The Tour's 65-kilometre stage: Luchon–Col de Portet
65 km · 3,000 m · Bagnères-de-Luchon
- Base
- Bagnères-de-Luchon
- Distance
- 65 km
- Elevation gain
- 3,000 m
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Type
- Out and back
- Highest point
- Col de Portet, 2,215 m
- Cols
- Col de Peyresourde (1,569 m), Col de Val Louron-Azet (1,580 m), Col de Portet (2,215 m)
- Season
- June–September
The short but brutal stage 17 of the 2018 Tour de France: only 65 km but about 3000 metres of climbing. First the Peyresourde from Luchon, then the steep Val Louron-Azet (7.4 km at over 8 per cent) and finally the Col de Portet above Saint-Lary, 16 km at almost 9 per cent to 2215 metres. PJAMM ranks the Portet as the second-hardest cycling climb in France, and it offers fully alpine surroundings with lakes and wide views. It's used as a summit finish in the Tour (2018 and 2021).
TipsStock up in Loudenvielle and Saint-Lary; no services on the Portet. The last kilometres are above 2000 metres and can be cold and windy even in July. The route is one-way: arrange a pick-up or roll back via Arreau and the Peyresourde (another 50 km or so and 900 hm). The Portet road often closes early in the autumn. Shorter alternative: Pla d'Adet (1680 m) from Saint-Lary, which shares the start of the Portet road.
Nearby
- Bagnères-de-LuchonSpa and mountain town, often a TdF finish
- Col du PortetThe highest finish in the Pyrenees
- Saint-Lary – Sensoria RioA spa in the ski and cycling resort
- Saint-Lary-SoulanVallée d'Aure, Hautes-Pyrénées
Val LouronVallée du Louron (Génos), Hautes-Pyrénées
Col de PeyresourdeTdF country just west of Luchon- BalnéaThe largest thermal spa in the Pyrenees
LoudenvielleThe lake and outdoor activities of the Vallée du Louron
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
- 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
- The queen stage Pau–Luchon (the Circle of Death in reverse)197 km · 4,800 m · Very hard