Col de Saint-Alexis

Overview

The Col de Saint-Alexis is a Category 2 climb in France, running 12.7 km from a start elevation of 662 m to a summit at 1,236 m. On paper the numbers look modest: a net elevation gain of 574 m spread across nearly 13 kilometres, averaging 4.52%. That places it firmly in the "long but not brutal" bracket — the kind of climb where the challenge is duration and rhythm rather than raw steepness.

But the net figure hides the real work. Total ascent is 1,334 m, against a net gain of only 574 m. That 760 m gap means the road repeatedly kicks up and drops back down rather than climbing cleanly. You are doing more than twice the vertical work implied by the net profile. Every metre you descend mid-climb is a metre you have to reclaim, and each false flat or dip breaks your rhythm. Expect to spend energy you don't see reflected in the elevation change between start and summit.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 4.52% average is almost meaningless on a road that undulates this much. With 760 m of hidden descending, long stretches must sit well below average — and to compensate, the climbing pitches run considerably steeper than 4.52%.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road eases or briefly descends, tempting you to overspend
• Repeated short climbs stacked back-to-back rather than one continuous grade
• Steeper ramps that carry the bulk of the 1,334 m of total ascent
• Frequent gradient changes that make holding a steady cadence difficult

Read the road ahead, not your average.

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, chasing an even speed is a trap. Holding constant speed forces you to spike your power on every ramp and coast on every descent — a fast route to blowing up. Instead, pace by even effort, letting speed rise on the flatter dips and fall on the steep pitches while your output stays controlled.

Anchor that effort to your sustainable power output and hold just below it on the climbs, easing back on the recoveries rather than pedalling hard through them. If you don't know your number, run the FTP estimator before you go, then set a ceiling and refuse to exceed it on the early ramps.

Gearing

Because the climbing pitches run well above the 4.52% average and the climb is long, gear for the steep ramps, not the average. A compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette gives you the low gears to spin the steeper sections without grinding. A 34×32 is a sensible minimum here; 34×34 buys extra insurance on the sharpest kicks late in the climb when your legs are already loaded from the undulation. Check your setup before the ride — confirm your rear derailleur handles the cassette and that the low gear is actually there.

Summary

• Length: 12.7 km
• Average gradient: 4.52%
• Net elevation gain: 574 m
• Total ascent: 1,334 m
• Category: 2

The Col de Saint-Alexis is a climb whose difficulty lives in its undulation, not its average. Pace by effort, gear for the steep pitches, and respect the 760 m of extra vertical the net gain doesn't show you.