From Laruns (1,673 ft / 510 m) to the Col d’Aubisque (5,607 ft / 1,709 m) it is 10.6 miles (17.1 km) at an average of 7% with 3,944 ft (1,202 m) of climbing. This is the west side, the hardest one and the one the Tour de France uses most when it comes up from the Ossau valley.
What the climb is like
- Laruns to Eaux-Bonnes (about 3.1 miles / 5 km). Comfortable grades of 3 to 6%, up to the spa town of Eaux-Bonnes. This is where you warm up.
- Eaux-Bonnes to Gourette (about 4.3-5 miles / 7-8 km). The road suddenly steepens, with kilometers at 7 to 9% and the odd 10-11% pitch through the forest, before reaching the Gourette ski resort (about 4,600 ft / 1,400 m).
- Gourette to the top (about 2.8 miles / 4.5 km). After some 300 m (1,000 ft) of flat in the resort, a bend takes you toward the Hôtel des Crêtes Blanches and the grade goes back to 8-9% across open ground, with views of the Pic de Ger, up to the pass.
A note on the numbers
CyclingCols gives 10.6 miles (17.1 km) and 3,953 ft (1,205 m); Climbfinder 17.1 km and 3,944 ft (1,202 m), both at 7%. Wikipedia and cols-cyclisme measure 10.3 miles (16.6 km) and 3,904 ft (1,190 m) at 7.2%. The maximum grade is around 13%.
History
The Aubisque first appeared in the Tour de France in 1910, the year the race entered the Pyrenees; François Lafourcade crossed it first. In 1951 the Dutch rider Wim van Est, in the yellow jersey, fell into a ravine on the descent toward the Soulor and survived. More recently, Thomas Voeckler (2012), Rafał Majka (2018) and Giulio Ciccone (2022) have crested it first, and the Vuelta a España climbed it in 2016 and 2023.
When to go, water and traffic
Up to Gourette the road is open all year, because it serves the resort; the upper section toward the Soulor closes in winter. There is water and there are cafés in Laruns, Eaux-Bonnes and Gourette, and at the top there is usually a café in summer. You will meet loose cows and sheep on the upper part. If you carry on toward the Soulor, the road around the Cirque du Litor is narrow and has no guardrails.
What gearing to use
Most riders get up on a 34x28 or 34x30. At 3 W/kg (watts per kilogram of body weight) and 159 lb (72 kg), you ride about 6.8 mph (11 km/h) on 8% (about 77 rpm on a 34x30) and 5.6 mph (9 km/h) on 10%. Do your math in the gear calculator. On the other side of the Soulor and Argelès is the Tourmalet from Luz-Saint-Sauveur.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to climb the Aubisque from Laruns?
A 159 lb (72 kg) rider on a 21 lb (9.5 kg) bike takes about 1 hr 23 min at 3 W/kg (216 W), 1 hr 39 min at 2.5 W/kg and 1 hr 04 min at 4 W/kg. Work out your own time with your weight and power in the calculator on this page.
Where is the hardest part of the Aubisque?
Between Eaux-Bonnes and the top: about 7.5 miles (12 km) almost always between 7 and 9%, with 10-13% pitches before and after Gourette.
When is the Col d'Aubisque open?
Up to Gourette, all year. The upper section, between Gourette and the Soulor, usually closes from December to June because of snow.