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Col de Puymorens from Ax-les-Thermes

28 km road cycling route1,195 m climbing2 h 02 minGPX

Ax-les-Thermes, France · Road

A mountainous 28 km road cycling route from Ax-les-Thermes through 1ere Bazerque, 2e Bazerque and Mérens-les-Vals, with 1,195 m of climbing over Ax-les-Thermes climb (1915 m). Most of it (27.6 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 13.8 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more.

Routed from the map This classic road was traced on OpenStreetMap and measured against the terrain model; no member has recorded it yet. Ridden it? Add your recording and photos.

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At a glance

Best for
Short, climbing-heavy rides for confident riders at ease in traffic
Distance
28.4 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
1,195 m
42 m per km
Riding time
2 h 02 min
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Moderate
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
100% paved · 0% unpaved
Traffic
Mostly main roads
27.6 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 13.8 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water
Regular
31 cafés and restaurants · 8 shops · 17 water points · 6 public toilets
Best months
May to Oct
Ax-les-Thermes climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Ax-les-Thermes

Map and elevation profile

Casino in Ax-les-Thermes, Ariège, France
Photo: Krzysztof Golik · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent
1,195 m
Distance
28 km
05001,0001,5002,000m0 km102028 km1,916 m · highest, at 28.4 kmStartFinish

Route description

  1. Ax-les-Thermes
  2. Ax-les-Thermes climb (1915 m)
  3. 1ere Bazerquekm 2
  4. 2e Bazerquekm 2
  5. Mérens-les-Valskm 8
  6. Les Escoumeskm 8
  7. Bordes de Saillenskm 15
  8. L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorrekm 18

The ride starts in Ax-les-Thermes at 720 m elevation and climbs steadily for 28.3 km to Col de Puymorens at 1915 m. The ascent gains 1195 m with an average gradient of 4.2% and a maximum of 8%. About 46% of the climbing is in the first half. The road is fully paved, mainly on main roads (88%), including 15.9 km on the N 20, 6.1 km on the N 320, and 3.9 km on the N 22. There is 27.6 km on main roads without cycle lanes and 13.8 km on fast roads with posted limits over 80 km/h.

Why ride this route?

  • Climbs Ax-les-Thermes climb (1915 m) (28.3 km at 4.2 %).
  • Tops out at 1,915 m, 28.3 km in.

Highlights

  • Col de Puymorens at 1915 m
  • Start at Ax-les-Thermes at 720 m
  • Longest stretch without café/shop/water: 9.1 km
  • Ridden for 15.9 km along the N 20

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

  1. 2e Bazerque 2.2 km
  2. Mérens-les-Vals 8.3 km
  3. Les Escoumes 8.3 km
  4. Bordes de Saillens 15.4 km
  5. L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre 18.2 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideFull ascentTop on this ride
Ax-les-Thermes climb (1915 m)0 km28.3 km · 1195 m · 4.2 % · max 8 %28.3 km · 1195 m · 4.2 %1915 m

High point 1915 m at 28.3 km; low point 720 m. Passes beneath Rocher de la Casale ou de la Vierge, Castel Maou, Roc Blanc.

On this ride: the part this route climbs, cut from its own elevation profile. Full ascent: the whole named climb, measured the same way on every ride that uses it (its climb page).

Ax-les-Thermes climb (1915 m) · full ascent, starts at 0 km

28.3 km at 4.2% · 1195 m
8001,0001,2001,4001,6001,800m3.7%3.8%4.0%2.9%2.8%2.8%2.9%4.0%4.0%3.5%4.2%4.4%5.3%4.3%4.5%4.2%4.0%5.5%4.7%4.9%4.6%4.8%5.2%5.4%0 km23456789101112131415161718192021222324252628.0 km1,915 msteepest 5.5%
< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

This is not a cycle-track route: 97% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 13.8 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.

Roads
88% main road · 9% major road · 3% other roads and tracks
Main roads
27.6 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
13.8 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used
N 20 (16 km), N 320 (6 km), N 22 (4 km)
Surface
Paved: 100% of the route is mapped as paved.
Gradient
96% climbing · 0% descending · 3% flat
Steep sections
6.3 km over 5% · 0.3 km over 8%

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 31 cafés and restaurants, 8 shops, 17 water points and 6 public toilets.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0 kmSaveurs D'Ariège · bakery · on the route
  2. 0 kmProxi · convenience store · 40 m off route
  3. 0 kmPharmacie Aybram · pharmacy · 90 m off route
  4. 0.1 kmLa Fontaine des Neiges · spring · on the route
  5. 0.1 kmToilets · 60 m off route
  6. 8.2 kmLa Gare des Vals · bar · 80 m off route
  7. 8.7 kmDrinking water · on the route
  8. 17.9 kmLe Fournil de Louise · bakery · on the route
  9. 18.1 kmHospicerie · convenience store · on the route
  10. 18.2 kmToilets · on the route
  11. 18.3 kmService de remplissage reservoir d'eau · water point · on the route
  12. 21.4 kmSpring · 80 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 0 km — Ax-les-Thermes (station), 710 m off route
  • 8.2 km — Mérens-les-Vals (halt), 90 m off route
  • 17.8 km — Andorre - L'Hospitalet (station), 40 m off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

  • 0.4 km — Turbine centrale du Teich (viewpoint)
  • 28.2 km — Barraque de la Douane (ruins)

Stay after this ride

  • Hôtel Restaurant du Puymorens · hotel · 3.2 km from the finish
  • Gîte L'Hospitalité · guest house · 3.2 km from the finish
  • La Porte des Cimes · campsite · 3.6 km from the finish
  • La Rivière · campsite · 2.5 km from the finish

Start and access

Starts at Ax-les-Thermes. Mapped within a short walk of the start and finish, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start

Food and coffee
Saveurs D'Ariège (50 m), Sur le Pouce (100 m), Le P'tit Montagnard (60 m)
Shops
Proxi (60 m)

Know before you go

  • Longest stretch without café, shop, or water for 9.1 km (km 8.8 to 17.9)
  • 27.6 km on main roads without cycle lanes
  • 13.8 km on roads with speed limits 80 km/h or more

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

2 photographs from the road

Photo: Krzysztof Golik · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Alan Mattingly · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Sergio09200 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

About this route

Route line
Routed on OpenStreetMap roads with bicycle routing, then measured like a recorded ride.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
Best months
Ten years of ERA5 weather for Ax-les-Thermes (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
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Page last updated

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