Col de Trécot

Overview

The Col de Trécot is not a climb you ease into. Over just 6.6 km it drags you from a start elevation of 763 m to a summit of 1928 m, a net gain of 1165 m that stacks up in barely any horizontal distance. The average gradient reads 17.58%, and the steepest pitch bites at 30.87%. That earns it an hors catégorie (HC) rating — the hardest tier, sitting above categories 1, 2, 3 and 4. With a total ascent of 1123 m, there is almost no relief anywhere on the road: this is a sustained, unrelenting effort from the first pedal stroke to the last.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An average of 17.58% is extreme, and the shape of Trécot leaves little room to recover. Because the total ascent (1123 m) sits just below the net gain (1165 m), the climb is almost purely upward — there are effectively no descents or false flats to coast through and reset your legs. Instead the road holds a punishing double-digit grade continuously, then ramps toward its 30.87% maximum where the gradient nearly doubles the already-savage average. Expect the hardest ramps to arrive as walls rather than switchbacks, forcing you out of the saddle to keep momentum alive. Spread across 6.6 km, that means every kilometre delivers roughly the same suffering — there is no easy half.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep, pacing is survival. Your power will spike well above threshold on the 30.87% ramps whether you like it or not, so the goal is to keep your average effort just under your sustainable ceiling everywhere else. Anchor your pacing to your FTP: riding at or fractionally below it on the "shallower" double-digit sections buys you the headroom to absorb the walls without blowing up. If you do not know your number, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator so you have a concrete target rather than guessing. Start conservatively — the average gradient of 17.58% will punish anyone who goes out hot in the opening kilometre, because there is no flat ahead to bail you out.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. With an average of 17.58% and pitches to 30.87%, a compact chainring paired with a wide-range cassette is the minimum sensible setup. A 34×32 will get many strong riders up the more consistent sections, but on the steepest ramps it can leave your cadence crawling and your knees loaded. For most riders a 34×34 is the safer choice, giving you a lower bailout gear to keep the pedals turning through the 30.87% pitches. If your frame and derailleur allow anything easier still, use it — spinning a low gear on Trécot is not a weakness, it is the only way to reach the 1928 m summit with legs intact.

Summary

The Col de Trécot compresses a full mountain's worth of climbing into 6.6 km: a 17.58% average, a 30.87% maximum, and 1165 m of net gain from base to top. It is relentless, category-defining, and rewards patient pacing and generous gearing above all else. Respect the numbers and it becomes a landmark ride; ignore them and it will break you.

Length: 6.6 km
Average gradient: 17.58%
Max gradient: 30.87%
Start: 763 m
Summit: 1928 m
Net gain: 1165 m
Total ascent: 1123 m
Category: HC