19.1
PDI
10.6 mi
DISTANCE
3,215 ft
GAINED
5.7 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
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. This is a climb of rhythm, not ramps. A stiff opening kilometer leads out of L'Hospitalet, then the road settles into a long, steady 4.5-6% for the next 11 km (6.8 mi) up to Pas de la Casa. The steepest kilometer averages 8.6%, the steepest 2 km 7.2%, and the steepest 5 km 6.3%.
The final 4.9 km (3.0 mi) from Pas de la Casa are the hardest sustained section, averaging 6.4% with stretches around 7%, and they come at over 2000 m (6562 ft), where the thin air makes them feel harder than the numbers suggest.
Roadway: Paved the whole way and built for heavy traffic. The RN22 is a wide main road with room at the side, and the CG-2 above Pas de la Casa is a well-kept ski-area road. France and Andorra are part-way through a multi-year upgrade of the RN22 between the RN320 junction and the Pas de la Casa entrance roundabout: the second phase (embankment, drainage and resurfacing) finished in July 2026, with more phases to come. The neighboring RN320 toward the Puymorens tunnel is also closed for avalanche-gallery and bridge work until October 29, 2026, with its traffic diverted onto the RN22. Heavy snow can close the RN22 for short periods in winter.
Traffic: This is the busiest climb in the area. The RN22 is the main road into Andorra from France, carrying trucks, buses and a steady stream of shoppers bound for Pas de la Casa, and it's heaviest on weekends and holidays. Above Pas de la Casa it gets better: since the toll Envalira Tunnel opened in 2002, most through traffic bypasses the summit, leaving the final 4.9 km (3.0 mi) noticeably quieter. Early mornings are the best time to ride.
Parking: The station at L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre has a small free car park with eight spaces, right at the start of the climb. You can also skip the car entirely, since regional trains from Toulouse and the overnight train from Paris stop here. Pas de la Casa, about 12 km (7.5 mi) up, is the obvious meeting point for a support driver.
Gear: A standard compact is fine for the gradient, but this is high-mountain riding. You finish at 2408 m (7900 ft), where it can be cold, windy and wet even in summer, and the descent back to L'Hospitalet is long and fast in traffic. Bring a windproof jacket, and lights or bright clothing are a good idea on the busy RN22.
Provisions: L'Hospitalet is tiny, with about 85 residents, but it has a hotel with a bar and restaurant and a small guesthouse with a shop. Pas de la Casa, about 12 km (7.5 mi) up the climb, has cafes, supermarkets and shops, making it an easy refuel before the final push.
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.
L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre is one of the few big Pyrenean climbs you can reach by train. Its station, at 1429 m (4688 ft), sits on the line from Toulouse to Latour-de-Carol and is served by regional trains year-round and by the Intercités overnight train from Paris-Austerlitz, which makes a car-free trip to Envalira and the Andorran climbs genuinely practical. A shuttle service also runs between L'Hospitalet and Andorra la Vella.
The village has a hard history with the mountain. An avalanche in 1895 killed 12 people, nearly a tenth of the population at the time, and more destructive slides followed in 1906 and 1929. That's why you'll see avalanche protection on the roads around here, including the 300 m (984 ft) anti-avalanche gallery on the RN320 that opened in 2024.
At 2408 m, conditions on top can be very different from the valley - check current conditions before you go with our Weather tool.
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