{"id":410758,"date":"2026-02-06T07:29:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T07:29:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/410758\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T07:29:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T07:29:17","slug":"which-of-these-legendary-tour-de-france-climbs-is-hardest-find-out-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/410758\/","title":{"rendered":"Which of these legendary Tour de France climbs is hardest? Find out this summer"},"content":{"rendered":"

The high-octane hairpins of Alpe d\u2019Huez<\/a> versus the high-altitude grind of the Col du Galibier<\/a>? Each of these incredible, storied peaks offers a mouth-watering opportunity to test the legs, but which is the greater challenge?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thanks to Club Med\u2019s resorts<\/a> being positioned at the foot and summit of these Alpine climbs, you\u2019ll be located perfectly to take them on.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With expert-led guided rides, included equipment and the peace of mind that comes with all-inclusive stays, Club Med\u2019s Alp d\u2019Huez and Serre Chevalier resorts<\/a> are great places to challenge yourself without losing out on much-needed recovery time.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s compare what it takes to tackle these two iconic Tour de France climbs and explore why Club Med<\/a> gives you the edge with both.<\/p>\n

Alpe d’Huez
\n\"L'Alpe<\/a>Alpe D’Huez spans 21 hairpins over its 13.8km distance. <\/p>\n

Often referred to as the \u2018Eiffel Tower\u2019 of cycling, Alpe d\u2019Huez is sharp and intense.<\/p>\n

Key stats: 13.8km at an average 8.1% incline.<\/p>\n

The challenge: It\u2019s a power climb throughout, with 21 hairpins. While the road is wide and the surface is excellent, this ascent is a relentless assault on your legs and lungs. Be careful on the first six hairpins, because these are the steepest, at a steady 10-12% incline.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Club Med advantage: The Alpe d\u2019Huez resort<\/a> lies at the summit, meaning you can start at the top and warm up with a 20-minute descent through the 21 hairpins to get a feel for the road. By the time you\u2019ve done so, you\u2019ll be ready for your attempt at tackling the climb, before rolling into the resort for a much-needed breakfast and massage.<\/p>\n

Col du Galibier
\n\"Uphill<\/a>Make sure you save something for the final 7km of this brutal endurance test. <\/p>\n

If Alpe d\u2019Huez is a sprint, Col du Galibier is more of a marathon that requires endurance and grit to conquer.<\/p>\n

Key stats: 34.8km at an average of 6.1%.<\/p>\n

The challenge: The summit sits at 2,642m. At that height, you\u2019re losing roughly 10-15% of your aerobic capacity. And that final 7km? A challenging 10% incline at an altitude your lungs will feel.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Club Med advantage: The Serre Chevalier resort<\/a> grants you a supported ascent with a team of guides who\u2019ll know exactly how to pace you through the \u2018false flats\u2019 that catch out many solo riders.<\/p>\n

The verdict: which is harder?<\/p>\n

The verdict, of course, depends on where your strengths lie.<\/p>\n

For a test of raw power, Alpe d\u2019Huez is the equivalent of an epic HIIT class. But if you favour endurance, the Galibier is your climb.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>Club Med resorts are positioned perfectly for your next cycling adventure. <\/p>\n

*Club Med is financially protected \u2013 ABTA: V6608, ATOL: 10020. Learn more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The high-octane hairpins of Alpe d\u2019Huez versus the high-altitude grind of the Col du Galibier? Each of these…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":410759,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[4985,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-410758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-cycling","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=410758"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410758\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/410759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=410758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=410758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=410758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}