Croix de Criou

Overview

Croix de Criou is an HC (hors catégorie) climb in France, and its numbers explain why. Over just 8.3 km the road gains 1242 m of net elevation, hauling you from 673 m at the base to a summit of 1915 m. The average gradient is a savage 14.92% — a figure that would be considered a hard ramp on most climbs but here is sustained for the entire ascent. There is no easing, no valley traverse, no false-flat recovery baked into that average. When a mountain averages nearly 15% for over eight kilometres, it stops being a climb you ride and becomes a climb you survive.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining feature of Croix de Criou is relentlessness. A 14.92% average across 8.3 km means the slope rarely relents below double digits. Worth noting: the net elevation gain of 1242 m exceeds the total ascent of 1167 m — a quirk of measurement that tells you the road climbs almost monotonically, with virtually no descending or flat sections to give the legs a break. Every metre of forward progress is a metre of fighting gravity. Expect the pitch to bite from the first pedal strokes and hold that pressure all the way to 1915 m. Treat every section as if it were the steepest, because on this climb the steep sections are simply the normal ones.

Pacing Notes

On a wall this steep, pacing is everything. The temptation is to attack the lower slopes while you feel fresh, but at 14.92% you cannot bank time — you can only blow up. Ride to a power ceiling anchored to your sustainable effort. Your FTP is the number that matters here: on a climb of roughly 8.3 km at this gradient, most riders will be pinned near or slightly below threshold for the full duration, so knowing that ceiling precisely is the difference between reaching 1915 m and cracking halfway. If you are unsure of yours, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit. Aim to cross the base already settled into a rhythm you can defend, and let the summit come to you rather than chasing it.

Gearing

Do not underestimate the gearing demand of a 14.92% average. This is not a climb for a compact-and-hope setup. A 34×32 is the absolute minimum most riders should consider, and even that will leave you grinding a high torque, low cadence effort for the majority of the 8.3 km. Given the sustained 1242 m of climbing packed into so little distance, a 34×34 is the smarter, more forgiving choice for all but the strongest climbers — it preserves cadence, protects the knees, and keeps a shred of reserve for when the pitch refuses to yield. When in doubt on a mountain this steep, gear lower than your ego suggests.

Summary

Croix de Criou is a pure, unrelenting HC test: short in distance, enormous in vertical demand, and steep from bottom to top. Bring your lowest gears, respect your threshold, and let the numbers set the pace.

Length: 8.3 km
Average gradient: 14.92%
Max gradient: n/a
Start: 673 m
Summit: 1915 m
Net gain: 1242 m
Total ascent: 1167 m
Category: HC