Col de Sarenne, Mountain pass in Clavans-en-Haut-Oisans, France
The col de Sarenne is a mountain pass in the Grandes Rousses massif in the Isère department of France, sitting just below 6,560 feet (2,000 m). It links the valley of Alpe d'Huez with the Ferrand valley, and the road crossing it is narrow and winding, with no guardrails on certain sections.
The pass has long been used by local people to cross between the valleys on either side, serving as a route for travel and trade in the mountains. In 2013, it was included in the Tour de France for the first time, which brought it wider attention.
The col de Sarenne is part of a long ski run that descends from the top of Pic Blanc all the way into the valley in winter. The route is said to be the longest ski slope in Europe, drawing skiers down through open snowfields and forested gorges.
The road over the pass is only open in summer, as snow closes it in winter. Driving or cycling along this narrow route calls for care, since some sections are steep and lack safety barriers.
Near the pass, dark seams of coal are still visible in the rockface, left over from old mines that once supplied the local area. Close by stands the Cassini Cross, marking the exact spot chosen by the surveyor Cassini in 1739 to map the surrounding land.
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