Colle del Moncenisio

It is a border crossing point between Italy and France on the Cottian Alps, even if the geographical border is located several kilometers before reaching the summit going up from the Italian side, and connects the Val di Susa with the Alta Moriana region, in the French department of Savoy.

Altitude: 2,083m
Length: 30km
Connects: Susa (To) with Bonneval-sur-Arc (FR)
Google Maps link: https://goo.gl/maps/DH9t4xuC25n

It can be reached from Val Susa, continuing on the SS25 right from the town of Susa. It starts to climb just outside the village, on a very well paved road with a good wide carriageway. However, a continuous succession of bends somewhat limits the possibility of overtaking in safety.
Going further up you pass the border, the roadbed changes, with a rougher asphalt, but with a roadway that is always very wide, indeed, going up more and more the roadway widens further with the asphalt going far beyond the white lines.
In the last section you come across a climb that takes you beyond the artificial reservoir that generates the Moncenisio lake from where you can enjoy an excellent panorama.

The lake is a great tourist destination, in fact we find a large roadside car park from where you can follow numerous paths to reach the shores of the lake and some refreshment points.

The French side always has an excellent road, wide and well paved. In the lower section, the road has a fast course interspersed with wide hairpin bends, going up towards the pass you find yourself on a more guided road as the vegetation becomes more sparse.

In our opinion

The ascent to Colle del Moncenisio from the Italian side is very interesting, scenically suggestive with a wide road that allows a good step in safety. However, up to the French border it is difficult to overtake due to the continuous succession of curves and in case of traffic it becomes difficult to have fun, but once you reach the border, where the road widens and the straight stretches favor overtaking you will be rewarded!
The French side is less characteristic but equally exciting.
It is a destination that we also recommend to be accomplished for its own sake, thus going up and down from Susa.