The Col d'Aubisque (Occitan: Còth d'Aubisca) (elevation 1,709 m (5,607 ft)) is a mountain pass in the Pyrenees 30 km (19 mi) south of Tarbes and Pau in the department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, in the Aquitaine region of France.

It is regularly part of the Tour de France, generally rated an hors catégorie climb.

The summit of the col is marked by a commemorative plaque to André Bach (1888–1945), a member of Legion of Honour and President of the Cyclo Club of Béarn (C.C.B.).

[3] The inscription reads: André Bach 1888–1945 Officier de la Légion d'honneur Grand mutilé – Président du C.C.B.

From there to the top, the climb is 8.0 km (5.0 mi) at 8% average, passing the ski resort of Gourette at 1,400 m (4,600 ft).

[5] Writing in Vélo, Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle said: The Aubisque is one of those hors catégorie cols that make the legend of the Tour.

It was included at the insistence of Alphone Steinès, a colleague of Henri Desgrange at the Tour de France.

Steinès visited the man responsible for local roads, the ingénieur des ponts-et-chaussées, who said: "Take the riders up the Aubisque?

[2] In 1951, Wim van Est was in the yellow jersey – the first Dutchman to wear it[8] and chasing the leaders towards the Soulor when he slipped on gravel and fell into a ravine.

Van Est told journalists: "I had the feeling that I was taking that bend badly but I so much wanted to keep the yellow jersey, so I went flat out and off I flew.

"[8] A newspaper advertisement in the Netherlands showed van Est displaying the watch that he'd worn, with the legend: "My heart stopped, but not my Pontiac."

[10] Rasmussen won stage 16 in 2007, confirming himself as favourite for victory in Paris, but that evening was sacked by his team and thrown off the race.