Hautacam

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Ayros-Arbouix, Midi-Pyrénées, FR

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Vélo Peloton Pyrénées

Cyclist accommodation and bike rental.

30 km

1.168 m

Hautacam, a Cat HC monster. Even the riders of Le Tour de France say this one is very hard.

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# Hautacam
Hautacam is a Cat HC climb in the Vallée du Lavedan in Hautes Pyrénées. The climb up Hautacam starts from Argelès-Gazost by the Gave de Pau river near the rugby club, on road D100. The start altitude is 431m. It is 14.5km to the ski station at Hautacam. The road continues for 1.3km to the dead-end at Col de Tramassel, at 1620m altitude. 16 km long, over this distance, the climb is 1190 m, an average of 7.5%. The name comes from the Gascon language and means highland.

Hautacam is a very difficult climb ([even Contador said so](http://velopeloton-cycling-pyrenees.bike/alberto-contador-rides-hautacam/)), it undulates frequently making it hard to maintain a rhythm, there are ramps up to 16% and some long sections up to 15%. The hardest part is the 6km after the village of Artalens. The climb eases off for the last 2 km before Hautacam. At Hautacam there is a large flat car-park for the ski station. This is where Le Tour de France has it’s stage finish, Stage 18 of the 2014 Tour de France was the 5th arrival.

## The Route
From Argeles-Gazost, Hautacam poses no real difficulty for the first 1.5km. It is after you pass the 13km to go board in the village of Ayros that you feel the first steep pitch which will characterise the rest of the climb. Another kilometre on and you have the first 10% average kilometre before the village of Arbouix. As you enter the village there is a @poi[drinking fountain](1083858) on the left, beautiful water. As you leave Arbouix the grade hits @poi[13%](1083859) and the suffering begins. This undulation continues until the village of Artalens where the climb and your heart rate monitor takes a definite jump skywards. The @poi[next 6km are torture](1083860). There are ramps up to 16% and some downhill sections which really mess with your head. What goes down must come back up. The 8km to go board tells you that the following kilometre averages 8%, shortly after the road goes down at 8% for 100m before rearing up to 15%.

Between 6km and 4.5km the grade is constantly over 10% before ending with two @poi[hairpins reaching 15%](1083861). There is a few hundred meters of flat or downhill before the 4km to go board where the suffering takes on a life of it’s own. The @poi[next 1.5km](1083863) are the most difficult of the climb. A long straight stretch from 3km to go has a big psychological effect. There is no shade here and the weather plays a big factor, if it’s hot, it can regularly be 30c+ in summer, this stretch is infernal. If it’s wet and cold the wind cuts right through you. The 3km board tells lies. It says the average for the following kilometre is 9%, its actually 11%. The purpose of this board is surely to mock the weak. If you measure one kilometre from 3.2 kilometres to go, it will average 12%. At the top of this difficult section is the steepest part of the climb passing @poi[Auberge de l’Arrioutou](1083862), the grade reaches 16%.

There is a @poi[“Passage Canadien”](1083865), a steel cattle grid across the road, be careful in the wet. The good news is that after the cattle grid it eases off to 8% and the last 2 kilometres quickly disappear as the adrenalin pumps up the anticipation of completion of this epic Tour de France classic. At the finish is a large tarmac car park at Hautacam Ski Station, which is used for the stage finish. There is a Cafe at the ski station, it’s opening times are limited in summer. From the car park follow the signs for Col de Tramassel. **Whoa!!!!** Thats right you’re not finished yet, the climb continues on for 1.3km and gains another 100 metres. The views are among the best in the Pyrenees. You get a panoramic view of Vallée du Lavedan and can see Luz Ardiden, Col du Soulor and the cafe on Col d’Aubisque, a spec on the horizon to the west.  There is a @poi[cafe at Col de Tramassel](1083864), signs at the car-park at Hautacam and at the start of the climb, will indicate whether it is open or not.

As this is a dead end, you descend the same road you climbed. And remember the most important thing, "*A good descender is still on the bike at the bottom*".

Velo Peloton Pyrenees page about [Hautacam](http://velopeloton-cycling-pyrenees.bike/hautacam/).

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