follow Band of Climbers on Instagram, UK bike apparel brand that does loads of features on some of the best climbs of Europe. One I would say is the Colle del Nivolet, 40km at almost 5% apparently, high on my bucket list

Useful info here: http://thecolcollective.com/

x2.

Without thinking about it too much, if I was in your position just off top of my head I'd be thinking about, in no particular order: huez, ventoux, stelvio, tourmalet, colle delle finestre, izoard, and maybe galibier? I could think of more but that's my personal A list.

Bear in mind the ones in the grand tours (especially the tdf) aren’t necessarily the best ones due to needing to cope with the tour traffic.
One main road to a ski resort begins to feel much like another.

Concerning La Tour de France I would add: Le Grand Colombier and Cime de la Bonette (down hill to the north is awesome) and Col Agnel and ...

Spend a few days in Bormio. The Stelvio, Gavia and Mortirolo are all right there.

I've always fancied Les Lacets de Montvernier, probably just because of how pretty. Not one of the big climbs, but it's in Maurienne valley so you've got Galibier, Madeleine etc. If I got bike fit again and was given permission, that's where I'd want to spend a few days.

Edit: and the masochist in me has always fancied the Zoncolan.

A month! So jealous.
Alpe d'Huez
Le Galibier
Col de la Croix de Fer
Les Lacets de Montvernier
Le Tourmalet
There's also a very nice long ride near Nice from St. Paul de Vence up toward Gourdon, traversing a series of walled medieval towns with commanding views of the coast. Not a classic climb, but it's periodically on the Tour. On the other side of Nice, there are climbs form the coast up to La Turbie / Eze (maybe it's Eze-Village), which used to be the last stage of Paris-Nice.

The first four are relatively near one another, and Bourg d'Oisans would make an excellent base camp for them. Les Lacets is a bit farther away. In Bourg d'O., I rented a really nice road bike from "Bleach Sports." Weird name, good people, and much easier than flying my own bike to Europe. I stayed at Le Petit Catelan, a B&B just outside of town -- nice people, good food, secure bike storage.

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<The Dew Abides>

I think your question in the post makes a lot more sense than the title of the thread. 1) if you follow the GTs closely enough, you'll know which climbs you want to do, and 2) if you don't follow the GTs that closely, then what you really want is the best climbs, regardless if they're in the various GTs. You could come up with two lists, the best of the GT climbs and the best climbs, and there may be very little crossover between the two. Lots of really great climbs are never used in the GTs because of various traffic control considerations.

You might check on this site below. This guy posts on another forum I frequent and does previews of all the tour climbs. Sounds like he has ridden many of the big climbs in France. He also says, I think, that often times the best climbs are not the ones the tour uses.

https://www.cycling-challenge.com/

Only one I’ve done irl is Ventoux. It’s a beast and we’ll worth climbing. It’s remote from many of the other climbs, but the surrounding area is great…

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Randy Christofferson(http://www.rcmioga.blogspot.com

Insert Doubt. Erase Hope. Crush Dreams.

If you're going to do the Tourmalet, consider adding in Luz Ardiden while you are there.

As mentioned, if you are doing Alpe d'Huez the Croix de Fer was the traditional lead-in climb in many Tours.

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

My partner is from north east Italy and we go to her hometown on holiday at least once a year to see family and friends. It's about a 1hr drive from Zoncolan and better yet I have an apartment at my disposal just a few hundred meters from the arch marking the bottom of the climb.....yet I still haven't done it! Maybe this summer......

Thank you all for your suggestions.
If you have any experience with these climbs first hand I would really appreciate any additional info making it easy to plan.

For example. Start location and climbs to include from that location and possibly route map if you have completed.

Eg:
Italy, Bormio: Umbrailpass + Stelvio
Italy, Bormio: Gavia, Mortirolo
France, Grenoble: Alpe D'huez, Galibier
France, Avignon: Mont Ventoux

I'd dedicate a week to Alps, a week to Pyrenees and a week to Asturias. The other week for logistics and some rest.

In the Alps, you'd get the best of the Giro (Stelvio, Morrtirolo, Gavia) and the Tour (Mont Ventoux, Galibier, Alpe d'Huez)

Pyrenees, le Tour and La Vuelta (Tourmalet, Hautacam, Aubisque, Peyresourde)

Asturias, La Vuelta (Covadonga, Angliru, Somiedo).

If ever coming to Asturias, feel free to contact me. I may join you if you go to Somiedo. Angliru not even if you pay me!

 
I can help with Grenoble. It's an awesome city with lot's of climbs to choose from. From Le Grand Hotel downtown, cross the the river and you are climbing the cat 2 Col du Porte in a less than two kilometers. Loop back down to town on the D57 for a nice morning ride before a late breakfast. Cross town, and head up into the Vercors Massif. Lots of incredible climbs, gorges, and hardly a car in sight. This is where the locals go to play.

The Alp d' Huez is 30k or so up a fairly boring 2-3 percent highway if you chose to ride there from Grenoble. Of the 25 or so French col's that I've ridden, it is still still my favorite, as the sightlines change around every switch back and are spectacular. Obviously all of the climbs on this thread are awesome and stunning, some just more so than others. One note about Ventoux. If you attack it from the traditional side, be prepared for a long ride in woods. Nothing but trees to look at until you reach Chalet Reynard where the moonscape begins,

Many of the climbs in Europe have dark and spooky tunnels. Don't forget your headlight.

