Col de la Croisette

Overview

The Col de la Croisette is a category 2 climb that trades brute steepness for sheer length. Over 16.7 km the road lifts you from a valley floor at 403 m to a summit of 1173 m — a net elevation gain of 770 m at an average gradient of 4.62%. On paper that average reads gentle, and for long stretches it is. But 16.7 km is a serious amount of road, and a climb this length rewards patience far more than power. The total ascent of 751 m is only a fraction shy of the net figure, which tells you this is an honest, mostly one-way climb: very little of your hard-won height is given back before the top.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Do not let the 4.62% average lull you. Averages hide the story, and this climb's story is written in its 13% maximum. That spike is nearly three times the average gradient, so expect the ramp to arrive as a genuine jolt — a pitch where the rhythm you have settled into suddenly breaks. Between those harder kicks, the road eases back well below the mean, offering recovery pitches where you can breathe, refuel, and reset your cadence. The shape is classic for a long category 2: long moderate drags punctuated by short, sharper efforts. The near-parity between the 751 m total ascent and the 770 m net gain confirms there are no meaningful descents to recover on — every metre of the 770 m gain is climbed roughly in sequence.

Pacing Notes

On a climb of 16.7 km, discipline beats ambition. Anchor your effort to your FTP and hold something in reserve for the 13% ramp rather than burning matches early on the shallower slopes. If you are unsure of your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan your pacing. A sensible target is to sit just under threshold through the moderate sections, then let your power drift up only when the gradient forces it. Because the average is a manageable 4.62%, riders who meter their effort can climb the full 770 m of gain without ever going deep into the red — the danger is going out too hard while the road feels easy.

Gearing

Length plus a 13% pinch means you want gearing that lets you spin, not grind. A compact 34-tooth inner ring is the sensible starting point. Pair it with at least a 34×32 to keep a workable cadence on the steeper pitches; if you climb at a lower cadence or are carrying fatigue from earlier in a ride, a 34×34 gives you that extra margin for the 13% ramp and keeps your knees happy across all 16.7 km. Over a climb this long, a slightly easier gear you never need beats a hard gear that blows your legs apart on a single ramp.

Summary

The Col de la Croisette is a long, fair, rhythm-driven climb: 16.7 km at 4.62%, with one 13% bite to respect and 770 m of steady vertical to work through. Pace it patiently, gear it generously, and it becomes one of the more satisfying category 2 ascents you can ride.

Length: 16.7 km
Average gradient: 4.62%
Max gradient: 13%
Start: 403 m
Summit: 1173 m
Net gain: 770 m
Total ascent: 751 m
Category: 2