Col de la Pierre St Martin

The Col de la Pierre St Martin is a category 1 climb in the French Pyrenees that gives you almost nowhere to hide. Over its 10.1 km it averages 8.25%, and with 1,078 m of total climbing to reach the 1,769 m summit, the effort is relentless from the moment the road tilts up at 933 m.

How the gradient unfolds

This is a climb defined by its consistency rather than a single wall. The 8.25% average tells most of the story: there are no meaningful flat sections to recover on, and the pitches that spike toward the 21.77% maximum come without much warning. From base to summit you gain 836 m of net elevation, but the 1,078 m of total ascent means the road keeps working against you even where it briefly relents.

Pacing and gearing

At this length and gradient, going out too hard is the classic mistake. Settle into a sustainable effort early — the climb rewards a steady tempo far more than surges. A compact chainset with a wide-range cassette is the sensible choice here; the double-digit ramps toward the top are where an extra sprocket earns its keep. Judge your effort by the knowledge that the average barely eases the whole way up.

What to expect

Expect a hard, honest Pyrenean ascent with a genuine high-mountain finish at 1,769 m. It is the kind of climb that flatters good pacing and punishes bravado, so meter your effort and save something for the steepest final kilometres.