Port de Boucharo

Overview

Port de Boucharo is an Hors Catégorie (HC) climb in France, covering 8 km from a start elevation of 1,202 m to a summit at 2,314 m. Over that distance it delivers a net elevation gain of 1,112 m at an average gradient of 13.95%. That combination alone puts it firmly in the upper tier of hard climbs: there is no long false-flat approach to warm into, and the road tilts sharply almost from the base.

The number that reframes the effort is the total ascent of 1,482 m against a net gain of only 1,112 m. That 370 m gap is elevation you climb but do not keep — the road undulates, giving back roughly a quarter of its vertical work in short descents and dips. On paper you gain 1,112 m; in the legs you climb 1,482 m. Every metre lost to a downhill is a metre you have to re-climb, so the true workload is meaningfully higher than the net figure suggests.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 13.95% average is misleading in both directions. Because 370 m of the profile is descent, the climbing ramps must be considerably steeper than 13.95% to net out at that figure. The average smooths over the dips and the walls; the road itself does not.

• Recovery dips and short descents scattered through the middle, accounting for the 370 m of give-back
• Repeated short climbs stacked between those dips, each one re-attacking the elevation you just lost
• A steepest ramp well above the average, where the gradient bites hardest and pacing discipline matters most

Pacing Notes

On a smooth climb you can hold even effort and even speed at once. Port de Boucharo makes that impossible. Chase even speed and you will spike your power far past your sustainable power output on every steep ramp, then coast the descents. Ride even effort instead: hold a steady, sub-threshold power on the climbing sections and let your speed rise freely through the dips.

The undulation is your friend here — treat each short descent as genuine recovery rather than a chance to push. Before you go, confirm your ceiling with the FTP estimator so the ramps have a hard number you refuse to exceed.

Gearing

An average of 13.95% with steeper walls stacked on top demands low gearing. Run a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 at minimum, and 34×34 if your setup allows. Anything taller will force you out of the saddle and over threshold on the steepest pitches, exactly where the undulation punishes overreaching. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride; discovering you are under-geared partway up an HC climb is not a mistake you can fix on the road.

Summary

• Length: 8 km
• Average gradient: 13.95%
• Net elevation gain: 1,112 m
• Total ascent: 1,482 m
• Category: HC

Port de Boucharo asks more than its net gain implies. Pace to your effort, gear low, and respect the 370 m of hidden climbing — do that, and the summit at 2,314 m is well within reach.