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Col du Béal from Vertolaye

4.3

8 reviews | Elevation profile | 10 photos

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

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Statistics

Difficulty points	631
Length	8.5 mi
Average gradient	6.6%
Steepest segment	12.3%
Total ascent	2933 ft

Short recap

Famous climb

Beautiful scenery

4 hairpin turns

#14 toughest climb of Massif Central

#31 most elevation gain of Massif Central

#23 longest climb of Auvergne

#88 average steepest climb of Puy-de-Dôme

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Col du Béal from Vertolaye is a climb in the region Monts du Forez. It is 8.5 mi long and bridges 2933 ft of vertical ascent with an average gradient of 6.6%, resulting in a difficulty score of 631. The top of the ascent is located at 4557 ft above sea level. Climbfinder users shared 8 reviews of this climb and uploaded 10 photos.

Road names: D28A, D268 & D40

3.0 by gtarrit2024

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: French.
My favourite pass. At the top of the pass, you can go up to Pierre-sur-Haute, a military station. Pedestrian and cycle access only. Some difficult ramps. If the weather is clear, you can see the Alps on one side and the Chaîne des Puys on the other. I recommend this climb, but you need to be really good at it as it's the 2nd most difficult pass in the Auvergne region. Beautiful scenery... read more

Photos (10)

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

Col du Béal from Vertolaye

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Reviews (8)

5.0

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

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1 y 3.0 00:50:00 (10.2 mph)

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: French. Show original

My favourite pass. At the top of the pass, you can go up to Pierre-sur-Haute, a military station. Pedestrian and cycle access only. Some difficult ramps. If the weather is clear, you can see the Alps on one side and the Chaîne des Puys on the other.
I recommend this climb, but you need to be really good at it as it's the 2nd most difficult pass in the Auvergne region. Beautiful scenery

1 y 5.0

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: French. Show original

Very nice climb, perfect road and very little traffic. The little bonus is the road up to the ski resort at the top of the pass (about 4km).

1 y 5.0 01:04:33 (7.9 mph)

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: French. Show original

In my opinion, here are the things you need to know before going up:
- the climb is a bit long but there are only 4 really difficult km: the 2 before the village of Saint-Pierre and the last 2
- it's easy to find your way around, with signs all along the ascent indicating the distance remaining
- the surface is excellent, with relatively little traffic
- magnificent scenery, with some fine viewpoints on the way up

Grim ^premium

2 y 5.0

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: French. Show original

Definitely the best option for climbing the Col du Béal in my opinion.
The road is fine, there's very little traffic and the magnificent scenery makes you forget how difficult the climb is.

3 y 4.0 01:02:00 (8.2 mph)

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: French. Show original

A nice, fairly uneven climb. The little traffic and the signs indicating the progress make the climb pleasant.

3 y 4.0

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: French. Show original

Very nice climb.

3 y 4.0 00:42:33 (12 mph)

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: French. Show original

An irregular ascent but with a beautiful view of the Forez. Once at the top, turn right towards Pierre sur Haute and stop at the Col de la Chamboite 1487m to admire (if there are no clouds) the magnificent Mont Blanc, its massif and, a little further south, the Massif des Ecrins!

4 y 4.0 01:19:50 (6.4 mph)

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch. Show original

Nice climb. Asphalt is good. Although it is not a super famous climb, there is a sign every kilometer (from vertolaye) how far you are and what the gradient is. I went in the middle of the high season in the afternoon and it was quiet. Very few cyclists. Some cars and motorcycles. The route to the Col is well marked with signs from Vertolaye. Beautiful views. At the top were some tourists who mostly with the car were and there is also a restaurant.

Climbing times

5 mph	01:42:18
7 mph	01:12:25
9 mph	00:56:26
12 mph	00:42:24

Road surface condition

100% 0% 0%

Based on 7 votes

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Traffic

88% 0% 13%

Based on 8 votes

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Frequently Asked Questions

Col du Béal can be cycled from 4 sides. Col du Béal from Vertolaye is the most popular side, but the summit can also be reached via Col du Béal from Job, Col du Béal from Le Brugeron & Col du Béal from Leigneux.

Col du Béal from Vertolaye is a challenging ascent. For this type of climbing, we recommend mountain gearing, specifically a compact system. This means a small front chainring of 34 teeth, combined with a rear cassette where, depending on your level, strength, and experience, you choose a sprocket with 30, 32, or even 34 teeth. Remember that a smooth cadence is always more efficient!

Col du Béal from Vertolaye is a first-category climb: long and tough. Do not underestimate this climb. Many famous Tour de France cols fall into this category. Prepare for a long, challenging ride. Only well-trained riders will reach the top smoothly. Make sure you have a road bike with climbing gears and enough training; otherwise, it will be a struggle.

Col du Béal from Vertolaye is 8.5 mi long.

The average gradient of Col du Béal from Vertolaye is 6.6%.

Col du Béal from Vertolaye has a steepest segment with an average gradient of 12.3%.

The summit of Col du Béal from Vertolaye is at 4557 ft.

At a slow pace of 5 mph, it takes about 01:42:18 to climb Col du Béal from Vertolaye. At 7 mph the time is 01:12:25, and at 9 mph 00:56:26. For the fastest cyclists, 00:42:24 is an achievable time.

Col du Béal from Vertolaye is located in the region Puy-de-Dôme in France.

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