Col d'Aspin, Mountain pass in Hautes-Pyrénées, France.
Col d'Aspin rises to 1,489 meters elevation in the French Pyrenees, connecting the valleys of Campan and Aure through winding roads that traverse alpine meadows and forested slopes between Sainte-Marie-de-Campan and Arreau.
The pass has been featured in the Tour de France since 1910 when Octave Lapize first crossed as race leader, accumulating 76 appearances and witnessing the dramatic 1950 incident when bottles were thrown at riders, causing the Italian team to withdraw.
Col d'Aspin represents traditional Pyrenean mountain culture where local communities maintain alpine farming practices, seasonal festivals celebrate regional heritage, and the pass serves as a gateway for cultural exchange between valley populations.
The pass offers two main ascent routes with the western approach from Sainte-Marie-de-Campan spanning 12.59 kilometers at 5% average gradient, while the eastern route from Arreau covers 12 kilometers with steeper 6.5% average gradient and parking facilities available.
The pass features milestone markers displaying real-time elevation, remaining distance, and gradient information for cyclists, making it one of the few mountain passes with such detailed technical signage throughout the entire ascent route.
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