Oisans mountain passes · Cycling
Alpe d'Huez
Cycling's most legendary climb: 21 numbered hairpins from Bourg-d'Oisans.
Live weather
Real-time · Open-Meteo. The mountain top weather often differs from the valley.
Climb profile – Bourg-d’Oisans (21 bends)
Calculated from our GPX track (IGN altitude). Segments coloured according to the gradient.
Gradient kilometre by kilometre view details
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How long does it take to go up?
Estimate based on your power-to-weight ratio (physical model, validated against real times). Indicative only.
Climb records — Alpe d'Huez
Fastest timed climb times (from most recent to oldest).
| Weather | Runner | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 35 mins 27 secs | Tadej Pogačar | 2026 |
| 36 minutes 40 seconds | Marco Pantani | 1995 |
| 36 minutes 45 seconds | Marco Pantani | 1997 |
| 37 minutes 15 seconds | Marco Pantani | 1994 |
| 38 mins 04 secs | Miguel Indurain | 1995 |
| 38 min 11 s | Richard Virenque | 1997 |
| 39 mins 49 secs | Nairo Quintana | 2013 |
Most of the times set in the 1990s date from a period characterised by doping; Nairo Quintana’s time (2013) is the only one in the Top 20 to have been set after anti-doping controls were tightened.
Alpe d’Huez by bike: the 21 hairpins from Bourg-d’Oisans
It is the a legendary climb in cycling. From Bourg-d’Oisans, the’Alpe d'Huez unfolds its 21 numbered bends on 13.7 km and 1,107 m of elevation gain, to 8 % on average. The hardest part is at the bottom: the Merchants’ Ramp It starts off steep, at over 10 % from the very first hectometres. The gradient then eases off, bend after bend, all the way to the station.
Difficulty
Listed Unclassified, the climb is short but intense: manage the effort in the first few kilometres at 10–11 % That’s the key. Don’t set off too quickly. Best time to visit: May to October.
A legend of the Tour de France
First summit finish in 1952 (Fausto Coppi), l’Alpe d’Huez has ever since been a decisive test of Tour de France. Each hairpin bend is named after a stage winner. The turn 7, the famous «Dutch Corner», is invaded by Dutch supporters on race days.
Frequently asked questions
How many hairpins does Alpe d'Huez have?
21 numbered bends, from No. 21 at the bottom to No. 1 at the top, each in the name of a stage winner.
What is the length and gradient?
13.7 km for 1,107 m elevation gain, to 8 % on average (up to ~11 % at the bottom).
What is the climbing record?
The baseline time is 37 min 35 s (Marco Pantani, 1997), set in an era nonetheless tainted by doping.
What is the altitude at the finish?
The station is located near 1,850 m altitude.
Neighbouring cols — Alpe d’Huez & its balconies
Route © OpenStreetMap contributors · Altitude © IGN RGE ALTI · Max gradient over 100 m : climbfinder.