This is the most famous of all the cols that is regularly included in the Tour de France, and the highest road through the Pyrenees. We pass through Sainte-Marie-de-Campan (famous as the place where Eugene Christophe repaired his broken forks in 1913 at the local blacksmith forge) and on through the very ugly ski resort of Le Mongie and out of the other side, to have your photo taken with the Giant. Great café at the top where you can get excellent coffee and hot, salty fries if you need a bit of extra carbohydrate. You gain 1284 metres in altitude and the maximum gradient is 10% , average 7.4% .