Col des Issartets

What Kind of Climb Is Col des Issartets?

Col des Issartets is a category 4 climb in France, starting at 927 m and rising to a summit of 1,124 m. The road covers 6.6 km with a total ascent of 294 m, giving an average gradient of 3%. On paper that reads as a gentle incline — and across much of the lower and mid sections, that impression holds. The average is low enough that riders at a broad range of fitness levels can tackle this climb without special preparation.

What the average conceals is a maximum gradient of nearly 12% (11.97%). That sharp pitch does not represent the character of the whole climb, but it demands attention. Riders who pace purely to the 3% average and carry speed into the steep section without headroom in their legs will feel it.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With a 3% mean spread across 6.6 km, the majority of Col des Issartets is genuinely moderate. Expect extended stretches where the road barely registers as a climb — rollers, brief flat passages, and sections where maintaining tempo feels close to a flatland effort.

The maximum gradient of 11.97% indicates at least one ramp that is categorically different from the rest of the ascent. Without kilometre-by-kilometre gradient data, the precise location of this steepest pitch is not pinned down here, but riders should treat any tightening of the road or sharp corner as a potential trigger point. Watch the road surface ahead and shift before you're in the thick of it.

Pacing Notes

• Do not anchor your effort to the average. A 3% average on a climb with an 11.97% maximum means significant variance. Riding the whole thing at a single power output tuned to 3% will leave you either under-cooking the moderate sections or blowing up on the steep ramp. For more on matching power to gradient, see FTP and gradient pacing.
• Use the flat or shallow sections to recover. Where the road eases, resist the urge to accelerate hard. Banking partial recovery before the steep section pays dividends.
• Start conservative. 6.6 km is long enough that an aggressive opening effort on what feels like flat road will cost you later. Treat the early kilometres as a warm-up into the climb proper.
• On the steep ramp: Sit, keep cadence up, and avoid mashing a big gear. If you're unsure whether your gearing is adequate for close to 12%, check your setup before the ride using the FTP estimator to sense-check what power you can sustain and cross-reference with your cassette range.

Gearing

For most riders, a mid-range road compact (50/34 or equivalent) paired with a 28- or 32-tooth cassette is more than sufficient for the 3% average. The 11.97% maximum is steep but brief — a 28-tooth sprocket will get most riders through it seated and in control. Riders running a standard double with a tight cassette should mentally rehearse the shift sequence before hitting the ramp.

In Context

At category 4, Col des Issartets sits at the accessible end of the classification scale. The 294 m of total ascent and relatively short length make it a reasonable inclusion in a longer route without dominating the day's fatigue budget. It earns its category through the gradient spike rather than sustained difficulty. Use it as a threshold effort opportunity mid-ride, or as a confidence climb for riders building toward harder French cols.