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Region: French Alps
Climbing effort: 727 cep
Elevation meters: 1054
Steepest kilometer: 12.0%

Steepest 250 m: 13%
Foot: 743 m    Top: 1711 m
Mean slope: 3.5%
Length: 27.4 km

From: Le Bourg-d'Oisans
Road conditions (2015): average
Other race bikers: 10-25 per hour
Motor vehicles: 10-30 per hour
Scenery and road: (5/5)
Restaurant or bar near top: yes

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Other climbs French Alps

This is a magnificent ride, ending in the heart of the Écrins. The road runs entirely through the valley of le Vénéon, which is well filled with water that has the green-white color typical of meltwater, at least during dry conditions. All around are rugged snow-capped peaks. This long (over 27 km) climb is characterized by an alternation of nearly horizontal and (three) steep sections. Cycling starts leisurely but after two and a half kilometers the first steeper part pops up (up 8%). After that, before and when passing Venosc, climbing is interrupted by two descends, causing a loss of 43 elevation meters, in total. After crossing the river a nasty ramp has to be climbed (250 elevation meters, a steepest kilometer of 12%), first through the forest, then in a more open landscape with huge rocks. Next, one crosses the beautiful, braided river and there is time for recovery on the almost horizontal road. This changes abruptly with the beginning of the last steep section (again 250 elevation meters, up to 11%), ending in the village of, indeed, la Ville. The remaining eleven kilometers along a narrow road are not hard, especially after turning to the left at Champhorent, and are very scenic.