Lautaret is the wide, grassy shoulder of mountains that sits just below the better-known Galibier, and it is a rather different kind of pass. At 2,058 metres, it is gentle in shape, with rolling alpine meadows and a long view across to one of the most dramatic peaks in the French Alps, La Meije, whose glacier-covered summit rises to nearly 4,000 metres above the valley of La Grave. On a clear morning, the view is so good that people simply stand in the car park and stare.
The pass has been a crossing for centuries, linking the Maurienne with the Briançonnais, and the old road, which the French army improved in the nineteenth century, still follows a similar line. At the summit, an alpine botanical garden, opened in the late nineteenth century and run by the University of Grenoble, collects mountain plants from around the world. In June and July the meadows are a spectacular display, with gentians, saxifrages, and edelweiss, and the garden is a lovely place to wander.
The riding is a pleasure. The road from Valloire climbs over the Galibier and then drops to Lautaret in a long, open descent, with wide bends and a good surface. Beyond the pass, the road descends the Romanche valley toward Le Monêtier-les-Bains and Briançon, passing through tunnels and past waterfalls, while the other way leads down to Bourg-d'Oisans through the Gorges of the Romanche. The pass is open much of the year, though avalanches and snow can close it, and the Galibier beyond usually shuts in winter. Wind can be fierce, and the weather can change quickly.
Fuel is not available at the pass, and the nearest large town is Briançon, about twenty-four kilometres away, with stations and shops. Le Monêtier-les-Bains and Valloire are smaller, with limited options. At the top there are cafes selling coffee, crepes, and local cheeses, and they are a fine stop. Bring warm clothing, since it is cold even in July, and sun protection, because the light is strong. Morning is usually the clearest time, and the contrast between the green valleys and the white peaks is memorable.