Col des Aravis

What to Expect on the Col des Aravis

The Col des Aravis is a Category 2 Alpine climb in France, rising 467 m net from its base at 1,019 m elevation to the summit at 1,486 m. Over 7.2 km, the road averages 6.5% — honest enough to demand sustained effort, short enough to tempt riders into going out too hard. The 555 m of total ascent (slightly higher than the net gain, indicating minor undulations on the approach) confirms the road isn't entirely without relief, but this is fundamentally an unrelenting uphill grind.

Gradient Profile

The average of 6.5% understates the challenge because of the maximum gradient: 17.37%. That figure means at least one section of the climb is nearly twice as steep as the overall average, and it will arrive as a genuine shock if you haven't paced the lower slopes conservatively.

• Lower slopes: The climb begins at around 1,019 m. Expect the opening kilometers to feel manageable relative to the average — this is where discipline matters most. Riders who chase a strong feel early often pay for it on the steeper ramps.
• Mid-section: The gradient builds progressively. At 6.5% average across 7.2 km, the mid-climb pace is where most riders find their FTP is doing real work. Hold back 5–8% below your threshold here if the upper ramps are unknown to you.
• Upper ramps: The 17.37% maximum gradient sits somewhere in the upper portion of the climb. Sections above 15% are where cadence collapses for riders who arrive undergeared or over-fatigued. This is not a climb to attack from the bottom.

Pacing Notes

At 7.2 km, the Col des Aravis sits in a tricky duration zone — long enough that blowing up costs significant time, short enough that some riders treat it like a 20-minute effort and go out at threshold from the gun. Neither extreme is optimal unless you have very specific numbers behind you.

A reliable approach:

1. Use the first 2 km to settle into a pace 5–10% below your estimated threshold power or perceived effort ceiling.
2. Hold that pace through the mid-climb even when the road feels easy — it won't stay that way.
3. Reserve a small surge for the final kilometer, but only if legs allow. Forcing it into the steep upper ramps burns matches you may not have.

If you want to benchmark your target pace before the climb, the FTP estimator is a useful starting point.

Gearing Recommendations

With a maximum gradient of 17.37%, compact gearing is strongly advisable for most riders. A 34t inner chainring paired with a 28t or 32t rear cog will cover the steepest sections without forcing you to grind to a crawl or stand out of the saddle for extended stretches. Riders on a standard 53/39 setup without a large rear cassette will find the steepest pitches genuinely difficult to manage at any efficient cadence.

Target cadence on the steep ramps: 70–80 rpm minimum. Dropping below that on a 17% pitch accelerates muscular fatigue faster than the cardiovascular cost justifies.

Bottom Line

The Col des Aravis is a Category 2 climb that earns its rating through gradient variance rather than sheer length. The 6.5% average is approachable; the 17.37% maximum is not. Treat it as a climb with a sting in its upper section, gear appropriately, and don't let the modest 7.2 km total distance convince you it's a climb to be sprinted.