Col de la Vache

Overview

Col de la Vache is a long, honest Category 1 climb: 19.8 km of near-continuous ascent that lifts you from 779 m at the base to a 1883 m summit. The headline figure is patience. At an average gradient of 5.58%, this is not a wall you attack — it is a sustained effort you settle into and hold, ideally for the best part of an hour or more depending on your fitness.

Over the full climb you accumulate 1104 m of net elevation gain, with 1100 m of total ascent — meaning the road climbs almost the entire way, with virtually no false descents to break the rhythm or steal back altitude. That relentlessness is what earns a Category 1 rating on a climb whose average number looks otherwise moderate. Length and elevation, not raw steepness, are the difficulty here.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Think of Col de la Vache as a distance problem first. Spread 1104 m of climbing across 19.8 km and you get that 5.58% mean — a gradient most riders can turn over comfortably in isolation, but which grinds down the legs when it simply refuses to relent.

With total ascent (1100 m) sitting essentially level with net gain (1104 m), the profile is remarkably clean: what goes up stays up. There are no meaningful recovery flats or descents to reset your legs, so the effort is uniform and unforgiving. Expect long stretches hovering around the average, where the challenge is mental as much as physical — keeping cadence smooth and breathing controlled while the summit at 1883 m stays stubbornly out of sight.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing discipline decides your day. Because the gradient sits close to its 5.58% average throughout, you can hold a steady, sustainable power target rather than surging. Aim to ride the whole 19.8 km at an intensity you could theoretically maintain past the top — a percentage of your FTP that leaves headroom for the final kilometres.

If you don't know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you go. Knowing your FTP lets you set a wattage ceiling and resist the temptation to push early. On a 1104 m climb, going out 5% too hot in the first third almost always costs you more than it gains. Start conservative, and if you feel strong in the final 5 km, that's when you spend what's left.

Gearing

For a sustained 5.58% over 19.8 km, prioritise a gear that keeps your cadence high and your legs fresh. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring is the sensible starting point. Pair it with a 34×32 for a low bailout that spins comfortably through the long middle section, and if you climb at lower cadences or carry any load, step up to 34×34 for extra margin on tired legs near the 1883 m summit. Neither is overkill on a climb this long — spinning beats grinding when the ascent totals 1100 m.

Summary

Col de la Vache rewards patience, pacing, and a low gear. It is a distance-driven Category 1 climb where the 1104 m of gain, not the gradient, does the damage.

Length: 19.8 km
Average gradient: 5.58%
Max gradient: n/a
Start: 779 m
Summit: 1883 m
Net gain: 1104 m
Total ascent: 1100 m
Category: 1