Car-free Cols in 2026: How to Plan Your Dream Summer Along the Stelvio, Sella and Alpe d’Huez

You turn the final turns of the Stelvio and all you hear is your own breathing and the clicking of the chain and the shifting. No engines, no campers, no beeping. In 2026 you can almost experience that every week somewhere in the Alps. What a treat! Car-free cols in the Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites and more can be found in this article, so you can plan your ideal summer. What once started as a few loose local initiatives has grown into a calendar of car-free cols, spread across Italy, France en Switzerland. This way, cyclists can convert holiday days into elevation meters this year.

Dolomites – Sella Ronda without exhaust emissions

Of Sellaronda Bike Day For many cyclists, this is the first experience of climbing the Sella Massif without a car. The 55-kilometer loop around the Sella Massif takes you through four well-known passes: Passo Gardena, Passo Sella, Passo Pordoi en Passo Campolongo. Together, that amounts to about 1,700 vertical meters. Sellaronda is a real classic.

In 2026 there will be two editions: Saturday 6 June en Saturday 12 September. The roads will be closed at 8:30 am and remain closed to motorized traffic until 15:30. No registration required, no entry fee. The atmosphere: a long line of climbers between the mountain walls, coffee stops at the rifugio’s, and at the Pordoi the monument to Fausto Coppi. Early start and driving against the clock is the recommended direction. After 11 am, the coffee stops get crowded.

Basecamp: Corvara in Alta Badia. Bike-friendly hotels, good parking, and you’re at the foot of the first climb within a few minutes.

Stelvio – the hard work

For heavier routes there is Enjoy the Stelvio Valtellina. This program, now in its ninth edition, regularly closes the toughest sections of the central Alps between May and September. And that’s just the ones we’ve mentioned. Stelvio, Gavia, Mortirolo and Cancano Lakes.

The big day is August 29Then all three sides of the Stelvio are closed. From Bormio, From Trafoi and via the Swiss Umbrailpas. This is the 24th edition of the Cima Coppi Climb. Sixteen hours of cycling only on 48 hairpin bends and almost 1,800 meters of elevation gain.

The Mortirolo on a car-free morning is already difficult (average 10.5%). The Gavia on the same day makes the ride even more difficult. Compact gearing (34×32 or larger) is common here.

Basecamp: Bormio. Centrally located for Stelvio, Gavia and Mortirolo. Bike-friendly hotels with parking and standard working conditions, and thermal baths for recovery afterwards.

Col Series Oisans – French Alps – a different legend every Tuesday

In the Oisans, The home of Alpe d’Huez, turns the Oisans Col Series For years on Tuesday mornings in July and August. Every week a different beer, free of charge, without registration, with raffles at the top.

The plans include: Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Glandon, Col de Sarenne and as a finale Alpe d'Huez by myself, with 21 turns. The last one is traditionally run on a Wednesday.

In the Hautes-Alpes they organize the Tournée des Grands Cols: five days in a row a different col. Galibier (2,642m), Izoard, Col Agnel, Col du Granon en Col de l’Échelle. Lockdowns usually between 9:00 and 12:00. In Haute-Savoie is the Col de Joux Plane On July 20th, no cars allowed.

Thanks to this, you can drive through several car-free cols in the Oisans region in just one week.

Basecamp: Bourg d’Oisans. At the foot of Alpe d’Huez, with many bakeries and facilities for cyclists.

Switzerland – extra quiet

Switzerland does things differently. Smaller-scale events, more structurally car-free roads. One of the most important initiatives is the Ride the Alps. The climbs of this initiative are mainly in the Valais-Wallis region. Expect a car-free environment here. Sanetsch pass, As a classic.

Of Grosse Scheidegg In Grindelwald, traffic is closed off for the whole year (only postal vehicles). Ten kilometers climb at an average of 9.1% in the shadow of the Eiger. There is hardly any traffic further on.

Of Tremola to the San Gottardo runs through 38 hairpin bends over historic cobblestones. Part of the Ride the Alps-program. Many cyclists choose sturdy tires for this purpose.

In addition, there is Saturday 8 August in Düdingen in the canton of Fribourg, a circuit of 49 or 59 kilometers over twelve smaller passes.

How do you put your summer together?

You can combine them. One week Bormio around the Stelvio and Gavia days at the end of August, drive to the Dolomites for the Sellaronda on September 12th. Or start with Sellaronda in early June, then the Gavia on the 5th and Mortirolo on the 9th. Cancellations occur in extreme circumstances, which may require a buffer day.

On the morning of the event, the local sites provide the latest information: bormio.eu for Italy, bike-oisans.com for France.

What is there still missing?

Do you know of any more car-free cols or local bike days where you can cycle over them? We especially like to hear about them from Germany and Austria. Let us know, and we’ll test them out.

FAQ – Car-free Alpine cols 2026

When will the Stelvio be car-free in 2026?
The Stelvio is car-free on August 29 and September 19, 2026.

Do you have to register for car-free cols?
No, most car-free coffee day events are free and open to everyone without registration.

What is the most famous car-free cola?
The Sellaronda Bike Day and Enjoy Stelvio are the most famous car-free climbing days in Europe. Just like the Oisans Col Series.