The most beautiful road bike passes of the Pyrenees

Culminating at 1,489 meters above sea level, the Col d'Aspin is a classic of the Tour de France. Its ascent from Arreau is magnificent. Via a few switchbacks, it meanders over 12 kilometers at an average speed of 6.5% with a few passages at 10%.

It is also possible to climb it from Sainte-Marie-de-Campan. The climb is 12.5 kilometers at an average of 5.1%.

As harmless as the numbers may seem, from the north the Port de Larrau is undoubtedly one of the toughest French climbs, thanks to the tough pass Col d'Erroimendy - 9.6% average climb over 10 km.
Once you have reached this pre-pass, the onward journey to Port de Larrau is just a breeze.

The Col du Soulor is one of the emblematic passes of the Pyrenees and the Tour de France. This pass, which culminates at 1,474 meters above sea level, also owes its fame to its neighbour, the Col d'Aubisque.

Located in the beautiful valley of Ouzom its ascent from the east offers pretty mountain panoramas. The junction that leads to the Aubisque pass forms a formidable belvedere over the Lithor circus.

The Col d'Aubisque is a true myth of the Pyrenees. Culminating at 1,709 meters above sea level, it is difficult to separate from its neighbour: the Soulor.

The climb from Laruns is 16.6 kilometers long for an average of 7.17%. It crosses the spa town of Eaux-Bonnes as well as the ski resort of Gourette.

The slope towards the Soulor constitutes a magnificent belvedere on the Lithor circus.

The Col de Pailhères, or Port de Pailhères, is one of the emblematic passes of the Pyrenees and the Tour de France. Culminating at 2,001 meters above sea level, it is one of the few passes in the Pyrenees to exceed the symbolic bar of 2,000 meters.

The climb from Mijanès is 10.6 kilometers long with an average of 8.2%, including some passages at more than 10%.
It is also possible to climb from Ax-les-Thermes by means of a climb of 18.6 kilometers with an average of 6.9%.

The Col de Peyresourde is one of the mythical passes of the Pyrenees. Located at 1,589 meters above sea level, it marks the separation between the department of Hautes-Pyrénées and that of Haute-Garonne.

The most emblematic climb is the one that starts from Bagnères-de-Luchon. It extends over 13.74 kilometers with an average of 6.9%. It begins with a long false flat before really rising over the last kilometres.

The Tour de Madeloc is located about 10 km west of the Mediterranean and 10 km north of the Spanish border in the eastern foothills of the Pyrenees. From the 652 m high mountain, the view is simply overwhelming. It extends from Narbonne in the north via Perpignan all the way along the coast to far into Spain.

The Menté pass connects the Garonne valley to the Ger valley, culminating at 1,349 meters above sea level. Its ascent from the village of Saint-Béat is 9.3 kilometers long with an average of 9.13% including some passages of more than 11%.

It is also possible to climb there from the Oule bridge. The climb extends over 10.9 kilometers with an average of 6.6%.

The Portet-d'Aspet pass culminates at 1,069 meters above sea level between the Ger and Bouigane valleys. Its ascent from the village of Aspet is 14.3 kilometers long with an average of 4.2%. Up to the Oule bridge, the road remains relatively affordable before really climbing over the last kilometers with several passages at more than 13%.

The Col du Tourmalet is one of the most legendary passes in the Pyrenees and the Tour de France. It is the pass that has been used the most in the history of the Tour since its first time in 1910.

Culminating at 2,115 meters above sea level, it is also one of the highest. It is reached from Luz-Saint-Sauveur via 19 kilometers at 7.4% or from Sainte-Marie-de-Campan over 17.2 kilometers at 7.37% on average.