{{Short description|Mountain pass in the French Alps}} {{Infobox mountain pass | name = Col de la Madeleine | photo = Col de la Madeleine - janvier 2010.jpg | photo_caption = North side of the Col de la Madeleine in January | elevation_m = 1993 | elevation_ref = | traversed = D213 | map = Alps | map_caption = Location of Col de la Madeleine | map_size = | label = Col de la Madeleine | coords = {{coord|45|26|05|N|6|22|32|E|type:pass_region:FR|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | location = Savoie, France | range = Alps | topo = }}

'''Col de la Madeleine''' (el. 1,993 m.) is a high mountain pass in the Alps in the department of Savoie in France which connects La Chambre in Maurienne with La Léchère in Tarentaise. The pass is closed from November to the beginning of June. It has been described as "beautiful, but heartbreaking".<ref>{{cite web|title=July 12: Stage 11|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/tour-de-france/9388259/Tour-de-France-2012-Five-key-days-to-make-or-break-Bradley-Wiggins.html|work=Tour de France 2012: Five key days to make or break Bradley Wiggins|publisher=Daily Telegraph|accessdate=10 July 2012|date=10 July 2012}}</ref>

==Cycling==

===Details of the climb=== 300px|left|thumb| Old sign at the summit The southern approach from La Chambre (via the D213) is 19&nbsp;km long, gaining 1,522 m at an average gradient of 8.01%, with a maximum of 13.5%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Col de la Madeleine from La Chambre : 1993m |url=https://www.cols-cyclisme.com/ |access-date=2025-07-20 |website=Cols-cyclisme |language=en}}</ref>

The southern approach from La Chambre via Montgellafrey is 19.8&nbsp;km long, gaining 1,520 m at an average gradient of 7.68%, with a maximum of 12.5%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Col de la Madeleine from La chambre, via Montgellafrey : 1993m |url=https://www.cols-cyclisme.com/ |access-date=2025-07-20 |website=Cols-cyclisme |language=en}}</ref>

The northern approach can be accessed via Feissons-sur-Isère. From Feissons-sur-Isère (through La Léchère), the climb is 24.5&nbsp;km. long, gaining 1,543 m at an average gradient of 6.3%, with a maximum of 12%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Col de la Madeleine from Feissons sur isere : 1993m |url=https://www.cols-cyclisme.com/ |access-date=2025-07-20 |website=Cols-cyclisme |language=en}}</ref> For the 2012 Tour de France, the height at the summit is shown as 2,000 m., whereas in previous years it has been shown as 1,993 m.<ref name="TdF"/>

On both sides of the Col de la Madeleine mountain pass cycling milestones are placed every kilometre. They indicate the distance to the summit, the current height, and the average slope in the following kilometre. Such signposting for cyclists has become common in most major mountain passes in the French Pyrenees and Alps.

===Appearances in Tour de France=== The pass was first included in the Tour de France in 1969 and has since featured 28 times.<ref name="TdF">{{cite web |title=Le col de la Madeleine dans le Tour de France|url=http://www.ledicodutour.com/cols/cols_m/madeleine.html |work=ledicodutour.com|accessdate=10 August 2022|language=fr}}</ref>

