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Saturday 2 May: Grand-Est regional meeting at Col du HaagGo to info

Bulletin de l'Amicale des Cyclos Cardiaques N° 166Go to info

Commemorative gathering at the Alsace balloon: presentation and new articlesGo to info

Cols de Redondet and Cols des Champs

Question: the Chauvot shows collars with the same name. Are they one and the same pass or are they two different passes that can be included on our annual lists?

Examples:
- the Redondet passes (FR-15-1531 and FR-15-1640)
- les cols des Champs (FR-04-2093 and FR-04-2040)

Response:

1) Are there one or two Redondet passes?
References: neither of these passes has a summit sign (in 2002...).

What does Michelin say?

The Col de Redondet is marked >.< on the road (D17) at an altitude of 1531m. This pass is named on the map.

What does the IGN say?

The Col de Redondet is a pass mule driver situated at an altitude of 1640m, 700m as the crow flies from the Michelin road pass.

- Can we consider that it's the same pass but with two different altitudes, as in the case of a ridge pass with a tunnel running underneath? I don't think so, because the first (road) pass is located on an East-West ridge and connects a valley to the North (Falgoux cirque) and a valley to the South, whereas the second (mule) pass at Redondet is located on a North-South ridge and connects a valley to the West and another to the East. «Geographically speaking TWO different collars.

- But who's right between Michelin and IGN?
I'd be inclined to say the IGN... but if you look at the many websites that mention the Col de Redondet, ALL of them refer to the road pass. This has become common practice and it would be misunderstood if the road version of this pass were to be removed in the name of the IGN map.

Conclusion Redondet: there are still two Redondet passes in the Chauvot and members of the Confrérie can declare two passes of this name in their lists, as there are in fact two different passes.

2) The Col des Champs.

What does Michelin say?

The Col des Champs is perfectly symbolised OUTSIDE the road, on a track further north.

What does the IGN say?

The Col des Champs is clearly signposted at 2045m, on a track below the road. No passes are indicated on this road.

So why is there a «road» Col des Champs (FR-04-2093)? Simply because a DDE sign indicates it on the road at the «P» point on the map above.

Road pass (sign). To the right, Col des Champs «géographique» IGN 2045m

Are there TWO cols des Champs in the local topography?

No, because the «road» and «mule» routes connect the same valleys (Var to the east, Verdon to the west). We are not in the same situation as the Redondet passes.
It is therefore the same passage.
So we have three references:
- sign (on the road)
- Michelin map (Col des Champs Muletier to the north of the road)
- IGN map (Col des Champs Muletier to the north of the road)
I'm inclined to say that the sign is in the minority and that it has been improperly placed on the road...
But here again, tradition dictates that the Col des Champs is crossed by road, and no one would understand if only the mule track in the Chauvot were left.

Should he include two Col des Champs in his annual list? I don't think so, as they are the same pass.

Happy collaring to all.

René Poty

Editor's note: this article dates from the early 2000s. In 2026, the Groupe de Travail des Cols de France has settled the question of the Col des Champs. There is only one pass to declare on its list, either one or the other. As with the tunnel passes, which are two passages over the same pass.