16.5
PDI
9.8 mi
DISTANCE
3,004 ft
GAINED
5.7 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Most riders in Aucun are on their way to the Soulor and the Aubisque, and they roll straight past the turn on the right for Couraduque. It's worth taking. The D928 climbs 6.5 km to a col that goes nowhere - a Nordic ski area, a restaurant, a paragliding launch and a view down the length of the Val d'Azun to the Gabizos peaks - and from the moment you leave the main road, the traffic mostly disappears.
From the plaza in Argelès-Gazost it's 15.8 km (9.8 mi) and 916 m (3004 ft) of climbing at a 5.7% average. The first 3 km out of town are steeper than you'd guess, at 7-8%, before the D918 settles into a long false flat up the valley. The real climb starts in Aucun: 6.5 km at 7.6% from 904 m to 1400 m, irregular rather than steady, with two short breathers and ramps of 10-12% between them. The steepest kilometer, near the top, averages 9.1%.
We first rode it in June 2013. On a clear day the col is a balcony over the whole valley; on a grey one, which riders report more often than you'd expect, it's a short, sharp there-and-back with a hot drink at the restaurant before the descent.
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. Leaving the plaza in Argelès-Gazost at 501 m, the D918 climbs at 7.4-7.7% for the first 3 km. From km 3 to Aucun the gradient drops to 3-4%, then to nothing - km 7 to 8 is flat - and you reach the turn for Couraduque at km 9.3 (904 m).
The D928 starts hard. Riders report a short ramp near 15% at the turn, the first 700 m run at 8-11%, and km 10 to 11 averages 8.8% with 100 m stretches at 10-11%. Short shelves near km 11.8 and km 13.4 give you a breather; around them the road holds 8-11%. The steepest kilometer (9.1%) starts around km 14.1 and includes a 100 m pitch at 12.6%, and the last 800 m average 6.9% to the col at 1400 m.
From the turn in Aucun: 6.5 km (4.0 mi) at 7.6%. Overall: 15.8 km (9.8 mi), 916 m (3004 ft) of climbing, 5.7% average.
Roadway: The D918 up the Val d'Azun is a good two-lane main road. The D928 to the col is narrower but paved and in decent shape, according to recent rider reports, with cattle and the odd horse loose on the upper slopes. It's a dead end, so you come down the way you went up - take the descent steadily, because the steep pitches below the col come up fast and fog is common. The road is open year-round to serve the Nordic ski area, but expect snow and ice from late autumn into spring.
Traffic: The D918 carries the valley's traffic - locals, plus cars and motorbikes heading for the Soulor and Aubisque in summer - and the first few kilometers out of Argelès are the busiest. Once you turn off in Aucun it goes quiet, even in high season; most cars on the D928 are heading for the restaurant or the paragliding launch.
Parking: Park in Argelès-Gazost - the free Place du Foirail car park, a minute from the plaza, is the easy choice, and our Col d'Aubisque (Argelès-Gazost) page has more on the town. There's a car park at the col for anyone meeting a support car, and if you only want the 6.5 km from Aucun, look for a legal space in the village.
Gear: The valley half is big-ring riding, but the D928 has enough 10-12% pitches that you'll be glad of a 34x30 or similar for the last 6.5 km. Bring a jacket even in summer: the col is exposed, often in cloud, and the descent is quick.
Provisions: Argelès-Gazost has everything; Aucun is the last village before the turn. Le Couraduque, the restaurant at the col, cooks seasonal, local food and serves crêpes and cake in the afternoon - call ahead to check it's open (+33 5 62 97 42 16).
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.
Aucun, where the climb turns off, deserves more than a glance on the way through. The Musée Montagnard du Lavedan, set up in 1963 in a former presbytery dating from 1580, shows how shepherds and craftsmen lived in these valleys, and some of its pieces sit in the café-bar room, so you can look at them over a coffee (opening times on +33 5 62 97 12 03).
In winter the Val d'Azun Nordic area runs between Couraduque and the Col du Soulor, and in summer the same ground becomes walking country, with a path linking the two cols - the col is an easy meeting point for anyone in your group who isn't riding. Paragliders launch from the top, and tandem flights run through the year when the weather allows.
For more climbing, the Soulor road carries on up the valley from Aucun, and Argelès-Gazost, its Thursday market and the long way to the Aubisque are on our Col d'Aubisque (Argelès-Gazost) page.
For a place to stay, we recommend the Pyrenees Cycling Lodge in the medieval village of Saint-Savin, just above Argelès. Mark & Niamh run it, cyclists for cyclists, and six Tour de France climbs start within 15 km of the door. Visit their website or contact them directly at pyreneescyclinglodge@gmail.com.
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