Col d'Aspin (Arreau) - Cycling Inspiration & Education
Nestled between the infamous Col du Tourmalet and Col de Peyresourde in the beautiful Hautes-Pyrénées, the Col d’Aspin has a long and illustrious history with the Tour de France, first featuring in the race as part of the inaugural mountain stage (a mere 326km from from Luchon to Bayonne dubbed the Circle of Death) in 1910.
Starting from the charming village of Arreau on the river Neste, the eastern side of the Aspin is a 12 kilometre gift of vast mountain views and jagged peaks from the early kilometres all the way to the summit. It’s rare to be able to see the the summit of a climb within the first kilometre of starting it, but if you look closely that’s exactly what you can do on the Aspin, offering you gentle reassurance of your goal.
Use the first part of the climb to find your rhythm. The occasional near double digit gradient is only momentary and allows time to recover and enjoy on the easier sections. As you climb high above the Aure valley, the surrounding mountains become even more resplendent leaving you in awe at their mystique and magnificence. It may not be the highest or hardest climb in the Pyrénées but be sure to save some gas in the tank for the second section where the final 5 kilometres average 8%.
I’ve ridden the Aspin many times now and on each occasion it creates a certain feeling inside that brings peace and tranquility to the day. From wildlife roaming free to endless mountain views the Aspin has a richness in its character that no matter what’s going on in your world it simply makes you feel alive!
Start: Arreau
Length: 12km
Summit: 1,489m
Elevation gain: 799m
Average gradient: 6.5%
Max gradient: 10%
Ridden in October
I very much hope you enjoy our video on the Col d'Aspin. If the thought of these delicious mountain roads send shivers down your spine (in a good way) then why not join us on one of our cycling tours in the French Pyrénées and ride this very climb and many more of the most prestigious peaks in cycling history? For more details visit
Thank you to our partners Mavic, Cannondale, Exposure Lights, Lezyne, MyPower by InfoCrank, The Sufferfest, TORQ and USE for enabling us to bring these truly special mountains to life for you all. If you're in need of new bike kit in the future and you enjoyed this video then bear them in mind and help keep the wheels turning :-)
For more help and advice visit our website at become part of our col community and sign up for our free newsletter for monthly updates.
Never miss a video, subscribe to our YouTube channel or get in touch on Instagram, Facebook orTwitter. We’d love to hear from you.
Stay well, ride safe and thank you for watching.
Peace.
Mike Cotty
The Col Collective
Subscribe on YouTube:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Instagram:
Google+:
Col d'Aspin from Arreau - Tour de France edition - Indoor Cycling Training
Take your indoor cycling to the next level and bike the world at your own speed:
Dive into an immersive indoor cycling experience with our training app ’Open Road’ for PC. The app lets you take control of the speed of our cycling videos and provides a much better indoor cycling experience than with YouTube. It is compatible with all ANT+ cycling devices including smart trainers, power meters and speed sensors. Athletes with spinning and exercise bikes without ANT+ compatibility can use the app too and enjoy riding with all the important cycling data displayed during the training session.
Learn more about our training app 'Open Road' and sign up for your free ride on our website:
About Col d’Aspin:
Col d’Aspin is one of the most popular rides in the French Pyrenees. It has been a part of the Tour de France more than 70 times since its first appearance in 1910. This ride was filmed the day before the Tour de France peloton arrived to Col d’Aspin. So you will see plenty of campervans on the route and fellow cyclists who want to do the ride before ‘Le Tour’ arrives. The Eastern climb from Arreau (cat 1) is more difficult than the western climb from Sainte-Marie-de-Campan (cat 2).
You can find the route on Strava:
Facebook:
Do you like our videos? Then learn more about new rides, our training app 'Open Road', and other cycling related activities by give us a ‘like’ or 'follow' on Facebook:
Strava:
Join our global cycling community and get kudos from fellow cyclists that like to bike the world:
Adding music to the ride:
Most cyclists would agree that the ride to Col du Tourmalet is awesome. But when it comes to music opinions are very mixed. This is why we do not add music to our rides. We simply do not want to spoil your ride with music you do not like. But it is quite simple to add it yourself. Open an extra browser tab. Find a site that offers music (Spotify, YouTube, etc…) and pick the music you like and enjoy the ride...
Col d'Aspin Route of Tour de France
(Sep 2012)
Col d'Aspin 1,489 m.is a high mountain pass in the French Pyrenees in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées.
The pass has been part of the Tour de France 66 times
It connects Sainte-Marie-de-Campan, in the upper Adour valley, with Arreau, on the River Neste.
2 France, Oct 2016, Col du Tourmalet, Col d'Aspin et Arreau
Col du Tourmalet, Col d'Aspin et Arreau ( dans les Pyrénées)
Col d'Aspin descent to Arreau
Cycling Col d'Aspin (from Arreau), Pyrenees
The Col d'Aspin is a Tour de France regular, having appeared more than 70 times. It's usually ridden with the nearby Col du Tourmalet and, as a result, it sits in the shadow of its more famous cousin. It's an easier ride than the Tourmalet and is often the warm up act to that giant of the Pyrenees. Here we cycle it in the direction used on the 2018 Tour de France.
It's got a very different character to the Tourmalet and we loved the green, rural feel it had, the pine scents and the cows at the summit!
