Andorra · Iberian Peninsula
Port d'Envalira
The highest paved pass in the Pyrenees and a major Andorran classic, climbing steadily to a broad high-altitude summit above Soldeu and Grau Roig.
- Length
- 35.1 km
- Avg gradient
- 4.8%
- Max gradient
- 8%
- Elevation gain
- 1,290 m
- Summit
- 2,408 m
- Hairpins
- 19
Versants
- From Soldeu (old road) — 9.2 km at 6.0% (max 9%)
- From Ax-les-Thermes — 35.1 km at 4.8% (max 10%)
History
Port d'Envalira is the highest paved pass in the Pyrenees at 2,408 m, and it's been a fixture of the Vuelta a España multiple times. The climb from Ax-les-Thermes is 35.1 km at only 4.8% average, which means it's a long, steady endurance test to high altitude rather than a steep assault.
The road winds through Andorran valleys and plateaus, gradually climbing toward the pass with consistent, moderate gradients. The altitude is the defining challenge — by 2,200 m, the thin air begins to affect pace, and by the summit, most riders are working much harder than the gradient alone suggests.
The pass sits at the border between Andorra and France and offers views across the high Pyrenees. It's a working mountain road used by locals and has excellent infrastructure, making it accessible to cyclists of all levels despite the altitude.