A defiant road to Col des Cortalets

Col des Cortalets is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.050m (6,725ft) above the sea level, located in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.

Col des Cortalets

The road to the summit, also known as Ras dels Cortalets, starts at the municipality of Fillols. It’s gravel with some short paved sections. It can be closed anytime when the access is not cleared of snow. In any case, driving 4WD is recommended due to uneven surface.
The road climbs up more than 1500m. Watch out for sudden loose-gravel breaks. And that pavement can ripple like a roller coaster track in places where “frost heaves” are caused by seasonal freezing and thawing of the ground. The surface on this gravel road is often loose, especially along the sides of the road.
Pic: R@ch