La Eme

Overview

La Eme is a category 3 climb that stretches 10.4 km and rises from a valley floor at 583 m to a summit of 1005 m. The headline number is an average gradient of 4.06%, which places it firmly in tempo territory rather than the leg-snapping steepness of a shorter wall. Over its full length the road gains 422 m of net elevation, with 428 m of total ascent — the small gap between the two hinting at a road that mostly keeps climbing but eases off or dips just slightly in places. It is a rhythm climb: long enough to reward patience, gentle enough on average to punish anyone who goes out too hard.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Read the two key figures together and the shape becomes clear. An average of 4.06% across 10.4 km is comfortably seated-effort gradient, but the maximum of 10.58% tells you the climb does not hold that average evenly. Somewhere along the way the road roughly doubles its pitch, so expect the effort to arrive in pulses rather than as one steady wall. With only 428 m of total ascent over more than ten kilometres, the flatter and steeper sections balance out — the steep ramps are the exception, not the rule. Treat the 4.06% as your baseline and the 10.58% spikes as the moments to brace for, resetting your breathing each time the road tilts back toward the average.

Pacing Notes

For a climb of this length and modest average, the smart approach is to ride just under threshold and let the gradient do the sorting. Pin your effort to a percentage of your FTP — most riders will want to sit a touch below it for the bulk of the 10.4 km, holding a little in reserve for the steeper pitches nearer 10.58%. If you do not know your threshold number, the FTP estimator will give you a working figure to anchor your pacing. The danger on a 4.06% average is the false sense of ease at the bottom: the first kilometres feel almost social, but 422 m of climbing still has to be paid for. Meter the effort, stay smooth through the ramps, and save your surge for the last stretch to the 1005 m top.

Gearing

At 4.06% average you will not need your easiest gears for most of the climb, but the 10.58% maximum is where compact gearing earns its keep. A 34-tooth inner chainring is the sensible starting point. Pair it with a 34×32 for a setup that keeps your cadence honest on the steeper ramps while still leaving you a usable spread on the flatter sections. Riders who prefer to spin, carry fatigue from earlier climbing, or simply want insurance against the 10.58% pitches should size up to a 34×34 — the extra tooth turns those spikes from a grind into a manageable roll. Either choice suits La Eme; the 34×34 just buys more comfort.

Summary

La Eme rewards a steady, measured ride: 10.4 km of largely tempo gradient with a handful of sharper ramps, topping out at 1005 m after 422 m of climbing. Pace it just under threshold, gear for the steep spikes, and it becomes one of the more satisfying category 3 efforts you can string together.

Length: 10.4 km
Average gradient: 4.06%
Max gradient: 10.58%
Start: 583 m
Summit: 1005 m
Net gain: 422 m
Total ascent: 428 m
Category: 3