Col du Lautaret, Hautes-Alpes

The Col du Lautaret is an Alpine passage located in the Hautes-Alpes, at 2,057 meters of altitude. It marks the border between the communes of Villar-d'Arène and Monêtier-les-Bains. It is the second highest pass open to automobile traffic in winter. For a long time, it has constituted an important communication axis between Grenoble and Briançon, and even towards Italy. The road to the famous Col du Galibier starts from the southern slope of the Lautaret. It has been used since around 1000 BCE.