18.4
PDI
17.8 mi
DISTANCE
4,202 ft
GAINED
3.7 %
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. The first 4 km (2.5 mi) out of Oriol-en-Royans are a mixed warm-up, alternating between 2.2% and 6.3%, before an almost flat kilometer through Bouvante. From there the climb settles in: kilometers 6 to 15 run between 4.5% and 7.2% as the road climbs the Col de la Croix and the switchbacks toward the Col du Pionnier, and kilometers 17 to 19 add another 5.0-6.5% on the D199.
The route then rolls across the plateau to a high point of about 1,286 m (4,219 ft) around km 21 before dropping roughly 140 m (459 ft) over the next 4 km (2.5 mi). The final 2.5 km (1.6 mi) climb at close to 7%, with the steepest kilometer of the finale at 7.8%.
The steepest 500 m (0.3 mi) averages 10.4%, the steepest 1 km (0.6 mi) 9.0%, the steepest 2 km (1.2 mi) 8.0%, the steepest 5 km (3.1 mi) 6.5% and the steepest 10 km (6.2 mi) 6.1%. This is a long, steady effort rather than a steep one - pace it like a high-mountain pass.
Roadway: Paved throughout. Above Bouvante, the road toward the Col du Pionnier is narrow, with a long series of switchbacks, little protection from the drops in places and two unlit tunnels before it joins the D199 - front and rear lights are essential. The D199 over the col is a seasonal road: it closes for winter, partly because the section east of the col is exposed to rockfall and avalanches, and in 2026 it reopened on 30 April. In spring 2024 an 800 m (0.5 mi) stretch between the col and the Belvédère des Lames was rebuilt after subsidence and closed to cyclists until late June, so check the Drôme road-info service (inforoutes.ladrome.fr) before an early- or late-season ride.
Traffic: These are minor mountain roads rather than through routes, and traffic is generally light. The things to watch for are oncoming vehicles in the tunnels, including the one at the col, and on the blind switchbacks below the Col du Pionnier.
Parking: Saint-Jean-en-Royans and Oriol-en-Royans are the natural bases at the start. If you want to skip the valley warm-up, Bouvante-le-Bas has a village car park. Near the top, there is parking just below the tunnel on the Léoncel side and at Gardiol on the Col du Pionnier side.
Provisions: Stock up in Saint-Jean-en-Royans, which has grocery shopping, before you start. Services above the valley are scarce, so carry food and two full bottles for a long climb with few places to stop.
Gear: The gradients rarely go beyond 8%, so a compact crankset with a 28-tooth cog is enough for most riders. Lights matter more than gears here, for the unlit tunnels on the Col du Pionnier road and at the col. The finish is above 1,300 m (4,265 ft) and exposed to the wind, so pack a windproof layer for the long descent.
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.
Bouvante is a small "village de caractère" in the Vercors Regional Natural Park, split between Bouvante-le-Bas, which this climb passes through, and Bouvante-le-Haut, at the foot of the Roc de Toulau, with its square, fountain, old wash-house and hilltop church. Nearby, the 18-hectare Lac de Bouvante was created in the 19th century to supply a sawmill and is a popular place to walk.
Above the village, the Forêt de Lente is more than 3,000 hectares of beech and fir that sheltered Resistance fighters during the Second World War and is home to chamois, mouflon and deer. The col's name has several stories behind it - medieval feuds between monasteries and religious conflict among them - but the explanation the Vercors tourist office favors is the clash of opposing winds over the pass.
Bring binoculars in autumn: the col is a migration watch point, where BirdLife France (LPO) runs autumn migration counts, swallows and martins stream over from September to November, and griffon vultures, golden eagles and wallcreepers are seen here. See other climbs nearby, including the Combe Laval road and the Léoncel side of the col, with our Routes in the Area tool.
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