19.5
PDI
20.8 mi
DISTANCE
4,182 ft
GAINED
3.8 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
Page Contributor(s): Ard Oostra, Montreux, Switzerland.
INTRO
Col du Galibier from Briançon is the long way up a Tour de France legend: 33.4 km (20.8 mi) from the edge of Briançon, up the Guisane valley and over the Col du Lautaret, to the Galibier at 2,642 m (8,668 ft), gaining 1,275 m (4,182 ft) at a 3.8% average. Our route runs from 1,369 m (4,491 ft) to 2,626 m (8,614 ft).
It is really two climbs in one. The first 24.7 km (15.3 mi) to the Col du Lautaret (2,058 m / 6,752 ft) average just 2.8%, a long, busy valley road that tests patience more than legs. Then the final 8.7 km (5.4 mi) average 6.5%, through open alpine terrain below the Meije and the Écrins, with a short kick of about 10% near the top. The tunnel just below the summit is closed to bicycles, so cyclists take the old road over the top.
The Tour de France first crossed the Galibier in 1911, and it remains one of the race's defining climbs. In 2022 it was climbed twice, from Valloire in Stage 11 and from Briançon in Stage 12. It returned in 2024 on Stage 4 from Pinerolo to Valloire, and again on Stage 20 of the 2026 Tour, on 25 July from Le Bourg-d'Oisans to Alpe d'Huez.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. Col du Galibier from Briançon gains 1,275 m (4,182 ft) in 33.4 km (20.8 mi) for a 3.8% average, rising from 1,369 m (4,491 ft) to 2,626 m (8,614 ft).
The valley section is long and gentle: the first 11 km (6.8 mi) average about 1.1%, with a couple of flat kilometers, then the road steepens to 2.4% to 3.0% through kilometer 15. Past kilometer 15 (mile 9.3) the valley road holds a steady 3.9% to 5.0% all the way to the Col du Lautaret at km 24.7 (mile 15.3), where the first 24.7 km average 2.8%.
From the Lautaret the climb to the Galibier is 8.7 km (5.4 mi) at 6.5%, with most kilometers between 5.5% and 7.2% and a final kick near the top - the steepest half-kilometer averages 10.0%. Across the whole route the steepest kilometer averages 9.0%, the steepest 5 km (3.1 mi) 6.7% and the steepest 10 km (6.2 mi) 6.3%.
Roadway: The route follows the D1091 from Briançon through the Serre Chevalier valley to the Col du Lautaret, then the D902 to the Galibier. Riders consistently rate the surface as great. There is a 400 m avalanche tunnel (open on one side) between Briançon and the Lautaret with no real bike lane, and the 370 m Galibier tunnel just below the summit is closed to bicycles, so cyclists take the old road over the top. The pass closes at the first snow, typically between mid and late October, and reopens between mid and late May, so check road status before an early- or late-season ride.
Traffic: The valley road from Briançon to the Lautaret is the main drawback: a busy main road with few bike lanes. Above the Lautaret it quiets down, though July and August bring motorcycles, campervans and plenty of cyclists. Each summer a few mornings are reserved for cyclists from 9:00 to noon; in 2026 these were 29 June (south side only), 16 July and 4 August, and dates are set each year.
Parking: Briançon's central pay car parks, such as Champ de Mars, are the usual choice; check posted rules and hours. The climb starts on the D1091 about 2.3 km (1.4 mi) northwest of the old town, so allow a short roll. Riders who would rather skip the busy valley road can start from Le Monêtier-les-Bains or a Serre Chevalier village such as Saint-Chaffrey, where our Col du Granon page notes a lot at the foot of that climb.
Gear: A compact crankset is plenty for the gradients, but this is a long day at altitude: the summit is at 2,642 m (8,668 ft) and the descent is cold even in July, so pack a wind jacket, gloves and arm warmers. Bring lights for the avalanche tunnel on the valley road.
Provisions: Fill up in Briançon or the Serre Chevalier villages, whose bakeries and cafés line the valley road. Services on the upper road are limited: the Chalet du Galibier stands beside the Henri Desgrange memorial, but hours vary, so bring enough water for the final 8.7 km (5.4 mi).
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
Our Col d'Izoard and Col du Granon pages cover Briançon itself, its Vauban fortifications and the Serre Chevalier bases, so here the focus is the road between the town and the pass. The Col du Lautaret (2,058 m / 6,752 ft) marks the place to regroup. The Jardin du Lautaret, founded in 1899 and run as a research station by the CNRS and Université Grenoble Alpes, sits at 2,100 m (6,890 ft) with about 2,000 mountain plant species and a view of the Meije glacier; in 2026 it was open daily from 6 June to 6 September, 10:00 to 18:00.
Higher up, the memorial to Henri Desgrange, creator of the Tour de France, stands at the south portal of the Galibier tunnel; it was inaugurated on 19 July 1949, and a wreath is laid there whenever the Tour crosses the pass. The Souvenir Henri Desgrange goes to the first rider over the highest summit of each Tour. The Galibier is also a stage of the Route des Grandes Alpes, and the Défi du Galibier hill-climb race has run every August since 2013.
With a summit above 2,600 m, check current conditions before you go with our Weather tool.
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