List of highest points reached in the Tour de France

The Tour de France is an annual men's multiple stage bicycle race primarily held in France, generally considered the most famous bicycle race in the world. It was founded by the French sports journalist and former professional road racing cyclist Henri Desgrange, who became the first director of the race. He was passionate about taking the Tour up to the highest reachable points of elevation in the Alps and Pyrenees using the most difficult routes.

The highest point of the first Tour de France in 1903 was the summit of the Col de la République mountain pass in the Mont Pilat area of the Massif Central highland region. The following year the route remained identical, but in 1905 and 1906 the Tour moved into the Alps, in particular the Dauphiné Alps, and up to the Col Bayard at . The 1907 Tour took the race higher, up to with the Col de Porte in the Chartreuse Mountains. This point was again the highest for the next two Tours.

The race first reached high altitude on the ninth edition in 1910 when it passed the Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees. Not satisfied with that height, Desgrange the following year introduced his favoured Col du Galibier in the Alps, which summited at via a single-laned tunnel that first opened in 1891. At the time, Desgrange eulogised over the Galibier in comparison to the Tourmalet and other climbs, saying: "Oh Sappey, oh Laffrey, oh Bayard, oh Tourmalet! I will not shirk from my duty in proclaiming that compared to the Galibier you are no more than pale and vulgar babies; faced with this giant we can do no more than tip our hats and bow!" The Galibier was the highest point of elevation in each Tour to 1937, which led it to become one of the most iconic climbs in the race. The 1938 race went higher up to the Alpine Col de l'Iseran at . Various Alpine passes, including the Galibier, were the highest points reached in Tours until the 1962 race saw a new high of at the Cime de la Bonette in the Alps, a short loop road which forks from the summit of the Col de la Bonette. , this remains the highest point of elevation reached by the Tour de France. Since 1962, all the highest points of Tours bar one have remained above , using passes in the high Alps and Pyrenees.

List

+Key * Point was also used as the location of the stage finish ~ Climb was used for the first time in Tour de France history ^ Point was a new highest elevation reached in all Tour editions up to then

+List of highest points reached in the Tour de France Year Stage Climb Elevation Mountain range Coordinates Category First cyclist to summit 1903 2 Col de la République Mont Pilat style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1904 2 Col de la République Mont Pilat style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1905 4 Col Bayard Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1906 5 Col Bayard Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1907 5 Col de Porte Chartreuse style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1908 5 Col de Porte Chartreuse style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1909 5 Col de Porte Chartreuse style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1910 10 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1911 5 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1912 5 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1913 11 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1914 11 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1915–1918 colspan="8" 1919 11 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1920 11 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1921 11 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1922 11 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1923 11 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1924 11 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1925 14 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1926 15 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1927 17 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1928 14 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1929 15 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1930 16 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1931 17 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1932 13 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1933 7 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1934 7 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1935 7 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1936 7 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1937 7 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1938 15 Col de l'Iseran Graian Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1939 16b Col de l'Iseran Graian Alps style="text-align:center;" data-sort-value="0" 1940–1946 colspan="8" 1947 8 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps 1 1948 14 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps 2 1949 17 Col de l'Iseran Graian Alps 1 1950 18 Col d'Izoard Cottian Alps 1 1951 20 Col d'Izoard Cottian Alps 1 1952 11 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps 1 1953 18 Col d'Izoard Cottian Alps 1 1954 19 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps 1 1955 8 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps 1 1956 17 Col d'Izoard Cottian Alps 1 1957 10 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps 1 1958 20 Col d'Izoard Cottian Alps 1 1959 18 Col de l'Iseran Graian Alps 1 1960 16 Col d'Izoard Cottian Alps 1 1961 17 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees 1 1962 18 Cime de la Bonette Maritime Alps 1 1963 16 Col de l'Iseran Graian Alps 1 1964 9 Cime de la Bonette Maritime Alps 1 1965 16 Col d'Izoard Cottian Alps 1 1966 16 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps 1 1967 10 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps 1 1968 13 Port d'Envalira Pyrenees 1 1969 10 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps 1 1970 19 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees 1 1971 16b Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees 1 1972 14a Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps 1 1973 8 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps 1 1974 11 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps 1 1975 16 Col d'Izoard Cottian Alps 1 1976 15 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees 1 1977 2 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees 1 1978 11 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees 1 1979 17 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 1980 17 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 1981 19 Col de la Madeleine Graian Alps 1 1982 16 Alpe d'Huez Western Alps HC 1983 10 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees HC 1984 18 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 1985 17 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees HC 1986 18 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 1987 21 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 1988 15 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees HC 1989 17 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 1990 16 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees HC 1991 13 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees HC 1992 13 Col de l'Iseran Graian Alps HC 1993 11 Cime de la Bonette Maritime Alps HC 1994 17 Val Thorens Graian Alps HC 1995 15 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees HC 1996 9 Sestriere Cottian Alps 1 1997 10 & 11 Port d'Envalira Pyrenees HC 1998 15 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 1999 9 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 2000 15 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 2001 14 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees HC 2002 16 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 2003 8 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 2004 17 Col de la Madeleine Graian Alps HC 2005 11 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 2006 16 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 2007 9 Col de l'Iseran Graian Alps HC 2008 16 Cime de la Bonette Maritime Alps HC 2009 16 Col du Grand Saint-Bernard Pennine Alps HC 2010 17 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees HC 2011 18 Col Agnel Cottian Alps HC 2012 16 Col du Tourmalet Pyrenees HC 2013 8 Port de Pailhères Pyrenees HC 2014 14 Col d'Izoard Cottian Alps HC 2015 17 Col d'Allos Southern Alps 1 2016 10 Port d'Envalira Pyrenees 1 2017 17 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 2018 17 Col de Portet Pyrenees HC 2019 19 Col de l'Iseran Graian Alps HC 2020 17 Col de la Loze Graian Alps HC 2021 15 Port d'Envalira Pyrenees 1 2022 11 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC 12 2023 17 Col de la Loze Graian Alps HC 2024 19 Cime de la Bonette Maritime Alps HC 2025 18 Col de la Loze Graian Alps HC 2026 20 Col du Galibier Dauphiné Alps HC

List of highest points reached in the Tour de France

Bron en licentie