Plan de la Douve

Overview

Plan de la Douve is a Category 1 climb in Switzerland, running 10.8 km from a start elevation of 877 m to a summit at 1,580 m. On paper it is a mid-length ascent with a net elevation gain of 703 m, which sets an average gradient of 6.53% across the full distance. Those numbers alone would suggest a steady, honest grind.

They also hide the real work. The total ascent is 1,063 m, which is 360 m more than the 703 m of net gain. That gap is the undulation: the road repeatedly climbs, gives elevation back, then climbs again. You do not just pay for the 703 m separating the base from the top — you pay for every metre you lose and reclaim. Expect the perceived effort to run harder than a smooth 6.53% climb of the same net gain.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 6.53% average is a blend, not a constant. With 360 m of hidden climbing folded into the profile, the road cannot sit at one gradient. Some sections flatten or tip downward to shed elevation, while others rear up well above the average to make it back.

• Flatter and descending sections that give back elevation and let you recover briefly
• Repeated short climbs stacked through the middle, each one resetting your rhythm
• A steepest ramp noticeably harder than the 6.53% figure, where the real damage is done

Read the profile as a series of efforts rather than one long pull, and do not let the descents fool you into thinking the climbing is over.

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, even-effort beats even-speed. Chasing a constant speed forces you to surge on every short pitch and coast on every dip, spiking your power far above what you can hold for 10.8 km. Instead, anchor your effort to your sustainable power output and hold a steady wattage through the ramps, letting speed rise on the flatter givebacks rather than braking your effort to match a number.

If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator first and set a target you can defend from the base to the summit. The undulation punishes riders who go out hard on the opening pitches.

Gearing

Plan low. A 703 m net gain over 10.8 km with 1,063 m of total climbing means repeated steep pitches that grind you down late in the effort. Fit a compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear keeps your cadence up when the road ramps and your legs are already loaded from the earlier climbs. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride; discovering you are over-geared halfway up an undulating Category 1 climb is not a mistake you can fix on the road.

Summary

• Length: 10.8 km
• Average gradient: 6.53%
• Net elevation gain: 703 m
• Total ascent: 1,063 m
• Category: 1

Plan de la Douve rewards riders who respect the gap between its net gain and its total ascent. Pace by effort, gear conservatively, and treat the descents as recovery rather than a signal the work is done.