The more challenging but slightly less scenic side of this well known Col.

Col de Madeleine south (La Chambre)

Ride 18.8 kilometers gaining 1477 meters at 7.9% average grade.

A tale of two routes -- the southern approach of Col de Madeleine is very strenuous and a Top 100 World Climb, while the northern route is less difficult but extraordinarily beautiful. Although each is a little more of one than the other, both climbs are considered challenging and beautiful.  If you find yourself in the French Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes Region, and certainly in the Savoie Department of eastern France, this is simply a must-do set of climbs.  

Col de Madeleine is one of the many exceptional HC climbs in the Saint Jean-de-Maurienne cycling climbing area (in our opinion one of the greatest climbing areas in the world -- Col du Galibier, Col du Télégraphe, Col de L’Iseran, Col D’Izoard Col de Glandon, Alpe d’Huez).  Add that it has been featured in the Tour de France 27 times from 1969 (admittedly late on the scene) to 2023, you have a true bucket list extraordinary climb!  

Climb begins in La Chambre.

The col de Madeleine climb has been described as “beautiful, but heartbreaking,” both because of its breathtaking scenery and its difficulty.  The climb is a good representation of what bike climbing in France looks like - gorgeous scenery, pastureland, old farm buildings, and more, all against the backdrop of stunning mountain ranges..

Sites along the first third of the climb.

It is commonly, yet  incorrectly, reported that the Col de Madeleine passes over the Vanoise “Alps,” but the col is actually located within the Vanoise massif which is a mountain range in the Graian Alps located in the Western Alps. Along with Col de L’Iseran (the highest paved pass in the Alps) 35 straight line miles to the east, Col de Madeleine is the only pass across the Vanoise massif. One of the more difficult mountain climbs to appear in the Tour de France, it is also one of the newest.  The road was not paved until 1969, but its 27 inclusions in the Tour (as of 2023) by definition make it one of the more famous mountain passes in France and the world.

There are kilometer markers at each kilometer most of the climb - some were missing in 2017.

The history of Col de Madeleine dates back to the 12th century Tamié Abbey, founded in 1132.  The col was also instrumental during the conquest of Savoie by French troops in 1792.

Saint-Francois-Longchamp ski area at km 11.

Above tree line at km 15 for final 4 km.

TOP - THE COL

Two cafes at the top.

You’ll know when you're at the top . . .  

Mont Blanc and the Lauzière massif are visible looking to the north from the summit.

Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Europe (15,771’ / 4,807 meters)

TOUR DE FRANCE HISTORY

PJAMM CYCLING’S TOP 10 MOST FREQUENT CLIMBS OF THE TOUR DE FRANCE -

AND 10 FAMOUS ONES AFTER THAT

As of 2022 Col de la Madeleine  has been featured 29 times in the TdF

©  PJAMMCycing.com

David Millar faced his demons on Col du Madeleine Stage 9, 2010.

Suffering the effects of a broken rib from an earlier crash, David Millar finished Stage 9 dead last (by a good margin -- the last group in front of him finished 4:55 back).  But the triumph of his story is not about his unfortunate time, but that in spite of all odds and adversity this proud and brave professional willed his way up the northern approach of the the col with the sole intention of avoiding elimination.  Nine years earlier in the 2001 tour, Millar had abandoned the tour on the Col du Madeleine.  It was due to that humiliation that he soon began EPO as the only option he saw to competing with the top tour riders of the time. Nine years later after admitting his offense and serving a two year ban from the sport, David Millar was competing in the tour again, not just as a professional cyclist on Team Garmin, but as an an ambassador for clean and drug free sports.  An honorable man and true professional.

Millar reached the base of his nemesis 35 minutes behind the leaders and in grave danger of being eliminated from the race.  However, instead of giving up, Millar dug deep, got in a rhythm and took on the hill in five kilometer increments.  Along the way, many fans lined the roadway, in spite of the true race having passed a half hour earlier.  The fans were not there out of pity, but rather, respect for David Millar, urging him up the mountain and on to the finish in Saint-Jean-de-Maurriene. David Millar was 181st and last in Stage 9, but he went on to complete the 2010 TdF, finishing 157th of 169 finishers.  He exorcised his demon on that day on Col du Madeleine and went on to complete the next three Tour de France races, finishing as high as 76th in 2011 and winning stage 12 of the 2012 Tour.

The King of the Mountains is a secondary competition of the Tour de France.  First included in the Tour in 1933, it has been symbolized by red and white polka dotted jerseys since 1975.  Two men have won three Mountains Classifications that have included Col de Madeleine (HC) - Richard Virenque (an unprecedented seven KOMs between 1994 and 2004) and Lucien Van Impe, Belgium (six between 1971 and 1983).

Mountain King Richard Virenque on Col de Madeleine.

Photo:  extraite de Grands Cols / Tana Editions © Presse-Sports published in Linternaute.com

Col de Madeleine was the end of Cadel Evans’ bid for his first Tour de France victory in 2010 (he won the Tour in 2011) as he suffered from a broken elbow incurred the day before in a crash on the 8th Stage.  Beginning Stage 9 in the yellow jersey, Evans could not keep up with his rivals Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck (Schleck is the winner of that year’s tour after Contador was disqualified for an anti-doping violation). Evans led Schleck by 20 seconds at the beginning of Stage 9, but finished 8:09 back, dropping to 18th overall (he bravely finished the 2010 Tour, finishing 26th, 50:27 behind Contador, and 51:06 behind Schleck).

Cadel Evans, Col de Madeleine - Stage 9 2010 Tour de France.

Photo - Daily Telegraph, AU

APPEARANCES OF COL DE LA MADELEINE IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE

(Wikipedia - Col de la Madeleine)