Col du Soulor

Corniche between Aubisque and Soulor

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The Col du Soulor is a 1,474 meter high mountain pass in the French Pyrenees. He links the Vallée d' Ouzom in the department of Pyrénées- Atlantiques to the Vallée d' Arens in the Hautes -Pyrenees. The eastern ramp of the Col du Soulor is part of the Pyrenean high road "Route des Cols " she explains of the pass on to the Col d' Aubisque.

Route

The eastern ramp overcomes to 19 kilometers in length 1,019 meters in altitude. The first three kilometers after leaving the town of Argelès -Gazost to Arras -en- Lavedan already include 220 ​​meters of altitude, then the route is 9km long fairly flat until the last village Arrens -Marsous to 875 meters. There branches a 9.5 km long access road to the top of the Vallée d' Arrens from the Pyrenees National Park. Behind Arrens -Marsous begins the upper, far steeper section of the pass road. The sweeping range has an average gradient of 8.0 % with a maximum of about 10% just before the summit.

The main route D 918 leads after a short gap continues on the Corniche at the rock face of the Cirque du Litor, and then up to the Col d' Aubisque. It is scenically very attractive.

The northern ramp of the Col du Soulor is formed by the secondary road D 126. When beginning the village Arthez's d' asson is to be considered. The first ten kilometers in the narrow valley of the river Ouzom are still almost flat. In place Ferrieres begins on 574 meters height, the actual pass road. The next four kilometers across the last place Arbéost (819 m) ​​, followed by 655 vertical meters to eight kilometers in length. After five kilometers, coming from the north road turns east, there you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Cirque du Litor.

Tour de France

The Col du Soulor is frequently crossed by the Tour de France, since 1947 already nineteen times. In both directions it is classified as an increase in the First Category. But since it is mostly traveled together with the Col d' Aubisque, he does not always count as a separate mountain classification for the polka-dot jersey. At the 17th stage of the Tour de France 2010, he was approached on the north ramp.