Pas de Finestres

Overview

Pas de Finestres is a category 2 climb that rewards patience over explosive power. Over its 13.5 km, the road lifts you from a start elevation of 439 m to a summit at 1102 m, a net gain of 663 m. The headline average gradient is a moderate 4.9%, which places it firmly in the sustained-tempo bracket rather than the leg-snapping steep category. But averages hide the story: with a maximum gradient of 7.84%, there are stretches that bite harder than the number on the sign suggests. This is a climb you settle into, find a rhythm, and hold.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The gap between the 4.9% average and the 7.84% maximum tells you this climb is not uniform. If it were a perfectly even ramp, every metre would sit at 4.9% and you could set one gear and forget it. Instead, the road pulses: easier drags where you can recover and roll, punctuated by pitches that climb toward that 7.84% ceiling. A useful check on the shape is the difference between net gain and total ascent — the climb records 663 m of net gain against 652 m of total ascent. That near-identical pairing means the road climbs almost relentlessly upward with little to no descending in between; you are gaining height on nearly every pedal stroke across all 13.5 km. There is no false valley to coast through, only varying degrees of up.

Pacing Notes

At 4.9% average over 13.5 km, this is a threshold-and-below effort for most riders, so the golden rule is to start conservatively. The steeper ramps toward 7.84% are where riders bury themselves early and pay for it in the final kilometres. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to sit just under it on the sustained sections, saving a little headroom to absorb the steeper pitches without spiking into the red. If you do not know your threshold, use the FTP estimator to get a working number before you commit to a pacing plan. On a climb this long, the difference between an even effort and a ragged one is measured in minutes at the top.

Gearing

For a 13.5 km climb averaging 4.9% with ramps up to 7.84%, you want a compact setup with a generous rear cassette. A 34×32 will get most reasonably fit riders over the top while leaving something in reserve for the steeper pitches. If you climb at a lower cadence, weigh more, or simply want insurance for a long day in the saddle, step up to a 34×34 — that extra sprocket keeps your cadence smooth on the 7.84% ramps and protects your knees across the full 663 m of gain. When a climb offers no recovery gradient, as this one largely does not, err toward the easier ratio.

Summary

Pas de Finestres is a fair, honest category 2 climb: long enough to demand respect, steady enough to reward smart pacing, and steep enough in places to punish a rider who goes out too hard. Pace to your threshold, gear generously, and let the 663 m of gain come to you.

Length: 13.5 km
Average gradient: 4.9%
Max gradient: 7.84%
Start: 439 m
Summit: 1102 m
Net gain: 663 m
Total ascent: 652 m
Category: 2