Col d'Artigau from Ger de Boutx

This climb is located near the Col de Menté and the Portet d'Aspet. I did it as a bonus after climbing and descending those two passes. The ascent has two distinct parts.

The first 4 km are on a narrow, beautiful, and paved road. But then, after a hairpin turn, the asphalt suddenly disappears (it looks like it was intentionally destroyed), and it becomes a dirt and stone track. At the same time, the forest turns into a logging operation where trees are being cut down. All along the climb, you see felled trees and lumber waiting to be collected. I even crossed paths with four logging trucks on my way up and down, which was a bit depressing, to be honest.

The last 6 km are definitely NOT suitable for a road bike. While some sections are better than others, as of September 2025, I consider it impossible on a road bike. If you plan to descend the same way, I highly recommend using a mountain bike.

Once you reach the top, you can descend towards Mèles (with a few unpaved km also, but not that worse, I think) or connect with the Col de Menté via another unpaved track (I don't know its condition), which offers multiple route options. Someone might even dare to do the climb with a gravel bike, connect with Menté, and descend from there, or go downhill to Mèles.

In short, the first 3 km are very beautiful, winding through the valley. After that, the climb goes into the woods on a poorly maintained track with no views.

I'm giving it 2 stars because of the bad road condition and the lack of views. However, for mountain bike (and maybe some gravel) enthusiasts, it could be an excellent option.