15.9
PDI
7.4 mi
DISTANCE
2,606 ft
GAINED
6.6 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
Page Contributor(s): Erwan Treguier, Brittany, France.
INTRO
On 9 July 2026 the Tour de France came through Arreau and up this side of the Aspin on the way to Gavarnie, with Lenny Martinez first over the top. That makes more than 70 Tour crossings since 1910, when Octave Lapize led the race over the col on the 326 km "Circle of Death" stage from Luchon to Bayonne. The Aspin is the middle link between the Peyresourde and the Tourmalet, which is why it keeps coming back - and why, on a July afternoon, you'll rarely have it to yourself.
It's also where the Tour had one of its ugliest days. In 1950 spectators on the Aspin jeered and threw things at the Italian riders, Gino Bartali and Jean Robic crashed, and that evening Bartali pulled both Italian teams out of the race, yellow jersey Fiorenzo Magni included.
From Arreau it's 11.9 km (7.4 mi) and 794 m (2606 ft) of climbing at 6.6%, and it comes in two gears. The first 6 km are easy, 4-6% through meadows and farms above the Aure valley, with the first hairpin around km 3. Then the road tilts up and stays there: every kilometer from km 6 to km 11 runs between 7.6% and 8.6%, on long straights through the trees and then a handful of bends as the forest opens up. The last 800 m ease to about 6% across the pasture to the col.
Up top there's a big car park, no café, a wide view west to the Pic du Midi de Bigorre, and usually cows. They wander across the road and lick bikes - one rider lost a helmet cover to them - so keep food and gear off the grass.
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 Col d'Aspin from Arreau is 11.9 km (7.4 mi) long and climbs 794 m (2606 ft), from 708 m to 1485 m (2324 ft to 4871 ft) on our profile - the col itself is signed at 1489 m - an average of 6.6%.
km 0-6: the easy half, 4-6% (just 3.8% for km 1-2) through meadows and farmland above Arreau, with the first hairpin around km 3.
km 6-11: the climb proper - every kilometer between 7.6% and 8.6%. The steepest kilometer averages 9.1%, the steepest 2 km 8.6% and the steepest 5 km 8.1%.
km 11-11.9: easing to about 6% to the col.
Short pitches reach about 9.5%. The kilometer markers on the way up show the average gradient of the kilometer ahead, so you always know what's coming.
km 6-11: the climb proper - every kilometer between 7.6% and 8.6%. The steepest kilometer averages 9.1%, the steepest 2 km 8.6% and the steepest 5 km 8.1%.
km 11-11.9: easing to about 6% to the col.
Roadway: Most riders describe the D918's surface as smooth and well kept, though the road is narrow in places, with long straights in the trees and a few hairpins higher up. Snow can close the col in winter and into spring, so check the Hautes-Pyrénées road information before riding outside the summer months. On Tour de France days the road is closed for hours around the race.
Traffic: Busy in July and August, roughly 10 am to 5 pm, with cars, motorbikes and campervans heading for the col, Payolle and the Tourmalet. Early mornings and September-October are much quieter. Each July, during the department's Pyrénées Cycl'n Trip week, the Aspin is closed to motor traffic from 9 am to noon on a set morning - free, no registration, just ride. Cows and horses graze at the top and often stand in the road.
Parking: Park in Arreau and ride north out of town to the start where the D918 leaves the D929 (start on Google Maps). There's also a large car park at the col itself, handy if you'd rather drive up and ride down either side, though it fills with campervans in summer.
Gear: A compact with a 28 or 30 cog covers it - the gradient barely passes 9%, but there are 5 km in a row at around 8% once the easy start is behind you. The col is close to 800 m above Arreau, and cloud sometimes sits on the top while the valley is in sun, so carry a wind jacket for the descent either way.
Provisions: Stock up in Arreau, a proper small town with shops and cafés and a market on Thursday mornings. There's nothing at the col. Over the top, the lake at Payolle, about 5 km down the far side, has food in season.
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.
Arreau sits where the Aure and Louron valleys meet, and it's a better base than its size suggests: the Peyresourde starts from the southeast edge of town, the Aspin from the north end, and the Hourquette d'Ancizan is a few kilometers up the Aure valley at Ancizan. On a rest day, the old center is worth a slow walk - the Château des Nestes, a listed building on rue Saint-Exupère, and the church of Saint-Exupère are a couple of minutes apart - and on Thursday mornings the market fills the streets.
Over the top, the descent drops past the Payolle cross-country ski area to the Lac de Payolle, a lake in the fir forest nicknamed "Little Canada" - a good picnic stop before you climb back or carry on to Sainte-Marie-de-Campan and the Tourmalet. Our Col d'Aspin (Ste-Marie-de-Campan) page covers that side. Linking the Peyresourde, Aspin and Tourmalet from Arreau, the way the Tour so often does, makes one long and very good day.
For those looking to stay in the area we would recommend the Pyrenees Cycling Lodge. Located in the beautiful medieval village of Saint Savin and hosted by Mark & Niamh, the Lodge is run by cyclists for cyclists. It is a great location for any cycling adventure in the Pyrenees with several famous climbs within 100 km (62 mi) of the property and 6 Tour de France climbs within 15 km (9.3 mi). Visit their website or contact them directly at pyreneescyclinglodge@gmail.com.
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carlinguernsey
Col d'Aspin from Arreau is a great place to start climbing in the Pyrenees. It is never too steep and the gradient stays steady. It is also not as long as some of the other climbs in the area. The road goes past many farms along the way up to give you a good feeling for this part of France.
