Malaucene Route . . .
We can argue until the cows come home which is harder, the Bedoin side or the Malaucene side. What we do know is that both sides are long and hard. For a .pdf file of the route profile please click here.
Starting in Malaucene at 360m you have approximately 1km then as you pass the cafe on the right the road steepens to over 10% for 2km to 600m. Here you get some respite with a nice section of 4, 5 and 6% which is the story until the 9km mark.
Here it kicks and the gradient once again goes over 10% (with some 12%).
This is a very hard section, as you pass the water tank and the concrete shed the road swings right then left then you can see straight ahead for a kilometre at well over 10%.
The road then twists slightly at a layby then a welcome rest section as you pass the mini roundabout and the cafe, Chalet Liotard.
0.75km of steep climbing then a sharp hairpin left leads to a nice long 7% section with the steep ski pistes dropping down to your left.
As you leave the trees you are greeted with a fantastic view of the tower still 250m above your head (see pic above).
The last two hairpins steepen again with magnificent views to the North where on a clear day the Alps form a fantastic backdrop.