Col du Noyer, an iconic Tour de France climb

Col du Noyer is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.664m (5,459ft) above the sea level, located in the Alps in the department of Hautes-Alpes in France.

Col du Noyer

The road to the summit is called D 17. It’s paved and closed in winters. It was made in 1850 out of the mule path which was once one of the most well-used routes into Le Dévoluy. The Col du Noyer mountain shelter was inaugurated in 1858.
The pass has been climbed in the Tour de France bicycle race. At the summit there’s a refuge. The pass offers breath-taking panoramic views with, on one side, Le Dévoluy's arid ridges and, on the other, the ample Drac Valley inlaid with natural greenery.

There are 2 routes to reach the summit. Starting from Le Noyer, the ascent is 7.5 km long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 616 meters. The average percentage is 8.2 %. And starting from Saint Disdier, the ascent is 14.5 km long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 616 meters. The average percentage is 4.2 %.