Famous climbs · France

Col du Galibier (Valloire): ride it free on your smart trainer

18.0 km from 1409 m to 2636 m. See where it gets steep, work out how long it will take you at your watts, then ride it in WattLog with your trainer following the gradient.

Length18.0km
Elevation gain1228m
Average grade6.8%
Max grade (200 m)10.8%

About the climb

The Galibier from Valloire is a high-mountain climb in the Savoie, in the French Alps. It starts at 1409 m, already well above the valley, and ends at 2636 m, the highest finish of the French climbs here: 18.0 km and 1228 m of climbing at 6.8% on average.

The average hides a flat section. After a first 2.5 km at 4 to 8%, the road runs almost level, at 2 to 3%, for about 2 km. From 4.5 km it climbs steadily at 6 to 8%, eases to 4% for a kilometre around 9 km, and then settles into the long final part: from 10 km until the last 500 m the gradient stays between 7 and 10%, with the steepest 500 m at 10%. The steepest 200 m on our track is 10.8%, so there are no brutal ramps, only length and altitude.

Pacing tip: at 3.0 W/kg a 75 kg rider needs 1 h 26 min. Use the flat stretch to settle, then ride the last 8 km as one steady block at your target power.

Elevation profile

Elevation profile of Col du Galibier (Valloire): 1409 m to 2636 m over 18.0 km 1250 m 1500 m 1750 m 2000 m 2250 m 2500 m 2750 m 0.0–0.5 km: 3.8% 0.5–1.0 km: 5.5% 1.0–1.5 km: 7.8% 1.5–2.0 km: 8.4% 2.0–2.5 km: 3.9% 2.5–3.0 km: 2.0% 3.0–3.5 km: 3.1% 3.5–4.0 km: 1.7% 4.0–4.5 km: 3.2% 4.5–5.0 km: 5.6% 5.0–5.5 km: 6.6% 5.5–6.0 km: 7.7% 6.0–6.5 km: 7.4% 6.5–7.0 km: 7.7% 7.0–7.5 km: 6.1% 7.5–8.0 km: 8.4% 8.0–8.5 km: 8.2% 8.5–9.0 km: 8.2% 9.0–9.5 km: 4.0% 9.5–10.0 km: 4.3% 10.0–10.5 km: 7.0% 10.5–11.0 km: 9.1% 11.0–11.5 km: 7.2% 11.5–12.0 km: 9.4% 12.0–12.5 km: 7.9% 12.5–13.0 km: 9.7% 13.0–13.5 km: 9.4% 13.5–14.0 km: 7.1% 14.0–14.5 km: 7.5% 14.5–15.0 km: 7.7% 15.0–15.5 km: 7.7% 15.5–16.0 km: 7.1% 16.0–16.5 km: 7.8% 16.5–17.0 km: 9.0% 17.0–17.5 km: 9.7% 17.5–18.0 km: 7.9% 18.0–18.0 km: 4.8% 0 km 2 km 4 km 6 km 8 km 10 km 12 km 14 km 16 km 18 km
  • under 4%
  • 4–7%
  • 7–10%
  • 10% and over

Each 500 m of the profile is coloured by its average gradient.

Route

Route of Col du Galibier (Valloire), north up, from the start (green) to the finish (red) Start Finish

Start   Finish   North is up

How long will it take you?

Enter the power you can hold for the whole climb and what you and your bike weigh. The estimate rides the profile 100 m at a time at steady power, with no wind and a road bike position.

Your numbers
Time —
Average speed — km/h
Power to weight — W/kg
Time at 2.5 / 3.0 / 3.5 / 4.0 W/kg for a 75 kg rider and 8 kg bike
2.5 W/kg188 W1 h 42 min10.6 km/h
3.0 W/kg225 W1 h 26 min12.6 km/h
3.5 W/kg262 W1 h 15 min14.5 km/h
4.0 W/kg300 W1 h 06 min16.3 km/h

Real climbs take longer when you start too hard, stop, or ride into a headwind. Treat the number as the pace to aim for, not a promise.

Ride Col du Galibier (Valloire) on your trainer In WattLog this climb is a route you can ride for free: your smart trainer's resistance follows the gradient, and the climb panel shows how much is left to the top.

Ride it free in WattLog

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Route © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Elevation: Copernicus DEM GLO-30 © DLR e.V. 2010-2014 and © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH 2014-2018 provided under COPERNICUS by the European Union and ESA