Hi!
Just back from 7 days in the Pyrenees on my GS LC.
Loved it. So many amazing roads and not expensive either (hotels etc.).
Spanish roads seemed slightly better maintained overall than the French ones, and hotels and meals slightly cheaper on the Spanish side too IMO.
However, hard to beat somewhere like Argeles Gazost as a base.
Brillant rides and mountain passes in every direction.
Many of those routes and passes are used by the Tour de France bike race, and they are all in good condition.
Some photos attached.
Particularly good rides :
D921 south to Gavarnie - and you can go a bit beyond, up a mountain road to the border with Spain
D918 across to La Mongie, over the Tourmalet pass, there is an amazing observatory ( pic du midi de Bigorre )
D918 west of Argeles to Laruns, then south on D934 to Spain, turns into A136 on the Spanish side
Further East, D918, Col de Aspin towards Arreau, then on to D618 which takes you to Bagneres de Luchon
All the riding we did in that area was amazing. Not too much traffic. But quite a lot of cyclists on the mountain passes. Make sure you avoid the area when the Tour de France is there, apparently its jammed.
Cheers, Jules.
Just back from 7 days in the Pyrenees on my GS LC.
Loved it. So many amazing roads and not expensive either (hotels etc.).
Spanish roads seemed slightly better maintained overall than the French ones, and hotels and meals slightly cheaper on the Spanish side too IMO.
However, hard to beat somewhere like Argeles Gazost as a base.
Brillant rides and mountain passes in every direction.
Many of those routes and passes are used by the Tour de France bike race, and they are all in good condition.
Some photos attached.
Particularly good rides :
D921 south to Gavarnie - and you can go a bit beyond, up a mountain road to the border with Spain
D918 across to La Mongie, over the Tourmalet pass, there is an amazing observatory ( pic du midi de Bigorre )
D918 west of Argeles to Laruns, then south on D934 to Spain, turns into A136 on the Spanish side
Further East, D918, Col de Aspin towards Arreau, then on to D618 which takes you to Bagneres de Luchon
All the riding we did in that area was amazing. Not too much traffic. But quite a lot of cyclists on the mountain passes. Make sure you avoid the area when the Tour de France is there, apparently its jammed.
Cheers, Jules.
