Orcieres Merlette is an iconic Tour de France climb

Station de Orcières Merlette is a ski resort at an elevation of 1,823 meters (5,980 feet) above sea level, located in the Hautes-Alpes department of France.

Orcieres Merlette

Where is Orcières Merlette?

The resort is located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the southeastern part of the country.

How long is the road to Orcières Merlette?

Set high in the French Alps, the road to the summit is completely paved but steep. It’s called D76. Starting from Orcières, the ascent is 5.8 km (3.60 miles) long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 405 meters. The average gradient is 6.98%.

How steep is the road to Orcières Merlette?

Situated on the edge of the Ecrins National Park, it has been a summit finish for Tour de France stages on multiple occasions. The road has a relatively consistent gradient, reaching 9.0% in some sections, and features 8 hairpin turns.

 

 

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