Col du Tourmalet (West Side) par Luz St.Sauveur

The climb to Col du Tourmalet from Luz-Saint-Sauveur is considered the most "wild" and "most beautiful" from the two ways to ascend the col du Tourmalet.
At Luz-St.Sauveur we leave the valley with a steep ramp-up; the climb is moderate through the scattered houses of Esterre, then at a crossing we left to right the short branch to Viella before entering the Bastan river valley.
Now the slope is demanding, but steady, into extensive forests. After crossing a bridge we face two bends close together; to a next intersection, leave left the branch for Sers, then face another two bends close, pass Cabadur and leave on the left the Thermes de Barzun. With two more bends you get very steep in Barèges, a tourist center that we cross always on steep ascent; It continues holding on the southern side of the valley with hard climb the grassy plateau of Lienz, where we meet a short slight slope. The road then climbs steeply, the pass is clearly visible from the front, on the left there is instead a view of the Pic de Midi de Bigorre and its observatory. Increasingly steep road, we face the penultimate the last bend to reach the top of the hill. The view is magnificent in all directions. Finally we face the long descent that leads us to St.Marie de Campan.