Iseran Pass Officially Opens For Summer 2025, Connecting Val d’Isère and Bonneval-Sur-Arc
The legendary Col de l’Iseran, linking Val d’Isère (Haute Tarentaise) and Bonneval-sur-Arc (Maurienne), opened on Friday 6th June. Standing at an altitude of 2,770m, this is the Alps' highest road pass and the pinnacle of the Route des Grandes Alpes. Each year, cyclists, motorcyclists, hikers, and other adventurous travellers flock, eager to enjoy the summits' summer climate and breathtaking views of the Vanoise glaciers. Summer skiing also returns to Val d'Isère, as the opening of the Col de l’Iseran allows access to the famous Pisaillas Glacier. The Pass will remain open all summer and until the return of snow in mid-autumn, connecting the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys. Rich in its historical and sporting heritage, the Col de l'Iseran has become an unmissable stage of the Route des Grandes Alpes, and a prime destination for those seeking a sporting challenge, year-round skiing or scenic ride amidst magnificent landscapes.
L'Iserane: The Cyclist's Rendezvous
To celebrate the opening of the Pass and the summer season, visitors are invited to Val d'Isère on June 22nd for L'Iserane. For this event, the Col de l’Iseran will be reserved for cyclists all day between Val d'Isère and Bonneval-sur-Arc, allowing cyclists to tackle the mountain pass themselves. Participants will embark on a 17km climb with a 900m elevation gain from Val d'Isère, with or without electric assistance. This event promises to be an adventurous morning, showcasing the best the two valleys have to offer.
Summer Skiing on the Pisaillas Glacier
For those looking for year-long access to Val d'Isère's famous slopes, summer skiing on the Pisaillas Glacier will be open 07:00-12:00 between 7th June - 6th July. The opening of the Col de l’Iseran allows access to these incredible facilities, where amateurs and professional visitors alike can enjoy the ski area, with an average snow depth of 1.50m. Six slopes will be open, with three accessible to everyone (Moraine, Montet, and Combe du Géant) and three reserved exclusively for club and national team training (Champions, Aiguille-Perse, and Pisaillas). These slopes will be accessible via the Cascade chairlift and the Montets drag lift.
Lift passes start from €36 for one day, or €289 for the season. The parking area at the foot of the glacier is accessible from the Col de l'Iseran, where guests will find the ski pass sales point at the base of the Cascade chairlift.
A Brief History of The Col de l'Iseran
As early as the 18th century, the Col de l'Iseran was used as a mule track year-round. Peddlers, merchants, and sometimes smugglers would travel to the rich and fertile Italian Piedmont. On July 10, 1937, French President Albert Lebrun inaugurated the pass after seven years of construction. This marked the first Grand Prix of Summer Skiing at Iseran on the Pisaillas glacier and was followed in 1938 by the first passage of the Tour de France. Over time, summer skiing on the Pisaillas became increasingly popular, and a road departing from the Col was built in 1963 to facilitate access.
