All the cycling data and info you'll need to climb Cirque de Troumouse

Cycling Cirque de Troumouse

Ride 27 km gaining 1454m at 5.2%

This climb was introduced to us by Erwan Treguier who also contributed some of the photographs on this page.

The Troumouse climb is in the Pyrenees mountain range of southwest Europe and forms the natural border between France and Spain.  Along with the French Alps, the Pyrenees are annually host to the mountain stages of the Tour de France.  The climb begins in Luz-Saint-Sauveur which is a commune in the French Hautes-Pyrenees department.  The town has a population of 1,098 (1999) and is known by locals as “Luz” and its inhabitants are Luzeans.  The incomparable Napoleon Bridge, completed in 1861 as a compliment to Napoleon Bonaparte who cherished the Pyrenees, is located at the southern edge of Luz-Saint-Sauveur over the Gave de Gavarnie Ou de Pau.

Pont Napoléon Saut à l'élastique

One of the greatest bridges we have encountered while documenting bike climbs throughout the world . . .

The Napoleon Bridge crosses the river Gavarnie.

Cirque de Troumouse is a very scenic bike climb located in the climbing area of Argeles Gazost - Luz Saint Sauveur in the western French Pyrenees south of Lourdes. There have been no tour finishes (the climb ends at a parking lot and trailhead for the Cirque de Troumouse trail ).  The Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne or HPR (trail across the Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean) crosses at the finish of this bike climb.  

We follow the gorge and River Gaarnie for 10 kilometers then split from it in Gèdre.

Thereafter we cross streams Heas, Aguila and Maillet on our way to the top.

As with its neighbor, Col de Tentes, this route is through sheep country . . . but . . .

. . . sheep don’t own the place . . .

Thank you Erwan Treguier

Three other exceptional bicycle climbs begin near that start in  Luz Saint Sauveur are:

Luz Ardiden

Col du Tourmalet

Col de Tentes