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Region: French Alps
Climbing effort: 444 cep
Elevation meters: 675
Steepest kilometer: 10.9%

Steepest 250 m: 13%
Foot: 979 m    Top: 1615 m
Mean slope: 3.6%
Length: 17.5 km

From: Argentière-la-Bessée
Road conditions (2013): bad
Other race bikers: 0-1 per hour
Motor vehicles: 10-30 per hour
Scenery and road: (4/5)
Restaurant or bar near top: no

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Other climbs French Alps

This small climb should perhaps not be recommended. Road conditions in the interesting section beyond Vallouise are horrible (small bumps, gravel on the road, furrows) while the road is just wide enough for a car and a bike to pass each other. This is likely annoying on sunny summer days when many tourists drive their cars to the parking lot at the end of the climb. On the postive side the stage of the climb is a narrow valley with a beautiful, wild and steep river, surrounded by high peaks among which Les Bans (3669 m). The busy road from l'Argentière-la-Bessée to Vallouise is a necessary starter. In front of the church in Vallouise one should turn to the right. The next 4 kilometers after this village are still easy (between descent and 7%) but then the road rises steeply (10-11%). The final 2.5 kilometers are less steep (5-8%) but they include a very steep (13%) 250 meter section.