The Transfăgărășan, starting from Curtea de Argeș
Curtea de Argeș is the southern end of the road that climbs over the Făgăraș Mountains. From Casa Sima you head straight for it: Poenari, Vidraru, the lake and, at the top, Bâlea Lake.
- Road
- DN7C
- Mountain section
- Piscu Negru – Bâlea Cascadă (km 104–130.8), open only in the warm season
- Traffic hours
- 07:00–21:00 on the mountain section, when open
- Casa Sima to Bâlea Lake
- about 75 km, around 2 hours
When it’s open
The high part of the road, between Piscu Negru and Bâlea Cascadă, is closed for most of the year because of snow. It usually opens in summer and stays open until late autumn, weather permitting, typically closing at the end of October. In 2026 it reopened on 12 June. While it’s open, traffic is allowed from 07:00 to 21:00.
The road up to Vidraru isn’t part of that closure, so the dam and Poenari can be visited outside the season too, with care on winter roads.
What you pass, in order
- Poenari Fortress, about 23 km from Casa Sima.
- Vidraru Dam, about 28 km, with the road carrying on along the lake shore.
- The hairpin bends after Piscu Negru, where the road climbs above the forest.
- Bâlea Lake, the glacial lake at 2,034 m, about 75 km from us. From here the road goes through a tunnel to the Sibiu side.
Tips
- Check before you leave that the mountain section is open: it can close temporarily in bad weather.
- Set off in the morning. Summer weekends get busy, and the times above go up.
- It’s much colder at the top than in town and the weather changes quickly: bring a warm layer.
- Bears are often seen along the Transfăgărășan. Don’t feed them and stay in your car near them.
- Leave Curtea de Argeș with a full tank.
For a full day on the road with stops, see our weekend plan.