Col du Tourmalet
From Luz-Saint-Sauveur · 19 km · 7.4 % average
Photo: Photo: Bruce from Sydney, Australia · CC BY 2.0
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- Start
- Luz-Saint-Sauveur
- Summit
- 2,115 m
- Distance
- 19 km
- Elevation gain
- 1,404 m
- Average gradient
- 7.4 %
- Maximum gradient
- 10.2 %
- Difficulty
- Extreme (FIETS 11.5)
The climb at a glance
Schematic A straight line at the average gradient – the real road is steeper in places and easier in others.
- East side from Sainte-Marie-de-Campan: 17.2 km, 1,268 m at 7.4 %, max 12 % (Wikipedia).
In the footsteps of the pros
- Tour de France: included more than any other pass, starting in 1910 (Wikipedia).
- 2023: first included in the Tour de France Femmes, as its queen stage (Wikipedia).
How long might it take?
| Sustained power | ≈ Time |
|---|---|
| 2.5 W/kg | 1 h 56 |
| 3.5 W/kg | 1 h 24 |
| 4.5 W/kg | 1 h 07 |
Estimate Physics model at constant power on a constant 7.4 % gradient: rider 75 kg, bike and kit 9 kg, rolling resistance 0.005, CdA 0.4 m², air density 1.1 kg/m³, 3 % drivetrain loss; W/kg relative to rider weight; no wind, no stops. Real times vary – this is not a standard.
Best season
High-mountain road: typically a summer and early-autumn climb – check pass opening before you travel.
Weather & altitude
Summit at 2,115 m: expect it to be much colder than in the valley – roughly 6–7 °C per 1,000 m in typical conditions.
Surface & traffic
[PLACEHOLDER] Road surface, traffic and tunnels – to verify
Water & food
[PLACEHOLDER] Fountains, cafés and the last shop before the top – to verify
Descent
[PLACEHOLDER] Descent notes – surface, hairpins, cold. Always pack a layer.
Nearby climbs
- Rocacorba ≈ 230 km away (straight line)
- Els Àngels ≈ 248 km away (straight line)
- Pas de Peyrol (Puy Mary) ≈ 317 km away (straight line)
Sources & verification
Data Figures copied from the sources listed, retrieved 14 Nov 2026. Published numbers differ with the exact start and finish – we show one sourced version. Exact start point and date of on-the-road verification: [PLACEHOLDER] to record.