Col de la Bataille

Overview

Col de la Bataille is a short climb with a long memory. Over just 6.8 km it drags you from 603 m at its base to a 1247 m summit — a net gain of 644 m — at a relentless 9.47% average gradient. That number alone marks it as a serious effort, but the average hides the real story: a maximum pitch of 41.03% sits somewhere in the middle of it all, one of the steepest ramps you will ever try to turn a pedal against. Rated category 1, this is a climb that punishes anyone who treats it casually.

The total ascent of 868 m — more than the 644 m of net gain — tells you the road does not simply point up and hold. There is undulation baked into the profile, small releases and re-ascents that add distance to the vertical work even as they briefly unload the legs.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Take the 644 m of net height and the 6.8 km of road and you get that 9.47% mean, but a mean is a lie on a climb like this. The gap between the 9.47% average and the 41.03% maximum is enormous — over 31 percentage points — which means the climb is front-and-back-loaded with pitches far shallower than average to make room for a wall far, far steeper.

That extra 224 m of climbing beyond the net 644 m — the difference between total ascent and net gain — confirms the road rolls. Expect stretches where the gradient eases and you can breathe, sandwiching a savage section where the road rears toward that 41.03% figure and the front wheel feels like it wants to lift.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep and this short, pacing is about survival math, not comfort. Your average power needs to sit near your threshold, so know your FTP before you start. If you have not measured it recently, run the numbers through the FTP estimator and set a ceiling you can actually hold.

The trap here is the 41.03% ramp. Blow your matches on the shallower opening trying to bank time, and you will grind to a walking pace — or a walk — when the wall arrives. Ride the easier gradients slightly under threshold, keep a reserve, and spend it climbing the steepest metres. Over 6.8 km there is no time to recover a wrecked effort; the summit at 1247 m comes fast once the hard part relents.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. A 9.47% average with a 41.03% spike demands the easiest cassette you can bolt on. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 low is the sensible floor for strong riders, and even then the steepest ramp will have you out of the saddle and straining. Most riders will be far happier with 34×34, giving a genuine bailout gear for the 41.03% wall where cadence collapses. If your frame and derailleur can swallow more range, take it — you will not regret spare gears on a pitch this brutal, and you will bitterly regret their absence.

Summary

Col de la Bataille is proof that length is not the only measure of a climb. In 6.8 km it delivers a category 1 verdict through sheer steepness — a 9.47% average, a 41.03% maximum, and 644 m of net height gained from base to summit, with 868 m of total climbing once you count the rolls. Gear low, pace with respect, and save something for the wall.

Length: 6.8 km
Average gradient: 9.47%
Max gradient: 41.03%
Start: 603 m
Summit: 1247 m
Net gain: 644 m
Total ascent: 868 m
Category: 1