From Arreau to Payolle
This road is one of the most mythical in the Hautes-Pyrénées. It has featured 73 times in the Tour de France, which last passed in July 2016. This tree lined climb, these switchbacks will take you through bucolic meadows and a magnificent verdant landscape right to the summit.
If you continue, you will descend in to the ski resort of Payolle, located at 1140 m, where you will discover its beautiful lake surrounded by fir trees, also known as "Little Canada".
The route
From Saint-Lary ride to Arreau (12 km). The route starts off to the north of Arreau at a height of 712 m. The climb offers beautiful vistas of the Aure valley.
After the summit, the road quickly descends to Payolle Lake in a little more than 5 km. If you are feeling brave, you can continue towards Campan and climb up to the Col du Tourmalet.
The profile
The ascent of the pass (12 km) starts at an altitude of 700 m (Arreau) with an average gradient of 6.5% finishing at 1,489 m meaning a height gain of 789m. The climb will take about 1 hour.
