Above Ax-les-Thermes, the road up to the Ax 3 Domaines resort is a Tour de France regular, known for a gradient that barely offers a flat stretch anywhere along its length.
A steady gradient, with no let-up
From Ax-les-Thermes, it’s 8.6 km for 663 m of elevation gain, averaging 7.7%, with the road ramping up hard in the very first hundreds of metres and rarely dropping below 8% until the summit, at 1,381 m.
A Tour de France regular since 2001
Ax 3 Domaines has hosted Tour de France stage finishes since 2001, with repeat visits in 2003, 2010 and 2021. The climb is frequently paired with the Col de Pailhères in the same stage route, forming one of the toughest doubles in the Ariège Pyrenees.
When to go
May to October — this mountain road can be affected by snow outside that window given the resort’s altitude.
Good to know
Ax-les-Thermes, known for its thermal springs, is a good place to recover after the effort before tackling the area’s other iconic Ariège climbs, such as Col de Pailhères or Port de Pailhères.
