Col de Pétra Félix

Overview

The Col de Pétra Félix is a long, patient climb: 19 km of road rising from 504 m at the base to 1183 m at the summit. That gives 679 m of net elevation gain, with 675 m of total ascent logged along the way — the two figures sitting close together tells you this is a climb that mostly goes up and rarely gives anything back. The average gradient is a modest 3.58%, which places it firmly in category 2 rather than among the leg-breaking hors catégorie monsters. But averages hide the story, and here the story is length. Nineteen kilometres of continuous upward pressure asks a very different question of your legs than a short, steep wall ever could.

How the Gradient Unfolds

At 3.58% on average, most of the Pétra Félix is what riders call a "false flat that isn't" — shallow enough to stay in a big gear, long enough to quietly drain you. The important number is the maximum: 10.54%. That single steepest ramp is nearly three times the average, so the climb clearly is not uniform. Expect long stretches sitting below the 3.58% mean, punctuated by pitches that rear up toward that double-digit maximum. The gap between the 675 m total ascent and the 679 m net gain confirms there is almost no descending mixed in — this is a genuine, near-continuous drag rather than a rolling profile. Your job is to read the road, ride the gentle sections efficiently, and be ready when the gradient briefly bites.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, pacing beats power every time. The steady 3.58% average means you can hold a rhythm close to your threshold for the full 19 km if you resist going too hard early. A good rule: settle into an effort you could sustain to the top, then keep something in reserve for the 10.54% ramp so it doesn't spike you into the red. Anchor that effort to your FTP — knowing your sustainable ceiling lets you meter out the 679 m of climbing instead of blowing up halfway. If you're unsure where your threshold sits, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan your ride. On the flatter pitches, stay aero and keep the cadence smooth; save the standing efforts for where the road genuinely demands them.

Gearing

For a 19 km climb averaging 3.58%, a compact setup handles the bulk comfortably. A 34×32 lowest gear gives most riders a spin-friendly ratio across the gentle majority of the ascent, and it's plenty for holding tempo where the road eases. The reason to go further is that 10.54% maximum: if you're carrying fatigue after a long day, or you simply prefer to sit and spin rather than grind out of the saddle, a 34×34 buys you extra insurance for the steepest ramp without costing you anything on the flatter kilometres. Neither choice is wrong — pick the 34×32 if you like a snappier cadence and trust your legs, and step up to the 34×34 if you'd rather never be over-geared across 679 m of climbing.

Summary

The Col de Pétra Félix rewards patience over punch: a long, steady category-2 climb where managing your effort across 19 km matters far more than surviving any single ramp. Pace it to your threshold, gear it for the 10.54% sting, and let the rhythm carry you to the summit.

Length — 19 km
Average gradient — 3.58%
Max gradient — 10.54%
Start — 504 m
Summit — 1183 m
Net gain — 679 m
Total ascent — 675 m
Category — 2