Col du Tourmalet (Luiz-Saint-Sauveur) – Stronger Together | Art Print

Col du Tourmalet is the most featured climb in the Tour de France history. A giant and the most famous road/climb in the French Pyrenees.

If you didn’t know the first Tour de France was held in 1903 – with the aim of selling more newspapers… It was set up and sponsored by French sports paper L’Auto, which hoped a tough new endurance race around the country would capture the public’s attention and boost its declining sales figures. For 7 years le tour did not rise above 2000m and only in 2010 did it so, and the first time it did was on Col du Tourmalet. The pass is at 2,115m (6,913ft). Before the Tour de France came to the Tourmalet, it was just a simple pass through rock. The race made the mountain, and what it is today.

Interestingly the Tour de France rarely finishes at the summit, and to a degree is climbed more as a link road. Connecting Luiz-Saint-Sauveur with Saint-Marie-de-Campan or climbs such as Luz Ardiden, Hautacam to Col de Portet and Peyresoude. From Luiz-Saint-Sauveur (pretty town not far from Luz Ardiden climb) it’s 17km of joy. The first 10km is a warm-up riding up through the village of Barèges until you get to a ski base station. From here the first dramatic hairpin raises you swiftly into the valley ahead. Here you’re surrounded by pastures, flowers and fauna and the bells of cows ringing. The most famous section of Col du Tourmalet is Super Bareges. A very beautiful loop in the road, slingshotting you up towards the summit, the gradient increasing the surroundings changing to harsh but beautiful rock formations. Visual theatre and with every bend a new view until you head around the final left turn to the Col itself.

One of the most famous and dramatic mountains in Europe. One which must be done.

Stats: 1442m of ascent in 218.8km. Average gradient of 7.4%. Elevation: 2,115m (6,913ft)

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About the Photographer – Daniel Hughes

Epic Cols is a passion project for rider and photographer Daniel Hughes. Hughes is a Sony Photographic ambassador who works with some of the largest and most renowned outdoor brands in the world. His work can be seen in galleries, magazines, online publications and on his clients’ channels.