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Here is the route for the ascent of the Col du Glandon starting from Saint-Étienne-de-Cuines

Here is the route for the ascent of the Col de la Croix de Fer starting from Saint-Étienne-de-Cuines, passing through the Col du Glandon!

The north face of the Col du Glandon, starting from Saint-Étienne-des-Cuines, is one of the most demanding and iconic climbs in the French Alps. The summit sits at 1,924 meters above sea level, overcoming a gradient of 1,470 meters over just over 21 kilometers, resulting in an average gradient of around 7%. However, what truly defines the character of this climb is the unevenness of the profile, which alternates very tough sections with recovery phases before facing an extremely demanding finale. For almost eleven kilometers, the gradient remains within a range of 6 to 8% as the route enters a dense forest. After this initial phase, the landscape opens up and the road passes through Saint-Colomban-des-Villards, where the gradient decreases significantly and even offers practically flat areas. This is a strategic point to hydrate, eat, and prepare your mind for the rest of the climb. After the false flat and approaching the Glandon torrent, the vegetation begins to thin, the road narrows, curves follow, and the average gradient is around 10%, with several sections at 11% that really grind your legs after more than an hour and a half of accumulated effort. Once around the last curve, the arrival at the pass offers spectacular scenery, with views toward the Belledonne massif and the Arves peaks, a pure alpine environment with high-altitude pastures, torrents, and, occasionally, the occasional remnant of snowfields. Conclusion: a legendary climb in the French Alps, with extraordinary scenery and sustained difficulty. As always, the effort is worth it!

A col is meant to be climbed—and then descended. Because it's fun!

In my opinion, this is the best side of the Col du Glandon due to the beauty of its final 9 kilometers. The climb is clearly divided into two parts. The first stretches until reaching the village of St. Colomban-des-Villards; it's 8.5 km along a perfectly maintained road, very winding, with no views at all. The second part begins as we leave the village of St. Colomban, after a 1.5 km rest stop and a beautiful fountain where we can refill our water bottles. The second part is pure poetry. The road narrows and you enter a pure high-mountain landscape. It's a much tougher stretch.

Empty, a gas road 😱