Home Destinations France Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesCol de Joux Plane

Hard

Cycling

🇫🇷 France

Satellite

This track was identified and mapped via high-resolution satellite imagery.

ID: FR-ARA-24

Col de Joux Plane

Added on 10 Oct 2026

Logged by @trailx

Col de Joux Plane (1,691 m) is one of the great Tour de France climbs. The classic side starts in Samoëns: 11.7 km at an average 8.5%, gaining about 990 m. A steep, irregular climb above Morzine. First Tour appearance: 1978 (13 times). Lance Armstrong called it his hardest day on a bike in 2000.

Trail Map

Initialising Map Engine...

Trail Profile

General Instructions

Season: Summer (closed in winter). Carry a windproof layer for the descent, enough water and food for the climb, and check road status before you go. Descend with care: these are open roads shared with cars and motorbikes.

Mission Logs33 waypoints

Distance	Direction & Instruction	Gradient
0.0 km	N Start Point	-3%
0.5 km	S Continue on track	-2%
1.0 km	NW Continue on track	-2%
1.5 km	NE Continue on track	5%
1.9 km	NW Steep Ascent	12%

Note: Gear suggestions are based on terrain gradient and are for reference only.

Weather check

At Start

709m

Sampling Micro-Climate...

46.0835, 6.7270

Slide to preview conditions across the entire route • Point: 46.0835, 6.7270 @ 709m

Quick Stats

Distance

12.95 km

Type

Cycling Sector

Elevation Range

700m - 1714m

Max Elevation

1714 m

Max Gradient

28%

4.1%

Highlights

Ride the Samoëns side, the way the Tour climbs it
Top out at 1,691 m
Lance Armstrong called it his hardest day on a bike in 2000
A steep, irregular climb above Morzine

Field Radio Protocol

VHF-UHF Communication

Signal Verified

Emergency Simplex

146.520MHz

Team Coordination

446.006MHz

Scout Primary

146.400MHz

Propagation Telemetry

Ridge Line

92%

Gorge Floor

18%

Sector Relay: Sector Alpha Relay• 12-18 KM Range

Regulatory Compliance

VHF/UHF frequencies are for monitoring and emergency coordination only. Transmitting on these bands may require an Amateur Radio License or regional government permits. Check local telecommunications laws before operation.

Technical Analysis

Total Ascent

+1011 m

Total Descent

-10 m

Ruggedness Index

Terrain Roughness Index

Vertical displacement per km. Typical range: 0 (Smooth) to 100+ (Extreme Mountain).

0 (Smooth)50 (Steep)100+ (Extreme)

78.8

Tortuosity Index

Route Curviness Index

Ratio of actual path to straight line. Typical range: 1.0 (Direct) to 3.0+ (Switchbacks).

1.0 (Direct)2.0 (Winding)3.0+ (Serpentine)

2.3

Gradient Distribution

Flat (0-3%)10%

Moderate (3-8%)8%

Steep (>8%)82%

Surface & Hydrology

Paved94%

Unpaved6%

Surface Spectrum Analysis

Asphalt

94%

Gravel

Dirt Track

Water Crossings

Includes only technical water fords where the vehicle actively enters a stream or riverbed. Permanent bridges are excluded from this count.

Difficulty Analysis

SCORE: 51

Difficulty is determined by a technical multi-vector analysis of elevation profile, surface quality, and topographic intensity.

Resulting CategoryHard

Bounding Box (WGS84)

MIN LAT: 46.080694

MAX LAT: 46.132887

MIN LON: 6.701628

MAX LON: 6.727280

Point Spacing: 15.3 m • Engine: TrailX Precision GPX ANALYTICS v1.0.0

Reviews & Discussion0

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Plan this trip

Before you go: Col de Joux Plane

Best time to go

Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct

Mid-June to mid-September is the season for high Alpine routes such as the Tour du Mont Blanc; huts are generally open then and passes are mostly clear of snow. Lower routes around Lyon and the Drôme are good in spring and autumn.