14 sharp hairpin turns to Forcella Lavardet
Forcella Lavardet is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,547m (5,075ft) above sea level, located in the province of Belluno, in the Italian region of Veneto. The climb features 14 sharp hairpin turns that seem to lie on one another, gradually climbing up to the top of the pass. It’s one of the most famous hairpinned roads in the world.
Can you drive through Forcella Lavardet?
The road to the summit is mostly unpaved, with some paved sections at the northern part. It’s called Strada Provinciale 465 della Forcella Lavardet e di Valle San Canciano 465 (SP465) and runs north-south from Campolongo, a small village, towards the paved Strada Statale 465 Road. It’s an old military road.
Where is Forcella Lavardet?
The pass is located in the Dolomites-Alps range, in the Seppada zone within the Carnic Alps, on the northern part of the country. The road to the summit was nicknamed ‘the most absurd state road in Italy’.
Is Forcella Lavardet open?
The road is closed to vehicles after some streams and detachments (since October 1993), but it is passable by bike or walking. The flood of October 1993 made the road, which had already been in precarious conditions for some time, definitively impassable.
How challenging is Forcella Lavardet?
It features some very narrow parts and scary wooden bridges. Some years ago, the road was impassable after heavy rains, but now there’s a new wooden bridge to cross the river Frison, a section which was impossible to cross during several months every year. In the winter months, the road is usually impassable. Remember the road features a high risk of landslides. The road is pretty narrow, so it is advisable to drive slowly in the bends, as you will not see oncoming traffic.
Is Forcella Lavardet steep?
The road is pretty steep, hitting a 13% maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Starting at Campolongo, the ascent is 10.4km (6.46 miles) long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 599 meters. The average gradient is 5.75%.
Why is Forcella Lavardet famous?
The road is famous because of the Tornanti della Forcella del Lavardet / Kurven Forcella Lavardet, a group of 14 steep, picturesque, and spectacular hairpin bends, between San Pietro and the summit.