Col du Tourmalet ) is the highest paved mountain pass in the French Pyrenees, located in the department of Hautes-Pyrénées. Sainte-Marie-de-Campan is at the foot on the eastern side and the ski station La Mongie two-thirds of the way up. The village of Barèges lies on the western side, above the town of Luz-Saint-Sauveur.
Tourmalet is also a cheese made from sheep milk produced in these mountains.
The Col du Tourmalet is the highest paved mountain pass in the French Pyrenees. However, in contrast to frequent claims , it is neither the highest paved road in the French Pyrenees, nor the highest mountain pass in the French Pyrenees, nor the highest paved mountain pass in the Pyrenees.
The western side, from Luz-Saint-Sauveur, is 19.0 km long, climbing 1,404 m at an average of 7.4% with a maximum of 10.2% near the summit. Starting from Sainte-Marie-de-Campan, the eastern climb is 17.2 km , gaining 1,268 m , at an average of 7.4% with a maximum of 12%.