Port de Pailhères
D25Ascou to Mijanès · Occitania
Distance15.9mi · 26 km
Drive time33 minon the road
DifficultyDemanding
MountainForest
High Ariège Pyrenees pass with stacked hairpins above Ax-les-Thermes
The D25 crosses the Port de Pailhères at just over 2,000 m in the Ariège Pyrenees, linking Ax-les-Thermes with Mijanès and the Donezan. The western approach is known for its succession of evenly spaced hairpins climbing out of the forest into open mountain, and the climb has appeared in the Tour de France since 2003, rated hors-catégorie since 2005. The road is narrow and exposed near the summit and is closed by snow in winter.
Where it runs
AscouStart · Occitania
MijanèsEnd · France
Character
Corners40bends
Tightness6of 10
Max gradient10%≈ 1-in-10
Hairpins26tight bends
Climb1074 mtotal ascent
Summit2002 mhighest point · 6568 ft
SummerAutumn
Elevation
1089 m rangeKnow before you go
- Tight stacked hairpins on the western side
- Narrow exposed road near the 2,001 m summit
- Winter snow closure
Along the road
- viewpoint La cabane du trône
Sources
In these collections
Nearby roads
The closest great drives to Port de Pailhères.
