One of the classic approaches to the Pyrenees National Park, this climb runs from the valley floor up through the spa town of Cauterets before tackling a genuinely steep wall on the way to Pont d’Espagne.
A steady climb with one brutal interruption
From the lower valley, it’s 18 km for 981 m of elevation gain, averaging 5.4%. Partway up, the road hits the ‘Mur de Cauterets’, five hairpins where the gradient briefly exceeds 14%, before easing back toward a steadier grade up to the Puntas car park, at 1,467 m.
A gateway to the high Pyrenees
Beyond the road’s end, Pont d’Espagne opens onto some of the most photographed scenery in the range, a meeting point of waterfalls and hiking trails deep inside the Pyrenees National Park.
Getting the ride right
A lightweight climbing jersey helps through the Mur’s short, intense effort, where the temptation to overdress for the cooler high-valley air can backfire once the gradient bites.
When to go
June to September — the upper valley sits close to 1,500 m and stays cool even in summer, but snow can linger into early June in some years.
Good to know
Bikes must stop at the Puntas car park: cycling is not permitted beyond that point into the protected core of the national park around Pont d’Espagne itself.