It has been ranked ''hors catégorie'', every year since 1995.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- !Year !Stage !Category !Start !Finish !Leader at the summit |- |2025 |18 |HC | Vif | Col de la Loze | align=left|{{Flagathlete|Jonas Vingegaard|DEN}} |- |2020 |17 |HC | Grenoble | Méribel | align=left|{{Flagathlete|Richard Carapaz|ECU}} |- |2018 |12 |HC | Bourg-Saint-Maurice | Alpe d'Huez | align=left|{{Flagathlete|Julian Alaphilippe|FRA}} |- |2013 |19 |HC | Le Bourg-d'Oisans | Le Grand-Bornand | align=left|{{Flagathlete|Pierre Rolland|FRA}} |- |2012 |11 |HC | Albertville | La Toussuire-Les Sybelles | align=left|{{Flagathlete|Peter Velits|SVK}} |- |2010 |9 |HC | Morzine-Avoriaz | Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Anthony Charteau|FRA}} |- |2005 |11 |HC | Courchevel | Briançon |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Santiago Botero|COL}} |- |2004 |17 |HC | Bourg d'Oisans | Le Grand-Bornand |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Gilberto Simoni|ITA}} |- |2002 |16 |HC | Les Deux Alpes | La Plagne |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Michael Boogerd|NED}} |- |2001 |10 |HC | Aix-les-Bains | Alpe d'Huez |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Laurent Roux|FRA}} |- |2000 |15 |HC | Briançon | Courchevel |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Massimiliano Lelli|ITA}} |- |1998 |16 |HC | Vizille | Albertville |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Jan Ullrich|GER}} |- |1997 |14 |HC | Le Bourg-d'Oisans | Courchevel |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Richard Virenque|FRA}} |- |1996 |7 |HC | Chambéry | Les Arcs |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Richard Virenque|FRA}} |- |1995 |10 |HC | La Plagne | Alpe d'Huez |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Richard Virenque|FRA}} |- |1994 |17 |1 | Le Bourg-d'Oisans | Val Thorens |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Piotr Ugrumov|LAT}} |- |1990 |11 |HC | Saint-Gervais | Alpe d'Huez |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Thierry Claveyrolat|FRA}} |- |1988 |12 |1 | Morzine | Alpe d'Huez |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Henri Abadie|FRA}} |- |1987 |21 |HC | Le Bourg-d'Oisans | La Plagne |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Anselmo Fuerte|ESP}} |- |1984 |18 |HC | Le Bourg-d'Oisans | La Plagne |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Pedro Delgado|ESP}} |- |1983 |18 |HC | Le Bourg-d'Oisans | Morzine |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Lucien Van Impe|BEL}} |- |1981 |19 |1 | Morzine | Alpe d'Huez |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Lucien Van Impe|BEL}} |- |1980 |17 |HC | Serre-Chevalier | Morzine |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Mariano Martínez|FRA}} |- |1979 |17 |1 | Les Menuires | Alpe d'Huez |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Lucien Van Impe|BEL}} |- |1977 |17 |1 | Chamonix | Alpe d'Huez |align=left|{{Flagathlete|André Chalmel|FRA}} |- |1975 |17 |1 | Valloire | Morzine-Avoriaz |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Francisco Galdós|ESP}} |- |1973 |8 |2 | Moûtiers | Les Orres |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Jean-Pierre Danguillaume|FRA}} |- |1969 |10 |2 | Chamonix | Briançon |align=left|{{Flagathlete|Andrés Gandarias|ESP}} |}

===Appearances in Tour de France Femmes=== Col de la Madeleine featured as the finish of Stage 8 of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stage 8 - Chambéry > Saint François Longchamp - Col de la Madeleine - Tour de France Femmes 2025 |url=https://www.letourfemmes.fr/en/stage-8 |access-date=2025-07-20 |website=www.letourfemmes.fr |language=en}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- !Year !Stage !Start of stage !Distance (km) !Category !Stage winner !Yellow jersey |- | 2025 | 8 | Chambéry | 111.9 | HC | {{flagathlete|Pauline Ferrand-Prévot|FRA}} | {{flagathlete|Pauline Ferrand-Prévot|FRA}} |}

==See also== * List of highest paved roads in Europe * List of mountain passes * Souvenir Henri Desgrange

==References== {{reflist|2}}

== External links == {{commons category|Col de la Madeleine}} *[http://www.cycling-challenge.com/2012-tour-de-france-stage-11-preview-madeleine-glandon-la-toussuire/ Col de la Madeleine and preview of Stage 11 of the 2012 Tour de France] *[http://www.sport-passion.fr/en/routes/col-madeleine.php Col de la Madeleine cycling. Description, profiles and pictures] *[https://archive.today/20131012081328/http://goo.gl/maps/DU8BX Col de la Madeleine on Google Maps (Tour de France classic climbs)]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Madeleine}} Category:Climbs in cycle racing in France Category:Mountain passes of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Category:Mountain passes of the Alps