Where is Col du Tourmalet?
France, europe
34.1 km
2,115 m
extreme
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're in the French Pyrenees, ready to tackle the legendary Col du Tourmalet. This beast of a pass sits way up high at 2,115 meters (almost 7,000 feet!), smack-dab in the Hautes-Pyrénées.
You'll find it in the Occitan region, connecting the Adour and Gave de Pau valleys. Word to the wise: keep an eye out for a gravel road near the gift shop – it leads to the unreal Pic du Midi de Bigorre.
The D918 road will take you to the summit. It stretches for about 34 kilometers (that's 21 miles!) from Luz-Saint-Sauveur to the D935 road, just south of Campan. Don't let the smooth, paved surface fool you; this climb is a workout! Some sections are seriously steep, hitting a max gradient of 12%.
The Tourmalet's a legend for a reason. The Tour de France has crossed it more than eighty times! Back in 1910, it was basically a farm track used by farmers and goats. These days, you'll find statues at the top honoring Jacques Goddet and Octave Lapize. Keep an eye on the kilometer markers, they’ll taunt you with the distance remaining and the upcoming gradient. Cyclists from all over the world flock here, and trust me, it lives up to the hype.
And yes, it's challenging, but the panoramic views of the Pyrenees are absolutely breathtaking. You won't regret conquering this one.
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 34.1 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,115 m
- Difficulty
- extreme
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