Col de Spandelles

The Col de Spandelles is in Hautes Pyrénées between the towns of Argeles-Gazost and Ferriéres. It is the biggest climb in the Lavedan valley outside of the Pyrénées National Park which has not been used by Le Tour.

Agrandir le plan

This map shows the col from both sides, point (A&C). The col is point (B).

The start of the climb is 3km from Saint Savin in the middle of Argeles-Gazost. From the summit you can decend down the western side to Ferriéres and ride home over Col du Soulor or by a flatter route through Lourdes. The road on both sides is very narrow, often only the width of 1 vechicle. The western side is very steep and the road is narrowest on this side, there are sections of duel cabbageway (grass growing in middle of road). The road surface on both sides is poor and caution is advised on the descent. As the climb will be on the route of the Roue d’Or in 2011, I expect that it will be resurfaced before hand. I have also heard that the Hautes Pyrénées local goverment wish to have it included in a future Tour de France, hence their promotation of it in the Roue d’Or. The Roue d’Or will cross the Col du Spandelles from Ferriéres after the Soulor and Borderes. From Ferriéres it is 10km at 8.5%. From Argeles-Gazost it is 15.7km at 5.9%.

From Argeles-Gazost the climb is longer but not as steep.

This is embedded data of a ride from Saint Savin over Col de Spandelles and Col du Soulor.

The above photo was taken from the summit in July 2009.