26.9
PDI
13.1 mi
DISTANCE
4,445 ft
GAINED
6.4 %
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. Col de Pierre Carée Nord climbs 21.1 km (13.1 mi) at an average grade of 6.4%, gaining 1,355 m (4,445 ft) from Balme to the 1,845 m (6,053 ft) summit.
The climb is front-loaded. The steepest 100 meters averages 9.6%, and the steepest kilometer - in the switchbacks above Balme - averages 8.1%. The opening half-mile comes in at 8.1% and the first mile at 7.8%, before the grade eases through Arâches-la-Frasse and Les Carroz-d'Arâches. The steepest 5 miles overall still average 6.9%, but the final third of the climb, above Les Carroz, settles into a steadier 6-7% grind with long straightaways to the summit.
Roadway: The D106 is paved the entire way from Balme to the summit and is wide and well-maintained - it's built to carry regular traffic up to the Flaine and Les Carroz ski resorts, and riders consistently describe the surface as smooth. There's no record of a current closure on this road; as with any Alpine pass above 1,800 m, expect the upper stretch to be snow-affected outside the late-spring-through-fall riding season.
Traffic: Traffic is heaviest in the lower third, from Balme through Arâches-la-Frasse to Les Carroz-d'Arâches, where the road doubles as the main access route for both villages and carries a steady stream of cars, vans and the occasional truck. Above Les Carroz, traffic thins out noticeably for the long, quieter run to the summit.
Parking: Balme is a small hamlet with no dedicated cyclist parking area - riders typically leave cars along the roadside near the D106 junction with the valley road, or start a few kilometers down in the larger town of Magland, where there's more room to park.
Provisions: Magland and Cluses, both in the Arve valley below the start, have supermarkets, bakeries and cafes for a pre-ride stock-up. Along the route, Arâches-la-Frasse and Les Carroz-d'Arâches (roughly a third of the way up) are the last realistic spots to refill a bottle or grab a coffee - above Les Carroz there's nothing until the shops at Flaine, just over the summit.
Gear: This is a long, exposed climb that tops out near 1,850 m, so pack a wind layer for the summit even on a warm valley day - riders report gusty wind and loose gravel right at the col. Standard road gearing is fine; the grade never spikes into double digits for long, but the steady 6-8% pitches over 21 km reward a compact or triple chainset for riders who aren't used to hour-plus climbs.
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.
Flaine, just over the summit, is worth lingering in - it's a purpose-built 1960s ski resort designed by Bauhaus-trained architect Marcel Breuer, with a pedestrian-only center and a small outdoor collection of Picasso and Dubuffet artwork tucked between the concrete buildings, an unexpected reward after 21 km of climbing.
This corner of Haute-Savoie is stacked with other classic climbs. Col de Romme and Col de la Colombière rise from nearby Cluses and have both featured in the Tour de France, and Col de Joux Plane climbs out of Samoëns a short drive to the south - all worth combining with Pierre Carée for a multi-day base in the Arve valley.
Check conditions at the base before you head out with our Weather tool - the summit sits nearly 1,850 m higher than the valley floor and can be noticeably colder and windier than Magland.
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