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Region: French Alps
Climbing effort: 1295 cep
Elevation meters: 1671
Steepest kilometer: 10.4%

Steepest 250 m: 12%
Foot: 549 m    Top: 2067 m
Mean slope: 5.2%
Length: 29.1 km

From: St-Jean-de-Maurienne
Road conditions (2025): good
Other race bikers: 10-25 per hour
Motor vehicles: 60-180 per hour
Scenery and road: (4/5)
Restaurant or bar near top: yes

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Other climbs French Alps

Between 1947 and 2024, the Col de la Croix de Fer was included in the route of the Tour de France no fewer than 21 times. This makes it a famous pass that every climbing enthusiast likes to tick off. Starting in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, it is a long ride to the pass (29 kilometres), and a large number of elevation metres have to be overcome (1671). The Croix de Fer is not only well known, but it is also an Hors Catégorie climb. The route is varied, both from a sporting and a scenic point of view. The most beautiful part is the final 4.5 kilometres, which begin where the built-up area of Saint-Sorlin-d’Arves ends. Here the road rises above the tree line and offers views of high mountains all around, including snow- and ice-covered parts of the Écrins and the three sharp, pointed peaks of the Aiguilles d’Arves (3510 m). What disappointed me was the relatively heavy traffic over the entire length of the climb.

The ride begins with about 4 kilometres of climbing (6–9%) up to the junction of the road to La Toussuire. This is followed by a section that runs mostly downhill (a net loss of 63 elevation metres). After that, the road climbs along the orographically left side of the gorge-like valley of the Arvan, a section of more than 5 kilometres with 470 metres of elevation gain (8–9%). Next comes an almost horizontal section with three well-lit tunnels, followed by another descent, where again 63 elevation metres are lost. After the junction towards Albiez-le-Vieux, the road continues with a relatively gently ascending section (3–6%) until, after about 7 kilometres, Saint-Sorlin-d’Arves is reached. In this tourist village the road quickly becomes steeper, including the steepest kilometre of the entire route (10.4%), which forms a tough lead-out for the beautiful final kilometres described above (8%).