Hard
Cycling
🇫🇷 France
Satellite

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

ID: FR-ARA-17

Col du Galibier

Added on 10 Oct 2026
Logged by @trailx

Col du Galibier (2,642 m) is one of the great Tour de France climbs. The classic side starts in Valloire: 18.1 km at an average 6.9%, gaining 1,245 m. Henri Desgrange memorial at the south tunnel. 34.8 km from Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne via the Télégraphe. First Tour appearance: 1911 (over 60 crossings). Andy Schleck's 60 km solo to the Tour's highest-ever finish in 2011.

Trail Map

Initialising Map Engine...

Trail Profile

General Instructions

Season: About June to mid-October. 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. Cyclists may not use the summit tunnel: the route crosses the open road over the top.

Weather check

At Start
1404m

Sampling Micro-Climate...

45.1651, 6.4298

Slide to preview conditions across the entire route • Point: 45.1651, 6.4298 @ 1404m

Quick Stats

Distance
18.17 km
Type
Cycling Sector
Elevation Range
1404m - 2636m
Max Elevation
2636 m
Max Gradient
30%
0%

Highlights

  • Ride the Valloire side, the way the Tour climbs it
  • Top out at 2,642 m
  • Andy Schleck's 60 km solo to the Tour's highest-ever finish in 2011
  • Henri Desgrange memorial at the south tunnel
  • Ride a climb from the 2026 Tour de France

Field Radio Protocol

VHF-UHF Communication

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

+1227 m

Total Descent

-0 m

Ruggedness Index

Terrain Roughness Index

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

0 (Smooth)50 (Steep)100+ (Extreme)
67.5

67.5

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)
1.6

1.6

Gradient Distribution

Flat (0-3%)2%
Moderate (3-8%)15%
Steep (>8%)83%

Surface & Hydrology

Paved99%
Unpaved1%

Surface Spectrum Analysis

Asphalt
99%
Dirt Track
1%
Water Crossings

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

0

Difficulty Analysis

SCORE: 61

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

Resulting CategoryHard

Bounding Box (WGS84)

MIN LAT: 45.064199
MAX LAT: 45.165776
MIN LON: 6.407844
MAX LON: 6.437399

Point Spacing: 11.1 m • Engine: TrailX Precision GPX ANALYTICS v1.0.0

Reviews & Discussion0

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Plan this trip

Before you go: Col du Galibier

Best time to go

Jun–Sep

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.

Navigate it offline

Download this trail and its map in the free TrailX app for turn-by-turn guidance, off-route alerts and GPS recording without signal.

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