Col du Vuarne

Overview

Col du Vuarne is a long, steady category 1 ascent that rewards patience over punch. Over 20 km it climbs from 396 m at the base to 1456 m at the summit, delivering 1060 m of net elevation gain along the way. The average gradient sits at 5.29%, which sounds modest on paper but adds up relentlessly across an hour or more of climbing. This is a climb defined by its distance rather than its steepness — you settle into a rhythm early and hold it, because there is a lot of road between you and the top.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 5.29% average across 20 km tells you the overall shape, but the ramps tell you where the effort spikes. The steepest pitch reaches 12.44%, more than double the average, so the climb is not evenly graded. Expect stretches that sit near or below the 5.29% mean, interrupted by harder sections that pull toward that 12.44% maximum. Because the total ascent is 1050 m while the net gain is 1060 m, the profile trends almost entirely upward with barely any relief — there are essentially no meaningful descents to recover on. What you climb, you keep. That makes the steeper ramps feel harsher, since your legs never get a genuine break before the next one arrives.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, discipline beats bravado. The single biggest mistake is attacking the early kilometres and paying for it over the final third. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to ride the shallower sections just below threshold, keeping something in reserve for the 12.44% ramps where your power will naturally surge. Averaging 5.29% over 20 km means you could be climbing for well over an hour, so treat it like a sustained tempo effort rather than a series of sprints. If you are unsure of your threshold number, run the FTP estimator before you go and set realistic power ceilings for each segment. Fuel early and often — 1060 m of continuous gain empties the tank fast.

Gearing

Gear for the ramps, not the average. While 5.29% is manageable on most setups, the 12.44% pitches will punish a tall cassette when your legs are already deep into a 20 km effort. A compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 cassette is a sensible baseline for strong climbers who want to keep cadence up on the mean gradient. If you weigh more, carry luggage, or simply want insurance for the steepest sections near the summit, step up to a 34×34. That extra sprocket costs you almost nothing on the shallow stretches and buys real breathing room when the road tilts toward its 12.44% maximum after 1060 m of accumulated climbing.

Summary

Col du Vuarne is a distance climb — long, steady, and unforgiving in its refusal to give anything back. Ride it on FTP-anchored discipline, gear generously for the steep ramps, and let the rhythm carry you from 396 m to 1456 m.

Length: 20 km
Average gradient: 5.29%
Max gradient: 12.44%
Start: 396 m
Summit: 1456 m
Net gain: 1060 m
Total ascent: 1050 m
Category: 1