Col des Chênes

Col des Chênes cycling climb profile

The Col des Chênes is a long, controlled effort rather than a climb defined by one extreme number. At 18 km, with an average gradient of 5.21%, it sits in the category 1 range because of duration as much as steepness. The road rises from 167 m to 1103 m, gaining 936 m overall, so the main challenge is not simply getting over a steep pitch. It is staying economical for long enough that the final part of the climb is still ridden with control.

That average tells the story. A 5.21% climb is rideable for a long time if the pacing is disciplined, but over 18 km even small mistakes compound. The maximum gradient of 11.64% matters because it changes the gearing and effort profile. You should expect the climb to feel mostly aerobic, then periodically force you out of that comfort zone when the road kicks up.

How the gradient should be ridden

With only the full-climb statistics available, the safest way to read the Col des Chênes is as a sustained ascent with sharper ramps embedded inside it, not as a uniformly steep wall. The average is moderate, but the maximum gradient is more than double that average, which means the steepest sections are likely to be where riders lose rhythm.

The mistake is to ride the early kilometres as if the headline average makes the climb easy. At this length, the correct approach is to cap the effort early and let the gradient decide where power naturally rises. If you are riding by power, stay below your sustainable climbing target on the steadier sections, especially if that target is based on /glossary/ftp. The short steeper ramps will pull the effort upward on their own, so there is no need to manufacture extra intensity before they arrive.

Pacing and gearing notes

Treat the first part of the climb as a setup phase. Settle into a cadence you can hold without muscular strain, keep breathing under control, and avoid chasing small changes in speed. On a climb this long, perceived speed can be misleading because the gradient is doing most of the work.

Gearing should be chosen for the 11.64% maximum, not the 5.21% average. A setup that feels fine on the main body of the climb can become overgeared when the road reaches its steepest pitches. If cadence collapses there, the cost is not just local fatigue. It increases torque demand, loads the legs, and makes it harder to return to an efficient rhythm once the gradient eases.

The best ride on the Col des Chênes is therefore measured rather than aggressive: stay smooth on the moderate gradients, protect cadence on the ramps, and only lift the effort once the summit at 1103 m is close enough that you can absorb the cost.