Col du Tourmalet (Luz St Sauveur) - Cycling Inspiration & Education
Without question the Col du Tourmalet is one of the all time greats of cycling, first featuring in the 1910 Tour de France and with over 80 appearances since make it amongst the very oldest, and the most frequently used, climb in the history of the race. As the highest road pass in the French Pyrénées the Tourmalet is a special place, almost sacred to cyclists throughout the world.
From the west the climb starts in the pretty mountain village of Luz St Sauveur, where you face 19 kilometres on your journey up to the summit at 2,115m. As with any climb of this length the early part feels as much of a mental game as it is physical. The kilometres tick down slowly the road remains wide with little to take your mind away from the 8% gradient. Settle down and find your pace, you’ll need to keep some in reserve for the second half of the climb. On entering Barèges the road kicks again, reminding you once more that the Tourmalet means business but it’s at mid distance when choices have to be made. Remain on the D918 and a beautiful set of switchbacks await, however if you’re feeling a little more adventurous then it’s time to head right and onto the Voie Laurent Fignon, the old Tourmalet road that is now only open to cyclists. With faded road markings from the Tour de France this road has a certain energy that can still be felt from the race and, in my opinion, it’s the only road to take on the way up gifting you magnificent views of the main road below and the distant valley.
As you join the main road once again you now have just 4 kilometres to go as the Pic du Midi de Bigorre observatory comes into view, standing proud at 2,877m. It’s now that you can get a really good look at the summit as the road snakes back and forth ahead. Take a moment to catch your breath and enjoy the sensational views as the gradient momentarily eases with 2 kilometres to go. Be warned, you don’t have long before it pitches up again and you’re into double figures all the way to the summit where the iconic Octave Lapize statue awaits your victory salute!
Start: Luz St Sauveur
Length: 19km
Summit: 2,115m
Elevation gain: 1,404m
Average gradient: 7.4%
Max gradient: 13%
Ridden in early October
I very much hope you enjoy our video from the legendary Col du Tourmalet and the stunning French Pyrénées. If the thought of these peaks is just too much, then why not join us for one of our cycling tours on these very roads. For more details visit
Thank you to our partners Mavic, Cannondale, Exposure Lights, Lezyne, MyPower by InfoCrank, Muc Off, The Sufferfest, TORQ and USE for enabling us to bring these truly special mountains to life for you all. If you're in need of new bike kit in the future and you enjoyed this video then bear them in mind and help keep the wheels turning :-)
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Peace.
Mike Cotty
The Col Collective
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Tourmalet por Luz Saint Sauveur - Últimos 5 km - Sep-2015
Subida al Tourmalet por Luz Saint Sauveur - Últimos 5 km - Sep-2015
Col du Tourmalet par Luz St Sauveur le 21 08 2016
Montée du col du Tourmalet par Luz saint Sauveur avec un VAE en 48' 57 soit une moyenne de 23,40 Km/h.
Descent of Col du Tourmalet to Luz Saint Sauveur 13th July 2015
Day 2 of a Marmot Tours Tour de France holiday. After a slow ascent from Sainte Marie de Campan, we made up for lost time on the way down...
ps. ignore the date stamp
pps. Kudos to the couple who cycled up with their kids on tandems!
Col du Tourmalet | Luz-Saint-Sauveur
Reach the tourmalet was one of the things I feel most proud of. I left the car at the top of the mountain and I first descend almost 30 km, then I ascend the Tourmalet, in the video is at the contrary in order to make it more beautiful. I hope you enjoy the video as much as I enjoyed doing it and I encourage you all to go there.
-Recorded with Denver ACT-5030W(video camara deportiva)
-Bike: Specialized stumpjumper comp 29
-Song: Woodkid Run Boy Run
Luz St Sauveur Tourmalet Luz Ardiden 2018
Marmotte Pyrenees 2017 - Tourmalet to Luz St Saveur
The descent from Col du Tourmalet (2115m) to Luz St Saveur (740m) during the Marmotte Pyrenees on Sunday 27th August 2017.
