Linking the valley town of Aime to the high-altitude resort of La Plagne, this Hors Catégorie ascent through the Tarentaise is one of the Tour de France’s most storied Alpine finishes.
A long, unrelenting climb
From Aime, it’s 19.6 km for 1,430 m of elevation gain, averaging 7.3% with a steepest section around 9.2%. The road climbs through 24 numbered hairpin bends before reaching La Plagne Centre at roughly 2,050 m.
A Hors Catégorie Tour de France classic
The resort has hosted five Tour de France stage finishes since 1984. In 1987, Laurent Fignon took the stage win while Stephen Roche, defending the yellow jersey, collapsed with exhaustion just after the line following a furious chase back to Pedro Delgado — one of the most dramatic scenes in Tour history. In 2002, Santiago Botero added his name to the roll of honour with a solo victory.
Getting the ride right
The climb’s steady 7%+ average leaves little room to recover, so a measured pace from the very first kilometre out of Aime pays off far more than an aggressive start.
When to go
June to September — the resort sits high enough that snow can linger into early summer, and the road can turn cold again by early autumn.
Good to know
Aime, the starting point, is a working Tarentaise valley town with all services, while La Plagne itself offers a wide range of accommodation for extending the stay beyond the ride.
