Less famous than its neighbours Tourmalet or Aspin, Hourquette d’Ancizan has nonetheless become a recurring fixture of the Tour de France between the Aure and Campan valleys in recent years.
A steady ascent on the eastern side
From Guchen, it’s 10.4 km for 788 m of elevation gain, averaging 7.6%, with no extreme section but no real let-up either, all the way to the summit at 1,564 m.
A recent Tour de France regular
Hourquette d’Ancizan has featured in five Tour de France editions since 2011 (2011, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022), usually as a category 1 climb linking the Aure and Campan valleys ahead of a finish higher up in the Pyrenees.
How to approach the ride
A compact chainset helps hold a steady tempo on the constant gradient, and insulated bottles are worth carrying in high summer on this lightly shaded final stretch.
When to climb it
June to September: the road can be closed or hazardous earlier in the season, since snow can linger on this high pass well into late spring.
Good to know
Hourquette pairs naturally with the nearby Col d’Aspin for a demanding loop across both valleys, a firm favourite for cyclists based in Saint-Lary-Soulan or Arreau.
