Hard
Cycling
🇫🇷 France
Satellite

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

ID: FR-ARA-27

La Plagne

Added on 10 Oct 2026
Logged by @trailx

La Plagne (1,970 m) is one of the great Tour de France climbs. The classic side starts in Aime: 19.1 km at an average 7.2%, gaining about 1,370 m. 21 numbered hairpins. First Tour appearance: 1984 (5 finishes). Stephen Roche collapsed and needed oxygen after saving his Tour here in 1987.

Trail Map

Initialising Map Engine...

Trail Profile

General Instructions

Season: Ski resort road. 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.

Weather check

At Start
845m

Sampling Micro-Climate...

45.5556, 6.6230

Slide to preview conditions across the entire route • Point: 45.5556, 6.6230 @ 845m

Quick Stats

Distance
21.26 km
Type
Cycling Sector
Elevation Range
664m - 1984m
Max Elevation
1984 m
Max Gradient
26.6%
11.7%

Highlights

  • Ride the Aime side, the way the Tour climbs it
  • Top out at 1,970 m
  • Stephen Roche collapsed and needed oxygen after saving his Tour here in 1987
  • 21 numbered hairpins
  • Ride a climb from the 2025 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

+1316 m

Total Descent

-179 m

Ruggedness Index

Terrain Roughness Index

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

0 (Smooth)50 (Steep)100+ (Extreme)
70.3

70.3

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)
3.07

3.07

Gradient Distribution

Flat (0-3%)4%
Moderate (3-8%)27%
Steep (>8%)70%

Surface & Hydrology

Paved94%
Unpaved6%

Surface Spectrum Analysis

Asphalt
94%
Gravel
1%
Dirt Track
5%
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: 62

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

Resulting CategoryHard

Bounding Box (WGS84)

MIN LAT: 45.506300
MAX LAT: 45.558682
MIN LON: 6.622305
MAX LON: 6.683455

Point Spacing: 15.4 m • Engine: TrailX Precision GPX ANALYTICS v1.0.0

Reviews & Discussion0

Expedition notes, route modifications, and surface updates shared by the community.

Log Expedition Notes

You must be signed in to contribute reviews

Authenticate Identity

Be the first to review

No reviews registered for this technical sector yet. Share your experience, surface observations, or gear recommendations!

Plan this trip

Before you go: La Plagne

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.

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.

Open in TrailX app