Croix de l'ancien cimetière

Overview

Croix de l'ancien cimetière is a 7 km climb that carries a category 3 rating — the gentlest of the numbered tiers, sitting well below the hors catégorie monsters but still enough to test your legs and your patience. From a base at 375 m it works its way up to a summit of 681 m, a net gain of 306 m. The average gradient of 4.37% describes a road that never truly relents but rarely bites hard either, making it an honest, rhythmical effort rather than a wall of pain.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline numbers tell a story of restraint. A 4.37% average across 7 km is the kind of slope you can hold a conversation on, at least until the pitches steepen. The maximum gradient of 8.76% is roughly double the average, which means the climb hides its difficulty in a handful of steeper ramps rather than spreading the load evenly. Expect long stretches sitting comfortably below the average, punctuated by sections that push toward that 8.76% ceiling and briefly change the tempo of your breathing.

There is a telling detail in the elevation figures. The net gain is 306 m, yet the total ascent is 289 m — 17 m less. That gap points to a short reprieve or slight dip somewhere along the way, a place where the road eases or momentarily gives back a little height before resuming its work toward the summit. It is a climb with texture, not a single unbroken drag.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this length, the winning move is discipline. Because the average is a moderate 4.37%, it is tempting to start hot — resist. Settle in just below your FTP on the gentler opening gradients and save a little headroom for the ramps approaching 8.76%, where a controlled surge costs far less than a blow-up. Over 7 km, a steady effort held a touch under threshold will almost always beat an uneven one.

If you are not sure where your threshold sits, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator and translate that into a target you can actually hold from base to summit.

Gearing

For a 7 km climb averaging 4.37% with pitches to 8.76%, most riders will be well served by a compact setup. A 34×32 gives you a spinning gear for the bulk of the ascent and enough range to stay seated through the steeper ramps without grinding. If you favour a higher cadence, prefer to protect your knees, or expect to arrive with tired legs, step up to a 34×34 for an extra bailout gear on the hardest sections. Neither choice is overkill here — the category 3 rating means comfort, not survival, is the goal.

Summary

Croix de l'ancien cimetière rewards a smart, even effort: pace the 4.37% average, respect the 8.76% ramps, and let a compact drivetrain do the rest across its 7 km to the 681 m summit.

Length: 7 km
Average gradient: 4.37%
Max gradient: 8.76%
Start: 375 m
Summit: 681 m
Net gain: 306 m
Total ascent: 289 m
Category: 3