Col du Tourmalet from Sainte Marie de Campan
The eastern side of the Tourmalet is a Pyrenean classic in its own right. From Sainte Marie de Campan, it climbs for 17.2 kilometres and carries the same weight of history as the better known name on the summit sign.
- Length
- 17.2 km
- Elevation Gain
- 1,268 m
- Average Gradient
- 7.4%
- Difficulty
- Hors Catégorie
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The east side of the Col du Tourmalet is slightly shorter than the west side from Luz Saint Sauveur, but it is not meaningfully easier. At 17.2 kilometres, 1,268 metres of elevation gain and an average gradient of 7.4 percent, it remains a major mountain climb.
This page should sit alongside the west side rather than replacing it. That is useful for riders, because the Tourmalet changes character depending on the direction. From Sainte Marie de Campan, the climb gives a long, steady Pyrenean effort with enough steepness to demand serious pacing from the beginning.
How to Ride It
- Start steadily from Sainte Marie de Campan. The numbers are too big for an optimistic opening.
- Keep your rhythm in the middle kilometres. This is where the climb can feel controlled, but the work is still adding up.
- Save energy for the upper slopes. The maximum gradient reaches 12 percent, and fatigue makes that feel sharper.
Where to Stay
Sainte Marie de Campan works if this side is your focus. Bagnères de Bigorre is also useful for a wider Pyrenean trip with more services.
Practical Tips
- Toulouse is a practical major airport for this part of the Pyrenees.
- Check summit weather before riding. The Tourmalet can feel very different at the top than in the valley.
- Decide in advance whether you are descending the same side or making a larger loop.
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