relief in the centre: A LA GLOIRE DE HENRI-DESGRANGE (1865-1940), ANCIEN DIRECTEUR DU JOURNAL L'AUTO, CREATEUR DU TOUR DE FRANCE CYCLISTE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \"In 1988, the Parc des \u00c9crins erected this beautiful orientation table, which shows the various surrounding peaks. We recommend you climb it, it's 5 minutes above the Col du Galibier summit: you'll have a 360\u00b0 view of the Hautes-Alpes and Savoie. Source: https:\/\/www.envie-de- The Col du Galibier marks the boundary between the departments of Hautes-Alpes (commune of Mon\u00eatier-les-Bains<\/a>) and Savoie (commune of Valloire<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Until 1349, both sides of the pass were part of the Holy Roman Empire<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Tour de France first climbed the Col du Galibier on 10 July 1911.<\/strong> in a 366-kilometre stage from Chamonix to Grenoble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emile Georget, Paul Duboc and Gustave Garrigou led the way over the pass. They were the only riders never to set foot on the climb. Emile Georget admitted that year that he had \"never seen anything harder\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wikipedia<\/a> lists the riders who have taken the lead since 1911<\/p>\n\n\n\n A monument dedicated to Henri Desgrange was built in 1949 on the southern slope just before the tunnel entrance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ARO<\/a> has been crossing the Col du Galibier since its creation in 1936.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 2015 BRA did not use the Col du Galibier because of the landslide. the Chambon tunnel.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div> Every year since 1982, the Marmotte cyclosportive has taken in the Col du Galibier after the Glandon and T\u00e9l\u00e9graphe passes before finishing with the 21 laces of Alpe d'Huez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many profiles of the Col du Galibier on the internet. The percentages given are quite... variable.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGeology<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hydrography<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Access<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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1430 m), then Plan Lachat (8 km away - alt. 1786 m) and (about ten metres to the right of the road) Collet de Plan Nicolas - alt. 1786 m). FR-73-2406<\/a> (2.8 km away).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
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South side : view of the \u00c9crins massif (La Meije on the right) and the Route du Lautaret<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Galibier-versannt-nordJPG.jpg\")
Modification of access<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Southern slope route<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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cross only once, at a point slightly below this monument.<\/p>\n<\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/7510bb8e-69ae-498b-9bae-3bc5e84cdaa01.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nNorth slope route<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bonnenuit, a triple arrow and the indication 14% on the 1980 Michelin map 77 and a single arrow on the 2002 map 333).<\/p>\n\n\n\nTunnel and geographical pass<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Galibier-dernier-km-1200x9001-1.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat to see - tourism <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
North side<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The remains of the \"Barricade des pestif\u00e9r\u00e9s\" (plague barricade). (When the plague arrived in Valloire in the 17th century, there was no vaccine, so plague sufferers were quarantined. The quarantine site was Bonnenuit, because it was located at the bottom of the valley - the road to the Col du Galibier did not exist).
La Fromagerie Coop\u00e9rative de la Vall\u00e9e des Arves<\/strong> opens - from mid-June to mid-September - a shop at Les Granges du Galibier (altitude 2300 m). Beaufort cheese!
In June 2011, the Granges du Galibier was the site of the inauguration of the \"Galibier\" stele. Pantani Forever<\/strong> \"in tribute to Italian climber Marco Pantani (who died in 2004).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South side<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Above the collar<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
brianconnais.com\/guide\/table-orientation-galibier<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nAdministrative status<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Currently<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
North side :<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Borne-87-Galibier1.jpg\")
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South side<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Galibier-versants.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCycling and cycle tourism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Tour de France<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
BRA<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/BRA-2007-1200x9001-1.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nMarmot<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Profile<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/centcols.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Galibier-profil-scaled-1-1920x460.jpeg\")
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