- Ascent
- 520 hm
- Distance Ascent
- 9.8 km
- max. gradient
- 14 %
- ø gradient
- 5.3 %
The Hourquette d'Ancizan from Payolle is a category 2 climb of 9.8 km with 520 m of elevation gain at an average of 5.3 %, peaking at 14 %. The road climbs to 1,538 m and drops on the far side into the Vallée d'Aure to Ancizan. Two climbing sections are split by a short downhill stretch in the middle.
The Hourquette d’Ancizan links the Campan valley with the Vallée d’Aure, like the neighbouring Col d’Aspin. From Payolle it is 9.8 kilometres and 520 metres of climbing up to 1,538 metres. It is the smallest Pyrenees climb in our list by elevation gain. Its profile has a special feature: in the middle the road drops for about two kilometres.
The Hourquette d’Ancizan at a glance
The key figures from Payolle: category 2, 9.8 km, 520 m of climbing, 5.3 % on average and 14 % at its steepest. The road leaves Payolle and climbs to the pass at 1,538 m. On the far side it drops into the Vallée d’Aure to Ancizan. In our list the Hourquette belongs to the Pyrenees region.
The climb from Payolle
The first five kilometres rise steadily: from just over 3 % at the start to around 8.5 % in kilometres four and five. This first part averages close to 7 % and is the steepest section of the climb. Then comes the surprise: for about two kilometres the road goes downhill. This is where you lose some of the height you have just gained.
The last three kilometres climb again, averaging around 6 %. The steepest of them is the second to last at around 7.5 %, the very last is a little calmer. Because of the dip, the 5.3 % average understates the real climbing. On the way back the downhill section turns into a short climb.
How it compares to our 100 climbs
With 520 m of climbing the Hourquette has the least elevation gain of all 14 Pyrenees climbs in our list, and across all 100 only five have less. At 9.8 km it is also short, in the Pyrenees only the Col de Peyresourde is shorter. The 14 % peak, on the other hand, is one of the higher values, only 36 climbs have a steeper one. The Col d’Aspin also connects the Campan valley with the Vallée d’Aure, with 12.5 km and 649 m of climbing at 5.2 %.
Practical tips
The Hourquette needs no extreme gearing, a compact chainset is enough for the short 14 % spot. Because the climb is short, it combines well with the neighbouring passes into a longer ride. At 1,538 m the top is only moderately high, a windproof layer for the descent is usually enough. Heading on you drop into the Vallée d’Aure to Ancizan, the way back to Payolle is the same road.
