- Ascent
- 1471 hm
- Distance Ascent
- 20.9 km
- max. gradient
- 12 %
- ø gradient
- 7 %
The Col du Glandon from La Chambre is an HC climb of 20.9 km with 1,471 m of elevation gain at an average of 7 %, peaking at 12 %. The road climbs out of the Maurienne valley via Saint-Colomban-des-Villards to 1,924 m. The last six kilometres are the steepest, at over 9 % on average.
Epic Climbs: Black Edition DIN A1 poster
Bucket-List Print: Col du Glandon
On the Col du Glandon the hardest part comes last. From La Chambre in the Maurienne valley it is 20.9 kilometres and 1,471 metres of climbing up to 1,924 metres. The last six kilometres average over 9 %, well above the 7 % overall average. Anyone who underestimates the Glandon finds out exactly there.
The Col du Glandon at a glance
The key figures from La Chambre: category HC, 20.9 km, 1,471 m of climbing, 7 % on average and 12 % at its steepest. The road climbs out of the Maurienne valley through the Villards valley via Saint-Colomban-des-Villards up to 1,924 m. On the far side it drops towards Rochetaillée. In our list the Glandon belongs to the Western Alps region.
The climb from La Chambre
The first nine kilometres average a little over 6 %, with individual kilometres around 8 and 9 %. Then, around kilometre ten, comes an almost flat stretch, the only real break of the climb. After that steeper and easier kilometres take turns up to kilometre 14. Up to this point the Glandon is a normal, very rideable Alpine pass.
The last six kilometres change that. They average over 9 %, and none of them drops below 7 %. This combination of altitude, fatigue and gradient makes the finish the real test. The 12 % in the fact box falls in exactly this section.
How it compares to our 100 climbs
With 1,471 m of climbing the Glandon ranks 23rd in the list, and twelfth among the 30 climbs of the Western Alps. At 7 % on average it sits right in the middle of the field, level with the Passo di Pordoi for example. The Col de la Madeleine also starts in La Chambre and is steeper at 7.9 % on average. In our data it shares its finishing point Rochetaillée with the Col de la Croix de Fer, which is considerably longer at 28.1 km and flatter at 5.5 %.
Practical tips
On the Glandon it pays to stay deliberately below your limit up to kilometre 14. The flat stretch around kilometre ten is there for recovery, not for pace. For the last six kilometres at over 9 % on average and up to 12 %, compact gearing with a large rear sprocket makes sense. At 1,924 m it is cooler at the top than in La Chambre, so a windproof layer for the descent belongs in the jersey pocket.
