Col du Noyer | 1664 METER | Devoluy Le Noyer

The Col du Noyer is a 1,664-metre-high Alpine pass in the French Alps, in the Western Alps. It is located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in the Hautes-Alpes department and leads through the Dévoluy massif. It connects the municipality of Dévoluy in the west with Le Noyer in the east via the D17T. If you want to ride the Col du Noyer on a motorbike tour, for example, the best place to start is Corps. This leads to Saint-Dis-dier (where the road to the Col de Festre branches off) and on to Saint Étienne-en-Dévoluy, the starting point of the D17 leading to the pass.

The eastern ascent to the Col du Noyer begins in the municipality of Le Noyer at the junction between the D17 and D17T. From this point, it is 6.6 kilometres long and has an average gradient of 8.6%. The narrow road begins to climb much more steeply shortly after the town and has an average gradient of around 8% through the first two thirds. After two hairpin bends, there is a short flatter section before the road climbs at an average gradient of more than 10% over the last two kilometres. Shortly before the top of the pass, you will negotiate the two most spectacular hairpin bends of the climb, which were carved into the rock face during construction.

The western ascent starts in the village of Le Pré, which is part of the municipality of Dévoluy. It is 7.5 kilometres long, has an average gradient of 5.2% and begins at the junction of the D17 and the D18B, which leads to SuperDévoluy. After a kilometre with moderate gradients, the road begins to climb more steeply before Truziaud, before levelling out again in the village. After leaving the village, there are two kilometres with an average gradient of around 7%. After a short flat and partly sloping section, gradients of up to 9% are reached on the last two irregular kilometres.

Despite varying gradients, the pass offers exciting riding conditions: the western ascent is fairly unspectacular but is great fun thanks to the grippy surface. The summit of the pass is in a small depression, as befits a mountain crossing. The Refuge Napoléon, a restaurant popular with locals, is a good place to stop for a break before tackling the short but challenging descent via some magnificent hairpin bends towards Poligny. A little later, you will reach the Champsaur and the Route Napoleon again and can continue your journey towards Gap.