Colle del Nivolet from Locana Cycling Climb, Italy

Italy Colle del Nivolet (Locana)

Colle del Nivolet (Locana) Bike Climb - PJAMM Cycling

35.7

PDI

24.8 mi

DISTANCE

6,693 ft

GAINED

ELEVATION GAINED

4.9 %

AVG. GRADE

AVG. GRADIENT

FULL CLIMB STATS

INTRO

OH MY! Yes, this is a MUST-DO climb, no doubt about it. This route has been described as one of the most beautiful climbs you've never heard of - though judging from the crowds we found on an early September Monday, the secret may be getting out. From Locana, the climb runs 39.9 km (24.8 mi) and gains 2,040 m (6,693 ft) at a 4.9% average grade (5.6% with the descents factored out), topping out at 2,546 m (8,351 ft) at the Colle del Nivolet - one of the ten highest paved passes in the Alps. The last third of the ride is what earns the reputation. After a roughly 3 km (1.9 mi) tunnel through the mountain (or the refurbished old road around it, if you'd rather skip the tunnel), the road breaks out along the glacial lakes of Serrù and Agnel inside Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy's oldest national park, before a final set of hairpins onto the high alpine plateau at the Colle. We were blessed with perfect weather, clear skies, and blooming wildflowers for our one shot at this jewel - we rank this bike climb as THE World's Most Scenic Bike Climb - see our Top 10 World's Most Scenic page. The upper stretch is also one of the lightest-traffic high-alpine roads you'll find in the Alps: the final kilometers past Lago di Serrù close to private cars on summer Sundays and holidays, and access above Ceresole Reale is capped in peak season - both of which mean a cyclist often has the mountain nearly to themselves.

PLAN YOUR ROUTE

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The average grade is 4.9% over 39.9 km (24.8 mi) - 5.6% with descents removed from the equation. 44% of the climb sits in the 0-5% band, 41% in the 5-10% band, and 7% in the 10-15% band. The steepest 500 m (0.3 mi) averages 12.6%, and the steepest kilometer (0.6 mi) averages 11.0%.

Roadway: A narrow, two-lane road with no center stripe that continues just past the summit before ending. Pavement is in good condition throughout. At km 14.8 the road enters a roughly 3 km (1.9 mi) tunnel; the old road around the tunnel has been fully refurbished in recent years and makes a fun, quiet alternate if you'd rather skip riding through it (see Photos & Videos for details). Traffic: Mild to moderate for the first third of the climb, then minimal for the last two-thirds - and the upper stretch is unusually quiet for a high-alpine Alps road, since the final kilometers past Lago di Serrù close to private motor vehicles on summer Sundays and holidays, and access above Ceresole Reale is capped in peak season. A free shuttle also runs Locana-Noasca-Ceresole-Nivolet in summer, which keeps casual driver traffic further down. Parking: There is public parking on the left soon after you enter Locana from the east - Map; Street View.

Provisions: There are several cafés or bars to eat and get beverages on the way, the last at Lago di Ceresole around km 22.5 (13.9 mi) - nothing beyond that until the summit, so top off water there. The Colle sits at 2,546 m (8,351 ft), so pack a wind layer even on a warm morning in Locana - temperatures at the pass run noticeably cooler than in the valley.

Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.

We stayed in Turin and drove to the climb. From Turin you can also access several other great climbs such as Colle delle Finestre. The climb passes straight through Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy's oldest national park (established 1922) and home to a protected ibex population, and Ceresole Reale - the small alpine village on the shore of its own reservoir about two-thirds of the way up - makes a good rest stop before the final push to the lakes and hairpins above. If you'd rather ride it car-free, Nivolet Bike Day closes the road entirely to motor traffic for a few hours each summer - check the Comune di Ceresole Reale's site for the current year's date. Use the "Routes in Area" button on the menu bar to see other bike climbs in this area.