If you're planning a trip to the Pyrenees, don't miss our Pyrenees destination guide which contains loads of ride guides, GPX downloads and more:
And why not check us out on these platforms too?
Facebook:
Twitter:
Instagram:
Col d'Aspin Descent to Arreau (in full) - Cycling Inspiration & Education
Nestled in the Hautes-Pyrenees, from the summit of the Col d’Aspin to Arreau in the east is a 12km slither of tarmac that’ll have you smiling all the way to the valley. Cascading mountain layers fill the horizon as you trace your way down the narrow road. Moderately technical with five 180° hairpins and a flurry of fast, flowing, bends the Aspin descent allows you to keep your speed, look past each corner and really enjoy the buzz of free-falling downhill on two wheels. For the more experienced it’s a blast and, just like the ascent, if you’re looking to build your confidence before taking on bigger things then it’s a great place to start as it allows you to concentrate on your every movement while at the same time enjoying the view!
Length: 12km
Summit: 1,489m
Valley: 690m
Elevation drop: 799m
Average gradient: 6.7%
Max gradient: 10%
We hope this video gives you an insight into what to expect from the descent of the Aspin to Arreau. The most important thing is to ride safe and, of course, enjoy!
Special thanks to our partners Mavic, Cannondale, Exposure Lights, Fi’zi:k, Haute Route, La Fuga, Lezyne, Map My Tracks, Muc Off, Scicon, The Sufferfest, Torq Fitness and USE for enabling us to bring these truly special mountains to life for you all.
For more help and advice visit our website at become part of our col community and sign up for our free newsletter for monthly updates.
Never miss a video, subscribe to our YouTube channel or get in touch on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. We’d love to hear from you.
Stay well, ride safe and thank you for watching.
Mike Cotty
The Col Collective
Subscribe on YouTube:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Instagram:
Google+:
Col d'Aspin vers la ville d'Arreau
De Arreau à Payolle par le col d'Aspin en Camping-car
On est le 29 Mars 2015.C'est le printemps et la neige s'efface. Les Pyrénées en camping-car, c'est magique.
tour de France 2016 passage des coureurs au col d'Aspin
Col d'Aspin (Campan) - Cycling Inspiration & Education
It may not be the highest, hardest or longest climb in the Pyrenees but that’s not to say the Col d’Aspin should be totally overshadowed by the more prestigious peaks in the area. Starting from Sainte Marie de Campan you face a 12.8km climb at a moderate 5% average gradient. Unlike the steep pitches of Hautacam or the Col de Portet d’Aspet, the Aspin is gentle in comparison, initially meandering alongside the Adour de Payolle river before the road starts to rise with 5km to go. It’s for this reason that the Col d’Aspin is a perfect ascent if you’re new to the mountains and want to tackle something a little less daunting but equally as iconic. First used in the Tour de France in 1910 the Aspin has been used over 70 times in the race, often acting as the ‘middle man’ linking the Tourmalet and Peyresourde. Smell the rich pine aroma, fill your lungs with mountain air. The Aspin is like a good friend, there to encourage you to enjoy the day at your own pace and without the nervous prospect of a hammer to the head moment that can so often sit in the back of your mind and distract you from fully appreciating just how wonderfully mellow the mountains can be.
Start: Sainte Marie de Campan
Length: 12.8km
Summit: 1,489m
Elevation gain: 649m
Average gradient: 5%
Max gradient: 9%
Thank you to our partners Mavic, Cannondale, Exposure Lights, Fi’zi:k, Haute Route, La Fuga, Lezyne, Map My Tracks, Muc Off, Scicon, The Sufferfest, Torq Fitness and USE for enabling us to bring these truly special mountains to life for you all. If you're in need of new bike kit in the future and you enjoyed this video then bear them in mind and help keep the wheels turning :-)
For more help and advice visit our website at become part of our col community and sign up for our free newsletter for monthly updates.
Never miss a video, subscribe to our YouTube channel or get in touch on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. We’d love to hear from you.
Stay well, ride safe and thank you for watching.
Mike Cotty
The Col Collective
Subscribe on YouTube:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Instagram:
Google+:
Col d’Aspin - Col du Tourmalet - Hourquette d’Arreau
Arreau to Col d'Aspin Preview -- Jack driving the 2016 911R
This is a very-slightly modified version of the cell-phone shots of the 911R shoot in southern France.
Pyrenees, Col de Aspin on way to Arreau France Sept 2016
Ascension col d'Aspin et Tour de France 8 juillet 2016
Montée du col d'Aspin par Sainte Marie de Campan le 08 juillet 2016;
Passage du Tour de France au sommet.
Cummings en tête.
Ascension montée du col d'Aspin vélo
Ascension montée du col d'aspin vélo (Vidéo) : Le col d'Aspin depuis Arreau. 12 km de montée. Des portions difficiles à 9 % . Un très beau col . Le sommet se situe à 1489 m . Attention aux vaches en haut. Le col d'Aspin, un incontournable des Pyrénées. Des paysages exceptionnels.
Le Col d'Aspin : un col mythique; souvent emprunté par le tour de France.
Descente du col d'Aspin vers Arreau en FZS1000
Description
Col d'Aspin descent
cycle descent of Col d'Aspin to Arreau
Col d'Aspin - Descente.
Beskrivelse