Region: Italian Alps
Climbing effort: 692 cep
Elevation meters: 1186
Steepest kilometer: 7.7%

Steepest 250 m: 9%
Foot: 1004 m    Top: 2188 m
Mean slope: 5.2%
Length: 22.7 km

From: Pré-St. Didier
Road conditions (2018): good
Other race bikers: 10-25 per hour
Motor vehicles: 60-180 per hour
Scenerie and road: (3/5)
Restaurant or bar near top: yes

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Other climbs Italian Alps

This climb begins along the SS26 at the turnoff of the SS26D, at an altitude of 1006 m in Pré-St.Didier. This village is located in the Aosta Valley, where some 68,000 people still speak a Franco-Provençal dialect, called patoué. That is why many villages in this region have French names. In Pré-St.Didier you should quickly enjoy the wonderful view of the Mont Blanc because it doesn't take long. Immediately after the village, the road quickly winds itself upwards with eight hairpin bends with short distances in between. Then the road continues through the steep valley of the Dora di Verney towards La Thuile (1496 m), reached after ten kilometers of cycling. In this section the road is tilting only gently (1-6%). After la Tuile the landscape becomes more open so views of the surrounding mountain peaks get more frequent. During the ten kilometers after la Thuile, the road climbs up with many hairpin bends and has a fairly constant, moderately steep slope (often 6-7%). The last three kilometers are then a little easier (2-7%). The pass owes its name to the monk Bernhard of Menthon, who gave his name to the pass and the St. Bernard dogs.