Col de la Madeleine
Col de la Madeleine | |
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![]() North side of the Col de la Madeleine in January | |
Elevation | 1,993 m (6,539 ft) |
Traversed by | D213 |
Location | Savoie, France |
Range | Alps |
Coordinates | 45°26′05″N 6°22′32″E / 45.43472°N 6.37556°E |
Col de la Madeleine (el. 1,993 m.) is a high mountain pass in the Alps in the department of Savoie in France which connects La Chambre in Maurienne with La Léchère in Tarentaise. The pass is closed from November to the beginning of June. It has been described as "beautiful, but heartbreaking".[1]
Cycling
[edit]Details of the climb
[edit]
The southern approach from La Chambre (via the D213) is 19 km long, gaining 1,522 m at an average gradient of 8.01%, with a maximum of 13.5%.[2]
The southern approach from La Chambre via Montgellafrey is 19.8 km long, gaining 1,520 m at an average gradient of 7.68%, with a maximum of 12.5%.[3]
The northern approach can be accessed via Feissons-sur-Isère. From Feissons-sur-Isère (through La Léchère), the climb is 24.5 km. long, gaining 1,543 m at an average gradient of 6.3%, with a maximum of 12%.[4] For the 2012 Tour de France, the height at the summit is shown as 2,000 m., whereas in previous years it has been shown as 1,993 m.[5]
On both sides of the Col de la Madeleine mountain pass cycling milestones are placed every kilometre. They indicate the distance to the summit, the current height, and the average slope in the following kilometre. Such signposting for cyclists has become common in most major mountain passes in the French Pyrenees and Alps.
Appearances in Tour de France
[edit]The pass was first included in the Tour de France in 1969 and has since featured 28 times.[5]
It has been ranked hors catégorie, every year since 1995.
Appearances in Tour de France Femmes
[edit]Col de la Madeleine featured as the finish of Stage 8 of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes.[6]
Year | Stage | Start of stage | Distance (km) | Category | Stage winner | Yellow jersey |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025 | 8 | Chambéry | 111.9 | HC | ![]() |
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See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "July 12: Stage 11". Tour de France 2012: Five key days to make or break Bradley Wiggins. Daily Telegraph. 10 July 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
- ^ "Col de la Madeleine from La Chambre : 1993m". Cols-cyclisme. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
- ^ "Col de la Madeleine from La chambre, via Montgellafrey : 1993m". Cols-cyclisme. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
- ^ "Col de la Madeleine from Feissons sur isere : 1993m". Cols-cyclisme. Retrieved 2025-07-20.
- ^ a b "Le col de la Madeleine dans le Tour de France". ledicodutour.com (in French). Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "Stage 8 - Chambéry > Saint François Longchamp - Col de la Madeleine - Tour de France Femmes 2025". www.letourfemmes.fr. Retrieved 2025-07-20.