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Col du Portillon

On the Spanish border


Located in Haute-Garonne, the Col du Portillon is the border between Spain (Val d’Aran) and France (Vallée de la Pique).

 

On the road to the Tour de France

Since 1947, this pass has been crossed 20 times during stages of the Tour de France.

Identity sheet
  • Start altitude: 652 m
  • Finish altitude: 1,002 m
  • Cumulative positive ascent: 735 m
  • Distance: 9.1 km
  • Average gradient: 7.2%
  • Level: difficult

Col de 1ère catégorie.

Ascent through the woods and to see the Cascade de Sidonie.

About 1h20 for the ascent.

Provide drink and supplies.

Preparing for the climb

From Saint-Lary, reach Bagnères-de-Luchon via the Col de Peyresourde, which culminates at 1,569 m.

This is a fairly short but very irregular pass with some difficult passages.

After Luchon, the ascent to the Portillon starts at 635 m and is relatively fast and demanding.

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