Col du Grand Colombier

Col du Grand Colombier (el. 1,501 metres or 4,925 feet) is a mountain pass in the Jura mountains in France.

Col du Grand Colombier
Cyclists ascending the pass
Elevation1,501 m (4,925 ft)
Traversed byD120
LocationAin, France
RangeJura
Coordinates45°54′13″N 05°45′43″E
Col du Grand Colombier
Location in France
Col du Grand Colombier
Location in Alps

This pass lies at the southern extremity of the Jura in the massif of the Grand Colombier. With the Col du Chasseral, it is the highest road pass in the Jura. It passes between the Grand Colombier (el. 1,531 m (5,023 ft)) and the Croix du Colombier (1,525 m (5,003 ft)), which is accessible by trail from the pass.

The view from the summit is superb, either down the valley of the Rhône, the Lac du Bourget and the gorges of Val-de-Fier, or the distant peaks of the Alps.

Cycle racing

It is one of the most difficult passes in France, with stretches in excess of 20% on the climb from Artemare via Virieu-le-Petit on the Bugey (western) side.[1] The pass has seen frequent use in cycling, being a regular feature of the Tour de l'Ain and also used in the Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de l'Avenir.

From Culoz (south), the ascent is 18.3 km (11.4 mi) long, gaining 1,255 m (4,117 ft) in elevation at an average gradient of 6.9%,[2] but with some sections at 12%.[3] This climb is the direction used on Stage 5 of the 2012 Critérium du Dauphiné[4] and Stage 10 of the 2012 Tour de France.[3]

The Col can also be reached from Anglefort (east), from where it is 15.2 km (9.4 mi) in length, climbing 1,205 m (3,953 ft) at an average grade of 7.9%.[5]

Tour de France

It was visited by the Tour de France for the first time on Stage 10 of the 2012 Tour[6] as a Hors Catégorie climb. The leader over the summit was Thomas Voeckler, who went on to take the stage victory in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine.[7] Stage 15 of the 2020 Tour finished atop the pass.[8]

References
  1. "Col du Grand Colombier: Artemare". www.climbbybike.com. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  2. "Col du Grand Colombier: Culoz". www.climbbybike.com. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  3. "Mountain passes & Hills: Stage 10". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  4. Atkins, Ben (8 June 2012). "Arthur Vichot takes his biggest ever victory in breakaway stage five". VeloNation. VeloNation LLC. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  5. "Col du Grand Colombier: Anglefort". www.climbbybike.com. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  6. "STAGE 10: Mâcon – Bellegarde-sur-Valserine". Stage by stage. Tour de France 2012. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  7. Cossins, Peter (11 July 2012). "Voeckler wins from breakaway in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  8. Farrand, Stephen (15 October 2019). "Tour de France 2020 route revealed". Cycling News. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
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