CyclistClassic climb: Col du Grand Colombier, the monster in Frances Jura mountains that will tie you in knotsEveryone loves a story with an intriguing beginning, a captivating middle and a satisfying end. As mountain passes go, the Col du Grand Colombier at the edge of the Jura mountains in southeast France provides a sumptuous narrative arc.The prologue out of Culoz sets the scene with a wide-open bannister road chipped into a huge face of limestone. As the story gets going the road wiggles through a set of switchbacks so abrupt they seem almost panicked. The middle is a claustrophobic tale of suspicion and intrigue as dense forest closes in over the narrow road, smothering light, effort and air. In the denouement the foliage recedes, revealing upland fields of grazing livestock and clear views all the way to the summit. Its a classic tale, but one that took a while to be recognised by the organisers that matter.A true blockbusterThis colossal pile of rock rises alone from the Ain plain, just to the west of Annecy, and yet before 2012s Stage 10, the year of Bradley Wiggins and his throne, the Tour de France hadnt visited once. It featured heavily in the plot in both 2016 and 2017 but it wasnt until 2020 that Grand Colombier was called upon by the Tour as a summit finish. And boy was it worth the wait.Its hard to remember a time before Tadej Pogaar, but those September days in 2020 were when the baton was truly seized by the young Slovenian and he exploded into cyclings consciousness.As Stage 15 drew to a close, UAE Team Emirates leader Pogaar was in the leading group with compatriot and yellow jersey wearer Primo Rogli of Jumbo-Visma and Trek-Segafredos Richie Porte. Powered by the Jumbo train, the leaders group had already dropped the current Tour de France champion, Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers), further down the climb and reeled in a move from Adam Yates of Mitchelton-Scott. The Slovenians and the Australian made a break for the line. Grinding up the final metres of the mighty Grand Colombier, the 21-year-old Pogaar pipped Rogli on the line, securing a ten-second time bonus and bringing the GC deficit down to 40 seconds.It wasnt a particularly commanding stage win, but these were the breadcrumbs that would eventually lead to one of the most dramatic Tour de France victories of all time Pogaar besting Rogli by 1min 56sec in Stage 20s mountain time-trial on La Planche de Belles Filles to take the yellow jersey and win the GC by 59 seconds. The rest, as they say, is history.The quiet town of Culoz rarely sees such drama. Aside from the colossal monolith that towers over it, the giant polka-dotted bicycle at the roundabout as you enter the town is the only indication that youre on the threshold of Tour de France real estate.You may also pass Culozs Chteau de Montveran on the way to the start, well concealed in thick forest. With its conical turrets and looming stone walls, it fits that this 14th century fairytale abode was chosen as a holiday retreat by Sergei Prokofiev, composer of the symphonic fairytale Peter And The Wolf in 1929. Wolves, as it happens, are a growing presence in the forests of the region.The climb begins just opposite the Bugey Sud Tourisme Maison du Vlo office. If you time it right specifically the second Saturday of the summer months you should see a representative from the tourist board handing out coffees and keeping track of rider numbers. Its one of four days of the year that the Grand Colombier climb is closed to cars, and riders can clip a brevet card using a small device like a rail inspectors punch stuck to the wall.Youll be needing this if youre hoping to join the Fls du Grand Colombier or the brotherhood. Like similar fraternities on Ventoux and the Stelvio, climbing obsessives can commit to two (one western, one eastern), three or four ascents within 24 hours and be rewarded with the title of Member, Master or Great Master respectively. Just dont forget to clip your card at the top and bottom of each ascent.Article continues belowTour iconography in Culoz provides a clear starting point.Mike MassaroTheres no delayed gratification on Grand Colombier. Its spectacular from the off.Mike MassaroMike MassaroFans of the climb had to be patient for its Tour debut, but evidence of its repeated inclusion is now impossible to miss.Mike MassaroThe huge limestone outline of Grand Colombier stands alone and is much taller than nearby mountains.Mike MassaroThe surrounding forest can be deathly quiet as you rise past the lacets, but keep an eye out for hazel grouse, short-toed snake eagles, Eurasian goshawks and golden eagles.Mike MassaroWhile the early sections are totally exposed, there will be plenty of shade on offer in the long middle section.Mike MassaroThe forest road is long, straight and over 10% in places, so make sure youve got something interesting to daydream about.Mike MassaroMike MassaroMike MassaroSome of the road graffiti has been here for years now, including these fetching tributes to Kraftwerks Tour de France and Radio-Activity albums.Mike MassaroLe Cycliste statue is still new, having been unveiled in 2022 to mark the ten year anniversary of the climbs Tour de France debut.Mike MassaroThe likelihood of sharing the summit with German supercar owners is high, but the view is whats really sublime.Mike MassaroIn case you hadnt noticed, youre at the top. Be careful if you descend the west side, as one of the routes is incredibly steep.Mike MassaroTying the lacesFor anyone looking to do just the one ascent, the route from Culoz is the one to pick. There are no cliffhangers thrown into this prologue apart from the cliffs themselves, which appear around the 3km mark, looming over the town. Its a gentle start gradients stay in single figures at this point and through gaps in the trees to the east you are rewarded with views of the sparkling river Rhne and the lakes of Annecy and Bourget.Perhaps the only criticism of this particular page-turner is that a key plot device arrives so early. With barely a quarter of the climb in the legs, the road whips round a 90 left and before youve managed to take in the kaleidoscopic views of moody ridge and sprawling waterways, youre into the famous Lacets du Grand Colombier.This curlicue of tightly packed switchbacks is where things start getting steep. Its double-digit gradients only as you weave and wind around the rocky walls, intermittently hit with another face full of panorama.Despite the effort, its worth trying to enjoy these brief minutes of scenery, because the next 10km are something of a slow burn. After the barnstorming action of the first few chapters, theres barely even a meander in the road as it heads north for 4km and then south for another 3km, grinding at a steady incline, waiting for the forest to thin out and the plot to unfold.Things change abruptly, however, when you cross a cattle grid at the 14.5km mark. The wall of trees disappears, fenced off pasture opens up and, if its hot, even at 1,300m altitude you will be exposed to the suns full glare. Fortunately the hardest gradients are behind you and the final chapter of the story is about to reveal itself.Laces long forgotten, the 2km straight section that leads to the summit offers plenty of time to take in views over to the Swiss Jura, the Vanoise and Belledonne mountains and rising majestically above them all 4,805m of Mont Blanc itself. Even the most exhausted rider cant fail to notice just how much taller this beast is than everything around it.The denouementLooking ahead again and avoiding the melting snow depending on the time of year the tarmac is your best guide to how close you are to the end. A rich tapestry of flags, slogans, band names, iconography and rider names (Nans Peters from nearby Grenoble is a fan favourite) can only mean youre where Tadej and Primo were limbering up for the sprint half a decade ago.Up ahead youll see the road has disappeared. All thats visible is a silhouette of a rider carved out of creamy rock, floating in the sky. There will be no baying crowds or finish line, but follow the road round to the pass and youll find a stickered sign announcing you are one metre above 1,500m and youll get your first view of the western horizon. Out there lie the Beaujolais mountains and the Rhne Valley.Perhaps save those for another day. For now, its enough of a story to have crested an hors catgorie climb and the highest road pass in the Jura.The post Classic climb: Col du Grand Colombier, the monster in Frances Jura mountains that will tie you in knots appeared first on Cyclist.