Col du Grand Colombier, often referred to as the Grand Colombier (1,531m) is a mountain pass in the Jura mountains in France. Many often confuse the Grand Colombier with another climb with a similar name, the Col de la Colombière, but they’re not the same.
There are two ways to climb Col du Grand Colombier.
- From Culoz (south)
- From Anglefort (southwest)
For those who want more climbing, the Col de la Biche is only 12km away from the Col du Grand Colombier summit. It’s very common for cyclists to combine these two climbs into a single ride.
Starting point : Culoz
Culoz is a small town with a population of 3,000 inhabitants. It’s located to the northeast of Col du Grand Colombier.
The climb from Culoz to the Col du Grand Colombier is categorized as a Hors Catégorie (HC) climb. It’s 17.4km long and averages 6.9%.
| Col du Grand Colombier from Culoz | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 17.4km |
| Climb category | HC |
| Elevation gain | 1,219m |
| Minimum elevation | 272m |
| Maximum elevation | 1,479m |
| Average gradient | 6.9% |
| Maximum gradient | 16.0% |
| Strava segment | Col du Grand Colombier from Culoz |
Starting point : Anglefort
Anglefort is located southwest of Col du Grand Colombier. The climb up from Anglefort is 15.2km with an average gradient of 7.6%
At the summit, you either descend into Artemare via D120 or Col de la Biche via D123.
| Col du Grand Colombier from Anglefort | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 15.2km |
| Climb category | HC |
| Elevation gain | 1,164m |
| Minimum elevation | 322m |
| Maximum elevation | 1,479m |
| Average gradient | 7.6% |
| Maximum gradient | 14.5% |
| Strava segment | Col du Grand Colombier from Anglefort |
Col du Grand Colombier in the Tour de France
Compared to other famous French mountain passes, the Col du Grand Colombier only made its Tour de France debut on Stage 10 in 2012. French rider Thomas Voeckler was the first to the summit and went on to win the stage in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine.
In 2016, the Col du Grand Colombier was used on Stage 14, where it was the second to last climb before finishing at Culoz.
In 2017, the Col du Grand Colombier was the second to last climb on Stage 9, featuring the Col de Cuvery, Col de la Biche, and Mont du Chat before finishing in Chambery.