29.9
PDI
9.4 mi
DISTANCE
4,069 ft
GAINED
8.2 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Col du Sabot (via Le Verney) is a 9.4 mile climb in the Oisans region of the French Alps (Isère, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) that gains 4,069 feet at an 8.2% average grade, finishing just shy of 6,800 feet at a dead-end mountain col widely cited as the highest paved road in the Isère department. It has never been used in the Tour de France, though it sits deep in Tour de France territory - the Croix de Fer, Glandon, and Alpe d'Huez climbs are all a short drive away.
The route starts at the Barrage du Verney (the Lac du Verney dam) north of Allemond, follows the D43 along the lakeshore into the ski village of Vaujany, then continues past Le Collet ski station for a final, quieter push to the col. Above Vaujany the road narrows to a single lane with sharp hairpins where the grade briefly eases, alternating with straighter stretches that pitch well past 10%. One PJAMM member who's ridden it rates it among the toughest climbs in the French Alps, comparable in sustained difficulty to Col du Granon.
Col du Sabot is a true dead-end - there's no road over the other side - so the reward for the effort is the view from the top: down to Lac du Grand Maison and across to the road climbing toward Col de la Croix de Fer.
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. The average grade is 8.2% over 9.4 miles, gaining 4,069 feet to a summit just shy of 6,800 feet. The steepest quarter mile comes in at 10.4% and the steepest continuous mile averages 9.7%; roughly a mile of the route sits at 10% grade or steeper, concentrated in the narrow, hairpin-laced stretch above Vaujany. There's very little flat ground anywhere on the climb to recover on.
Roadway: The road is paved the entire way from the Barrage du Verney to the summit, though it narrows to a single lane above Vaujany, with a mix of sharp hairpins (where the grade briefly eases) and steeper straight stretches that push past 12%.
Traffic: Traffic is light near the bottom around the dam and through Vaujany, and drops off considerably above Le Collet ski station - PJAMM member reports describe minimal traffic in the upper section, where the road is narrow enough that meeting an oncoming car requires care regardless.
Parking: Start at the Barrage du Verney (Lac du Verney dam), on the D43 just off its junction with the D526 north of Allemond - there's parking near the dam itself, or continue into Vaujany for additional lots if the roadside near the dam is full.
Provisions: Vaujany, about a third of the way up, is the last real village with cafes and shops - there's nothing beyond Le Collet ski station, so fuel up before the final push to the col.
Gear: A standard road bike is fine for the entire climb - the surface stays paved throughout - but the narrow, occasionally rough upper section rewards a bit of extra tire width and lower gearing given the sustained 8-13% pitches with nowhere to recover.
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.
Col du Sabot is a dead-end col deep in the Oisans, so plan on descending the same road you climbed - the payoff at the top is a view down to Lac du Grand Maison and across to the road climbing toward Col de la Croix de Fer. It sits in one of the densest concentrations of hard climbs in the French Alps: Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Glandon, and Alpe d'Huez are all close by, and our Routes in the Area tool can help you see what else is reachable from this same start point if you're planning a multi-climb day out of the Oisans valley. Vaujany, the ski village about a third of the way up, is a reasonable base with services if you'd rather not stay down in Allemond or Le Bourg-d'Oisans.
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carlinguernsey
In my opinion, this is one of the hardest climbs in the French Alps - longer and gradient nearly as challenging as the Col du Granon. It is a lesser known and more remote climb in the Oisans area. After Vaujany, the road narrows and gets much more rugged. Fortunately, there is not much traffic in the upper part. If you walk past the end of the parking area at the top, you get a great view of the Lac du Grand Maison and the road up to the Col de la Croix de Fer.
