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Col de la Forclaz from Menthon Saint Bernard in the Haute Savoie
Col de la Forclaz rises above the south eastern shore of Lake Annecy in the Northern Alps to an altitude of 1150m; it lies on the road between the villages of Menthon Saint Bernard to the north and Vesonne to the south.
Whichever side you climb to the col, it is steep, though climbing from this side is recognised as the less challenging due to the slightly ‘gentler’ average gradient. The climb starts at a moderate average gradient of 4.5% for the first 6kms, allowing you to enjoy the spectacular views over Lake Annecy.
The last 4km are much harder, with some brutal hairpins culminating in a kilometre averaging 12.6%!
The Tour de France has crossed the col three times in its history, with the Tour de France 2016 crossing for a fourth time en-route to Saint Gervais les Bains.
Length: 10.2km
Height at start: 490m
Height at finish: 1150m
Average gradient: 6.5%
Maximum gradient: 12.5%
