Col du Galibier

Located a short distance from the pass at an altitude of 1570 m, above a sheer drop overlooking Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne, the impressive Fort du Télégraphe owes its name to the Chappe signalling mast which was built on the site in the early 19th C.Just a stone's throw from the pass, at an altitude of 1,570 m, above a sheer cliff overlooking Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne, the imposing Fort du Télégraphe owes its name to the presence of a Chappe telegraph signal tower built here in the early 19th century. Built between 1886 and 1890, the fort is the centerpiece of Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne's military stronghold. It bears witness to the militarization of the Alps in the late 19th century. On the site of a former Marshal de Berwick camp (18th century), then a Chappe telegraph station, the fort was built by the Armée des Alpes under General Berge in 1886-1890 to defend the Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne town square and the Col du Galibier road opened in 1891. Its Séré de Rivières-style architecture is spectacularly adapted to the terrain. The fort was reused in the active defense line of the Savoy fortified sector, the Maginot Line of the Alps, in 1940.

Culminating at an altitude of 2642m, the Col du Galibier connects St Michel de Maurienne and Briançon via the Col du Télégraphe (north) and the col du Lautaret (south). Halfway through, Valloire is an unmissable stop-off!It seems that it has been used for years since prehistory, then by the army and travellers. The Galibier road was built from 1879 and was completed by the opening of the tunnel in 1891. Prior to 1976, the tunnel was the only crossing point at an altitude of 2556m. Because of its poor condition, the tunnel was closed in 1976 and reopened in the summer of 2002. The first Tour de France passed through the Galibier on 10 July 1911. From this date the pass has become one of the most iconic stages, highlighted by the biggest names. From the top, a beautiful view awaits the visitor ; within a short walking distance, from a viewpoint, you can admire and identify the surrounding peaks: Meije, Grand Galibier and even Mont Blanc! During summer, numerous cyclists test themselves on the gradient. The first snowfall arrives at the end of autumn, and the area becomes quiet again with the road being closed from late October to late May. The Galibier pass climb from Valloire: Departure: 1430m - Arrival: 2642m Length: 17 km - Elevation: 1212 m Average %: 7.2% - maximum %: 12%