Col du Grand Colombier, Mountain pass in Ain, France

Col du Grand Colombier is a mountain pass in the southern Jura hills reached by a completely paved road with four different climbing routes. The road connects various valleys and offers different difficulty levels depending on the route chosen.

The Tour de France first crossed the Col du Grand Colombier in 2012, on stage 10, as a Hors Catégorie climb; Thomas Voeckler led over the summit and won the stage at Bellegarde-sur-Valserine. Stage 15 of the 2020 Tour finished at the pass, won by Tadej Pogacar, and stage 13 of the 2023 Tour also finished there. The climb had earlier appeared in the Tour de l'Ain, the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Tour de l'Avenir.

Since 1992 the cycling brotherhood Les Fêlés du Grand Colombier has gathered riders who climb two, three or four of its access roads in a single day; several hundred cyclists from across Europe are members. Near the top, Canadian barriers keep livestock from crossing the road, and the summit cross comes into view on the final climb.

Visitors should be prepared for changing weather conditions, as the mountain pass can develop unexpected cold or wet conditions depending on the season. Those coming by bicycle should be in good physical condition, as the longer routes demand endurance.

The pass holds a special place in professional cycling as it lies outside the Alps and Pyrenees yet reaches the highest difficulty category in races. This exceptional status makes it particularly interesting to cyclists.