If you want an epic day or two try these 2 sportives - Maratona dles Dolomites one week ( Giau, Valparola, Gardena, Pordoi, Sella - 138km and 4200+m climbing) and then La Marmotte the next (Col de Glandon, Telegraphe, Galibier, Alpe d'huez - 175km and 5000+m of climbing).

Great fun, did this in 2012.

Definitely Colle Delle Finestre, climbing from Susa Valley. Also Galibier, climbing from either side, though I prefer from the South.

I live in Switzerland, and have done many of the famous Swiss climbs and a handful in France. This is my list:

1. Grosse Scheidegg, with the Eiger towering above, on a closed road and stunning scenery. My favourite climb in the world. I climbed it with an Italian friend, halfway up, he stopped to take a picture, and with a tear in his eye, explained that he had a poster of that exact view on his wall when he was a child
2. Grimsel Pass, 32km of pain and beauty, this climb has a special place in my heart, will I beat it, or will it conquor me? If you want a big day, start in the ski resort of Andermatt, descend from the town towards Luzern, climb Susten Pass, descend, go over Gotthard, Descend, Climb Furka Pass, Descend to Andermatt, a nice 6000m (19,000ft) climbing day
3. Gothard pass (Tremola) from Bellinzona, iconic cobbled climb, not to be missed
4. Stelvio from Prato, make sure its a weekday unless you want to be run over by a fat middle age man in a Porsche convertible. Actually a lovely loop, stay in Santa Maria Val Mustair (fabulous hotel there). descend to Prato, climb Stelvio, descend Umbrail pass back to Santa Maria
5. San Bernadino Pass, its long, very long. I did it last August, it was snowing at the top, but 25 degrees C in Bellinzona at the bottom
6. Ibergeregg, starting in Schwyz, climb past Stoos, the steepest railway in the world. Its only a 1400m climb, but really quiet, and amazing scenery

This is my starting list, there are so many other that I have not included.

If you are looking at a mountain Fondo, don't miss Alpenbrevet, it'e Epic

Just because a climb is in a grand tour does not mean it's the best out there.

Anyways, Colle de Nivolet is generally regarded as one of the best in the alps. Tucked up a dead end in NW Italy near Aosta.

Fully agree with you, many of the climbs on my list are less well known. Colle de Nivolet is on my list to do this year. I hear that it is a lovely climb.

I was supposed to visit Aosta in 2020 but the pandemic hit.
I had a plan to start in Aosta, go East and South towards Ivrea, head West up to the top of the Colle de Nivolet, then take the gravel road on the backside down back to Aosta. 196km(ish), 3500m, 7km of gravel.
To avoid some of the busier roads on the south bit you'd probably have to do a lot more climbing and go well above 200km total.
Would be epic though...

An update of my itinerary.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this thread.
If you see anything in my itinerary that jumps out as a skip or that I have missed, please let me know
Thanks again :)



Sunday 3rd July, Day 10 – Challenge Roth

Tuesday 5th July, Day 12 Tri travel return to Munich

Wednesday 6th July, Day 13 – relaxing in Munich

Thursday 7th July, Day 14 – Drive to Santa Maria Val Müstair/Bormio

Friday 8th July, Day 15 – Riding Italy (Stelvio, Mortirolo, Gavia, Umbrail)

Saturday 9th July, Day 16 – Riding Italy

Sunday 10th July, Day 17 – Drive to and explore St Moritz

Monday 1th July, Day 18 – St Moritz

Tuesday 12th July, Day 19 – Drive to Grenoble

Wednesday 13th July – Thursday 14th July, Day 20 + 21
Watch tour de France stage 11 + 12

Friday 15th July, Day 22 – Ride French Alps

Saturday 16th July Day 23 – Ride French Alps

Sunday 18th July Day 24 – Drive to Avignon

Monday 19th July Day 25 – Ride Mont Ventoux

Tuesday 20th July Day 26 – Drive to Toulouse

Wednesday 21st July, Day 27 – relax in Toulouse

Thursday 22nd July, Day 28 – Drive to Bagnères-de-Bigorre

Friday 23rd July, Ride the Tourmelet

Saturday 24th July 30, Enjoy the Pyrenees

Sunday 25th, Day 31, Drive to Andorra

Monday 26th, Day 32,enjoy Andorra

Tuesday 27th, Day 33, enjoy Andorra

Wednesday 29th, Day 34 Drive to Girona

Thursday 30th July, Day 35, Enjoy Girona

Friday 31st July, Day 36, Drive to Barcelona, return car

Saturday 1st August, Day 37, Travel to Palma/Mallorca

Sunday 2nd August, Day 38, Day 38 – enjoy Palma/Mallorca

Monday 3rd August, Day 39, Day 39 – Enjoy Palma/Mallorca

Tuesday 4th August, Day 40 – Return to Barcelona

Wednesday 5th August, Day 41 – Enjoy Barcelo

Thursday 6th August, Day 42 – Depart Barcelona