Cyclists.com

Col d'Izoard from Briançon

21 km road cycling route1,156 m climbing1 h 28 minGPX

Briançon, France · Road

A mountainous 21 km road cycling route from Briançon through Font Christianne, Terre-Rouge and Cervières, with 1,156 m of climbing over the Briançon climb and the Terre-Rouge climb. 91% is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane.

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.

Download GPXMap

At a glance

Best for
Short, climbing-heavy rides
Distance
20.5 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
1,156 m
56 m per km
Riding time
1 h 28 min
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Moderate
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
99% paved · 1% unpaved
Traffic
Mostly cycle paths
18.6 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water
Regular
81 cafés and restaurants · 6 shops · 16 water points · 10 public toilets · 4 bike shops
Best months
Jul to Sep
Briançon climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Briançon

Map and elevation profile

Col Izoard, north part of the street, just after the pass
Photo: Zehnfinger · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent
1,156 m
Distance
21 km
05001,0001,5002,0002,500m0 km5101521 km2,357 m · highest, at 20.5 kmStartFinish

Route description

  1. Briançon
  2. Briançon climbkm 1
  3. Font Christiannekm 3
  4. Terre-Rouge climbkm 6
  5. Terre-Rougekm 8
  6. Cervièreskm 11
  7. Le Lauskm 13

Starting in Briançon, the route heads through Font Christianne at 3.2 km before reaching Terre-Rouge at 7.5 km. It continues past Cervières at 10.6 km and Le Laus at 12.6 km before finishing at the Col d'Izoard at 20.5 km, which is 2356 m high. The road is almost entirely paved (98%) and mostly has a cycle lane for 18.1 km on the D 902.

The climb is steep and sustained, with 90% of the route ascending. The first climb section between km 1.2 and 5.5 covers 4.3 km with an average gradient of 5.3% and a maximum of 7.1%. The longer second climb starts at km 6.1 for 14.3 km at an average gradient of 6.5%, reaching up to 9.3%. There is a brief 8.5 km stretch without cafés, shops, or water between km 2 and 10.5. At the start, Briançon offers several cafés and restaurants, and there are food and water points at 12.6 and 20.4 km near the top, with a bakery and convenience store near the start.

Why ride this route?

  • Climbs the Briançon climb (4.3 km at 5.3 %) and the Terre-Rouge climb (14.3 km at 6.5 %).
  • Tops out at 2,356 m, 20.4 km in.
  • 91% on cycle paths or lanes.

Highlights

  • Col d'Izoard at 2356 m
  • Climb through Cervières at 10.6 km
  • Cycle lane present for 18.1 km on D 902
  • Steep gradients up to 9.3%

Along the route

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

Places passed

  1. Font Christianne 3.2 km
  2. Terre-Rouge 7.5 km
  3. Cervières 10.6 km
  4. Le Laus 12.6 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
Briançon climb1.2 km4.3 km · 225 m · 5.3 % · max 7.1 %4.3 km · 225 m · 5.3 %1443 m
Terre-Rouge climb6.1 km14.3 km · 929 m · 6.5 % · max 9.3 %14.3 km · 929 m · 6.5 %2356 m

High point 2356 m at 20.4 km; low point 1217 m.

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).

Briançon climb · full ascent, starts at 1.2 km

4.3 km at 5.3% · 225 m
1,2501,3001,3501,400m6.4%6.1%3.8%1.3%0 km12344.3 km1,443 msteepest 6.4%
< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%

Terre-Rouge climb · full ascent, starts at 6 km

14.3 km at 6.5% · 929 m
1,6001,8002,0002,200m3.5%5.2%7.1%6.0%8.2%8.7%8.1%8.2%7.9%8.0%6.8%0 km1234567891011121314.3 km2,356 msteepest 8.7%

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Much of the route is separated from traffic: 91% is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane.

Roads
91% road with cycle lane · 5% quiet street · 2% path · 2% other roads and tracks
Cycle paths
18.6 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used
D 902 (19 km)
Surface
Paved: 99% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved.
Gradient
90% climbing · 8% descending · 2% flat
Steep sections
13.6 km over 5% · 3.3 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: 81 cafés and restaurants, 6 shops, 16 water points, 10 public toilets and 4 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0.1 kmToilets · on the route
  2. 0.2 kmDrinking water · 40 m off route
  3. 0.9 kmAtelier Cyclonique · bike shop · 120 m off route
  4. 1.1 kmLe Fournil Briançonnais · bakery · on the route
  5. 1.2 kmLe Panier Bio · convenience store · 30 m off route
  6. 1.2 kmPharmacie de l'Izoard · pharmacy · on the route
  7. 12.5 kmDrinking water · on the route
  8. 12.6 kmL'Arpelin · restaurant · on the route
  9. 12.7 kmToilets · on the route
  10. 20.4 kmLa Cabane du Col de l'Izoard · fast food · on the route
  11. 20.4 kmToilets · on the route

Need to bail out?

  • 1.7 km — Briançon (station), 420 m off route

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

Stay after this ride

  • Camping de l'Izoard · campsite · 2.7 km from the finish

Start and access

Starts at Briançon. Mapped within a short walk of the start and finish, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start

Food and coffee
Le Ventre qui Gargouille (40 m), Le Tourisme (80 m), Bistro 62 (40 m)

At the finish

Food and coffee
La Cabane du Col de l'Izoard (20 m), Refuge Napoléon (400 m)

Know before you go

  • 8.5 km stretch from km 2 to 10.5 with no café, shop or water

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

2 photographs from the road

Photo: Zehnfinger · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Philippe Truillet · CC BY-SA 3.0 · 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 Briançon (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added
Page last updated

See something wrong with this ride?

Less climbing