Col de Manse 1.95

The Col de Manse is a mountain pass located in the Massif des Écrins approximately 9km north-east of Gap in the Hautes-Alpes department of France. The pass connects Gap with the high Champsaur valley and the ski resort of Orcières-Merlette. The road over the col is used occasionally by the Tour de France cycle race with the tour crossing the pass twice in 2013.Refuge NapoleonAt the summit there is a "Refuge Napoleon" — this is one of six such refuges built in the region in 1857–1858 with funds provided by Emperor Napoleon from his estate to provide shelter for travellers. Napoleon's will provided 50,000 Francs in gratitude for the welcome he had received from the local population on his return from Elba in 1815.Details of the climbFrom Gap, the climb is approached via the RN85, which it leaves shortly before the Col Bayard to join the D944. From this direction, the climb is 9.4km long gaining 528m in height at an average gradient of 5.6%. This is the route used in Stage 16 of the 2013 Tour de France from Vaison-la-Romaine to Gap.From the south-east the col can be reached from the village of La Bâtie-Neuve on the RN94, from where the climb is 8.5km long climbing 416m at an average of 4.9%. This is the route taken on Stage 18 of the 2013 Tour de France shortly after leaving Gap en route to Alpe d'Huez.