Port de Larrau

Port de Larrau is a mountain pass on the France – Spain border in the western Pyrenees between the department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France and Navarre, Spain. The climb from the French side was used in the 2007 Tour de France.The true summit of the pass is at 1585m and is near the Pic d’Orhi, the most westerly mountain over 2000m in the Pyrenees. In the Basque language the pass is known as Uthurzehetako Lepoua.Details of the climbThe pass is situated south east of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Starting from Auberge de Laugibar (north east), the Port de Larrau is 15.3km long. Over this distance, the climb is 1205m (an average of 7.9%) with long sections at over 10% and the maximum gradient of 13% near the summit. Between the village of Larrau and the summit the climb passes over the Col d’Erroymendi at 1362m.Starting from Ochagavía (Navarre, Spain), the Puerto de Larrau is 19.3km long with a 100 m. tunnel near the summit. Over this distance, the climb is 815m (an average of 4.2%) with a maximum of 8%.Tour de FranceThe climb first appeared in the Tour de France in 1996, when it became the final Tour de France climb to be ridden by five-times race winner Miguel Indurain, who lost out heavily here.