The queen stage Pau–Luchon (the Circle of Death in reverse)
197 km · 4,800 m · Pau
- Base
- Pau
- Distance
- 197 km
- Elevation gain
- 4,800 m
- Difficulty
- Very hard
- Type
- Out and back
- Highest point
- Col du Tourmalet, 2,115 m
- Cols
- Col d'Aubisque (1,709 m), Col du Soulor (1,474 m), Col du Tourmalet (2,115 m), Col d'Aspin (1,489 m), Col de Peyresourde (1,569 m)
- Season
- mid-June–September
The Pyrenees' great monster day and a dream for many amateur riders. On 21 July 1910 the Tour de France crossed the high Pyrenees for the first time on the Luchon–Bayonne stage, which was dubbed the Circle of Death (Cercle de la Mort). It was there that Octave Lapize shouted Assassins! (murderers) at the organisers on the Aubisque. This version goes the other way, from Pau to Luchon, like the 2012 Étape du Tour (197 km): five classic cols in a row, close to 5000 metres of climbing and around 65 km uphill. The hardest part is the Tourmalet from Luz after 100 km already in the legs.
TipsStart at dawn and allow 9–12 hours. Plan your feed stops: Laruns, Gourette, Argelès, Luz, La Mongie/Sainte-Marie, Arreau and the top of the Peyresourde. Have a support car or plan a train journey/transfer back from Luchon. None of the cols open until June, and the roads can be closed during the Tour de France and the Étape du Tour. Consider splitting the ride over two days with an overnight stay in Luz or Argelès. If you want to ride it in the original direction, there's the tourist office's Luchon–Pau route.
Nearby
- PauBeautiful town, château and fine mountain views
- Bagnères-de-LuchonSpa and mountain town, often a TdF finish
Col du Tourmalet & Pic du MidiA legendary col – observatory and cable car- Col du SoulorThe Aubisque's twin col
Vallée d'OssauThe valley south of Pau beneath the Pic du Midi d'Ossau
GouretteVallée d'Ossau (Eaux-Bonnes), Pyrénées-Atlantiques- Barèges – CieléoThermal baths at the foot of the Tourmalet
Col d'AspinA green col with cows and views of the Pic du Midi
Cycling rides
- Gavarnie from Luz-Saint-Sauveur40 km · 700 m · Easy
- Cerdagne loop over the Col de la Perche55 km · 800 m · Easy
- Aubisque and Soulor from Laruns55 km · 1,550 m · Moderate
- Col de Marie-Blanque loop from Arudy60 km · 1,000 m · Moderate
- Col du Pourtalet to Formigal and Sallent82 km · 1,800 m · Moderate
- Port de Larrau and Pierre-Saint-Martin, French–Spanish loop127 km · 3,000 m · Very hard
- The Tourmalet from both sides72 km · 2,700 m · Hard
- Hautacam and Luz Ardiden102 km · 2,550 m · Hard
- Peyresourde and Aspin from Luchon88 km · 2,650 m · Hard
- The Tour's 65-kilometre stage: Luchon–Col de Portet65 km · 3,000 m · Hard
- Port de Balès and Peyresourde from Luchon88 km · 2,300 m · Hard
- The big Comminges loop: Ares, Balès, Menté and Portet d'Aspet133 km · 3,300 m · Very hard
- Col de Port and Mur de Péguère from Foix74 km · 1,750 m · Hard
- Latrape, Saraillé and Col d'Agnes from Aulus76 km · 1,950 m · Hard
- The Pailhères from both sides and Ax 3 Domaines75 km · 2,850 m · Hard
- Coll d'Ordino and Beixalís from Andorra la Vella62 km · 1,700 m · Moderate
- Port de la Bonaigua from Vielha46 km · 1,150 m · Moderate