Col du Lautaret

Col du Lautaret (2,058 m (6,752 ft)) is a high mountain pass in the department of Hautes-Alpes in France.

Col du Lautaret
Aerial view of Col du Lautaret
Elevation2,058 m (6,752 ft)[1]
Traversed byRoute nationale 91
LocationHautes-Alpes, France
RangeFrench Alps
Coordinates45°02′04″N 06°24′18″E
Location of Col du Lautaret

It marks the boundary between the valleys of the Romanche and the Guisane, a tributary of the Durance which has its source at the col. The valleys are linked by national route 91 (Grenoble – Le Bourg-d'Oisans – Briançon). The Lautaret is one of the lowest points on the ridge line which separates the "north" (mainly in the Rhône-Alpes région) and "south" (mainly in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur région) geographic areas of the French Alps.

The Col has long been used as a communication route between Grenoble and Briançon, and indeed for reaching Italy across the Alps.

The Col is open all year round and provides good views of La Meije to the south-west and the Grand Galibier to the north. It is also well known for its botanical garden. The route to the south side of the Col du Galibier leaves from the Lautaret.

Route Nationale 91 at Col du Lautaret
Col du Lautaret in the late Autumn
Col Du Lautaret 1994

Cycle racing

Details of the climbs

From the west, the climb starts at Les Clapier, near Le Bourg-d'Oisans, from where the climb is 34.2 km (21.3 mi) long, gaining 1,312 m (4,304 ft) in altitude, at an average gradient of 3.8%, with the steepest section being at 7.5% in the first kilometre.[2]

The eastern approach commences at Briançon, from where there is 27.7 km (17.2 mi) to the summit, gaining 853 m (2,799 ft) in altitude, at an average gradient of 3.1%, with a maximum of 5.2%.[3]

Tour de France

The Tour de France first crossed over the Col du Lautaret in 1911, when the leader over the summit was Émile Georget.[4] Since 1947, the Lautaret pass has been crossed over 40 times by the Tour de France, although most of these have not been classified for the "King of the Mountains" competition, usually when the pass is crossed on the descent from the Col du Galibier (As of 2014).[5]

Appearances in Tour de France

Since 1947, the passages which have been categorized have been:[5]

Year Stage Category Start Finish Leader at the summit
2014 14 1 Grenoble Risoul  Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP)
2006 15 2 Gap Alpe-d'Huez  David de la Fuente (ESP)
2003 9 1 Le Bourg-d'Oisans Gap  Danilo Di Luca (ITA)
1972 14a 3 Briançon Valloire  Joaquim Agostinho (POR)
1965 17 3 Briançon Aix-les-Bains  Francisco Gabica (ESP)
1962 19 3 Briançon Aix-les-Bains  Juan Campillo (ESP)
1960 17 3 Briançon Aix-les-Bains  Jean Graczyk (FRA)
1958 21 3 Briançon Aix-les-Bains  Piet Van Est (NED)
1953 19 2 Briançon Lyon  Jean Le Guilly (FRA)
1951 21 3 Briançon Aix-les-Bains  Gino Sciardis (ITA)
1950 19 2 Briançon Saint-Étienne  Apo Lazaridès (FRA)
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References
  1. IGN map
  2. "Col du Lautaret - Le Clapier". climbbybike. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
  3. "Col du Lautaret - Briançon". climbbybike. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
  4. Woodland, Les (2003). The Yellow Jersey Companion to the Tour de France. Yellow Jersey Press. p. 263. ISBN 0-224-06318-9.
  5. "Le col du Lautaret dans le Tour de France depuis 1947" (in French). ledicodutour. Retrieved 15 July 2014.

See also
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