Great St Bernard Pass
Switzerland, europe
32 km
2,469 m
moderate
June to September
The Great St Bernard Pass (Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard) is one of the oldest Alpine crossings, situated at 2,469 meters on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Connecting Martigny in the Swiss canton of Valais with Aosta in Italy's Aosta Valley, the pass has been used since the Bronze Age and was famously crossed by Napoleon Bonaparte with his army of 40,000 men in May 1800 during the Marengo campaign. The Great St Bernard Tunnel, opened in 1964, now carries most traffic, leaving the pass road as a scenic historical route.
The pass is home to the Great St Bernard Hospice, founded in 1049 by Bernard of Menthon as a refuge for pilgrims and travelers. The hospice is still operated by Augustinian monks and is the origin of the famous St. Bernard rescue dogs, which were bred here for centuries to find and rescue travelers lost in snowstorms. A museum at the hospice tells the story of the dogs and the pass's history, and a kennel maintains a breeding population of St. Bernards.
The road on both sides features well-graded switchbacks through alpine meadows dotted with wildflowers in summer. The Swiss approach passes through the picturesque village of Bourg-Saint-Pierre before climbing to the windswept summit, where a small lake marks the border. The Italian descent is steeper and more dramatic, with views of the Aosta Valley far below. The pass is open from June to October and is popular with cyclists and motorcycle tourers as part of extended Alpine routes.
Where is it?
Great St Bernard Pass is located in Valais / Aosta Valley, Switzerland (europe). Coordinates: 45.8692, 7.1708
Driving Tips
Open June to October. Visit the hospice and meet the St. Bernard dogs. The Italian side has the more dramatic scenery. Free to drive; no toll required. Popular cycling route.
Road Surface
Paved asphalt
Road Details
- Country
- Switzerland
- Continent
- europe
- Region
- Valais / Aosta Valley
- Length
- 32 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,469 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Surface
- Paved asphalt
- Best Season
- June to September
- Coordinates
- 45.8692, 7.1708
Related Roads in europe
D8 Coastal Road (Jadranska Magistrala)
🇭🇷 Croatia
The D8, known as the Jadranska Magistrala or Adriatic Highway, is Croatia's famous coastal road stretching approximately 650 kilometers from Rijeka in the north to Dubrovnik in the south. Built in the 1960s, it follows the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea, hugging the coastline through a landscape of rocky coves, pine-forested headlands, and ancient walled towns. The road passes through some of the Adriatic's most celebrated destinations: the island-dotted waters around Zadar, the historic city of Split with Diocletian's Palace, the Makarska Riviera beneath the towering Biokovo mountain, and finally the walled city of Dubrovnik. For much of its length, the sea is visible on one side while the Dinaric Alps rise on the other. The road is well maintained but can be extremely busy during the summer tourist season, particularly around the Split and Dubrovnik sections. Several ferries connect the mainland road to Croatia's many islands.
Kotor Serpentine
🌍 Montenegro
The Kotor Serpentine is a dramatic mountain road that climbs from the medieval walled town of Kotor on the Bay of Kotor to the village of Njegugi and onward to Cetinje, the old royal capital of Montenegro. The road ascends 1,000 meters through 25 tight hairpin bends carved into the limestone mountainside above one of the most beautiful bays in the Mediterranean. The views from the switchbacks are extraordinary, looking down over the deep blue waters of the Bay of Kotor, the red-roofed old town, and the surrounding mountains. The road was originally constructed in the 19th century under Austro-Hungarian rule and retains its narrow, dramatic character. At the top, the landscape transforms into the karst plateau of the Lovcen National Park, a strikingly different environment from the Mediterranean coast below. The contrast between the lush coastal vegetation and the barren mountain top makes this one of the most visually diverse short drives in Europe.
Inlandsvagen (Inland Road)
🌍 Sweden
The Inlandsvagen (Inland Road) is a 1,300-kilometer route running through the Swedish interior from Gothenburg in the south to Karesuando on the Finnish border in the north. Following the old Inlandsbanan railway corridor, it traverses the heart of Swedish Lapland and some of the most sparsely populated landscapes in Europe, passing through vast boreal forests, alongside crystal-clear lakes, and across the Arctic Circle. The route is a journey through Sweden's wilderness, far from the coastal cities. It passes through the Sami heartlands of Jokkmokk, famous for its winter market held since 1605, and the old mining town of Gallivare. The road crosses the Arctic Circle near Jokkmokk, marked by a roadside monument. In summer, the midnight sun illuminates the landscape around the clock, while winter brings deep snow and the northern lights. The forests are home to moose, reindeer, bears, and wolverines. The Inlandsvagen offers a meditative driving experience through one of Europe's last great wildernesses.
Grimsel Pass
🇨🇭 Switzerland
The Grimsel Pass at 2,164 meters connects the Hasli Valley in the Bernese Oberland with the upper Rhone Valley in Valais, Switzerland. The 38-kilometer road crosses a stark, granite landscape of hydroelectric reservoirs, barren rock faces, and glacial terrain that feels almost lunar in character. The pass has been an important trade route since the Middle Ages, when it served as a connection between the German-speaking and French-speaking parts of Switzerland. The road passes the impressive Grimselsee and Raterichsbodensee reservoirs, their turquoise waters held back by massive concrete dams. The landscape is notably different from other Swiss passes, dominated by smooth granite slabs polished by ancient glaciers, with very little vegetation at higher elevations. The Grimsel Hospiz, a historic inn at the summit, has served travelers for centuries. The pass forms part of the classic Swiss three-pass circuit together with the Susten and Furka passes, a loop that many consider the finest day's driving in Switzerland.