After of flat to start, Stage 8 featured the first mountains of the tour, including the Hors catégorie climb of the Port de Pailhères which, at , is the highest point reached on the 2013 Tour. The first rider to cross the summit, Movistar Team's Nairo Quintana won the Souvenir Henri Desgrange. The finish was at the Ax 3 Domaines ski resort, at , with the final climb covering and rising at an average gradient of 8.6%. The final climb saw the GC contenders come to the front in this tour's first battle for the maillot jaune.