Tourmalet
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Tourmalet · Vienna
Tourmalet
℗ 2019 Magnitud Creativa 21, S.L.
Released on: 2019-11-06
Producer: Tono Hurtado
Producer: Arturo P. Deltell
Producer: Pepe Bernabé (Chico Malo)
Auto-generated by YouTube.
2019.01.04 17:15:07 - Rouvy: [HC] Tourmalet Luz-Saint Sauveur [Wahoo Challenge Climbing 5630/13000]
2019.01.04 17:15:07 - Rouvy: [HC] Tourmalet from Luz-Saint Sauveur [Wahoo Challenge Climbing 5 630 /13 000]
TDF Tourmalet
Our ride from Luchon to see the 2019 TDF summit finish on the Tourmalet. Via the Peyresourde, d’Aspin and the Tourmalet from St Campan.
Luz-Saint-Sauveur - Col du Tourmalet
Subida al Tourmalet 2016
TOURMALET POR LUZ-SAINT-SAUVEUR Y LUZ ARDIDEN EN BICI
El 24 de junio después de una increíble jornada anterior subiendo Aspin y Tourmalet ( ascendí el Tourmalet por la cara de Luz y el mítico Luz Ardiden.
2014 Col du Tourmalet Bajada a Luz Saint Sauveur
Ascension du Tourmalet depuis Luz Saint Sauveur
18.5 km - 1400m de D+ - 1h35min
Col de Tourmalet desde Luz Saint Sauveur Agosto 2016
Tourmalet por Luz Saint Sauveur
El puerto de los puertos. 19 kms 1.400 m de desnivel superados. Coronando antes de las 9.00 am. Nadie en la cima, en el trazado, sólo el puerto y yo. Ni punto de comparación a cómo estaba 2 horas después.
Col du Tourmalet par Luz-Saint-Sauveur
Col du Tourmalet (Campan) - Cycling Inspiration & Education
The Col du Tourmalet has a long and illustrious history with the Tour de France, first used in 1910 it immediately stamped its authority on the race with Frenchman Octave Lapize venting his displeasure and yelling 'Vous êtes des assassins! Oui, des assassins!' ('You are murderers! Yes, murderers!') to officials as he battled his way up little more than a goat track on his single-speed bike. Three years later and Eugène Christophe famously re-welded his fork in a forge at the bottom of the climb in Sainte Marie de Campan only to be given a time penalty for having outside assistance when he needed a second pair of hands to operate the bellows, now if that’s not a little harsh I don’t know what is?
To say that the Tourmalet is a regular in the race is an understatement having been featured over 80 times, and more than any other mountain, in the Tour’s history. From professional racers to amateur riders the Tourmalet is a book of stories a thousand pages long or more. The beauty of this mountain is knowing just how many tales it holds from old to new as you trace your way towards the 2,115 metre summit, making it the highest road pass in the Pyrénées. I’ve ridden the Tourmalet in the rain, shine and even under moonlight and every time I can feel a certain energy that’s unlike anything else. Maybe it’s the legends of the road in spirit riding with you? Maybe it’s my over active imagination dreaming of racing in the Tour? Or maybe it’s just the experience of the Tourmalet itself, something we all should have at least once in our lives.
I hope this video helps you conquer the Tourmalet and add your own history to this truly memorable mountain.
Start: Sainte Marie de Campan
Length: 16.9km
Summit: 2,115m
Elevation gain: 1,275m
Average gradient: 7.4%
Max gradient: 13%
For more help and advice visit our website at become part of our col community and sign up for our free newsletter for monthly updates.
If you’re able to help spread our message by sharing with your friends and fellow riders then that would be truly appreciated. Our goal is to try and get more people on their bikes and enjoying the magic of the mountains.
Never miss a video, subscribe to our YouTube channel or get in touch on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. We’d love to hear from you.
Stay well, ride safe and thank you for watching.
Mike Cotty
The Col Collective
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Tourmalet Descent to Luz
Description
Marmotte Granfondo Pyréneés 2019 - Luz Saint Sauveur - Tourmalet
Luz Saint Sauveur - Tourmalet