Colle della Rho

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Colle della Rho, also known as Col de la Roue, is a mountain pass in the Alps at an elevation of 2,541 meters (8,337 feet). It sits on the border between France and Italy, at the junction of the Cerces massif (France) and the Cottian Alps (Italy), linking Bardonecchia in Italy with Modane in France. The name Col de la Roue comes from French, while Colle della Rho is the Italian version; both trace back to the Latin Collis Rotae, meaning “Hill of the Wheel.” The pass has long been a historical route between valleys, and nearby Roman coins have been found, indicating ancient use. From the Middle Ages onward, it was the site of various battles as a border region between Dauphiné and Savoy, and later between France and Italy after 1860. The last fighting near the pass occurred during the Italian invasion of France in June 1940. The route over the pass forms a broad saddle between Gran Bagna to the southwest and Roc de Jany to the east, and the path is not paved, though it can be reached by mountain bike.