Every time I see a comment like, 'The N-260 is the best route in the Pyrenees' I cringe*, there is just so much more here. So it was nice to see something new for 2016: an official guide to some of the best routes in the Pyrenees and someway beyond sponsored by the culture department of Lleida province - under the banner Ara Lleida (Lleida Now, which is a huge tourist information and promotion project) in Catalonia.
The web page - called Moturisme - is geared specifically to bikers and as well as the routes lists accommodation and support services, mechanics, etc. and the project also works behind the scenes to make businesses aware of biker's needs, for example parking, safe storage for clothes, crash helmets, etc. when visiting places of interest, etc. etc.
There are ten point-to-point routes of between 200-250 kms and each one has details of the towns, villages, nature reserves, etc. along the way - accumulating shed loads of 'facts' and general knowledge is a Spanish 'thing' and bikers here are very into this kind of detail as well as the riding itself - and these are very well presented along with a description of the riding and downloadable satnav files for each route.
Although a map is presented with each route on-line you have to view the downloadable guide - which is avalable in good English (thumbs) - for a map showing all of them together. This is useful for putting itineraries together from a combination of routes. However to make the best round trips in the higher Pyrenean passes you have to expand your remit into the neighbouring provinces and over into France.
The on-line listings for services are a bit limited as they are just that, a list, rather than appearing on an interactive on-line map. But a selection of them do appear on the download version. I'm not sure if this selection is based on businesses paying for the privilege or that the designers have tried to ensure that enough information for planning your holiday is there but not so much to make the map unreadable.
I guess that most people would still revert to sites like booking.com anyway but there are plenty of places that are very 'bike friendly' that aren't there, including my own holiday accommodation business, Casa Rafela, which is located pretty much at the centre of all of the routes near Tremp - curiously enough our actuall location on the C1311 isn't included in any of the routes despite that road being one of the best rides in Europe!
OK - "and now a word from our sponsors" Casa Rafela is a lovely two bedroomed cottage in a small village. It has private parking and is a perfect base for exploring and riding in the Pyrenees - and having a great holiday (thumbs) - you can rent it by the week, please!
And now, here's the video - enjoy!
Regs
Simon
* just to prove me a plonker the video features the N-260 :laugh:
The web page - called Moturisme - is geared specifically to bikers and as well as the routes lists accommodation and support services, mechanics, etc. and the project also works behind the scenes to make businesses aware of biker's needs, for example parking, safe storage for clothes, crash helmets, etc. when visiting places of interest, etc. etc.
There are ten point-to-point routes of between 200-250 kms and each one has details of the towns, villages, nature reserves, etc. along the way - accumulating shed loads of 'facts' and general knowledge is a Spanish 'thing' and bikers here are very into this kind of detail as well as the riding itself - and these are very well presented along with a description of the riding and downloadable satnav files for each route.
Although a map is presented with each route on-line you have to view the downloadable guide - which is avalable in good English (thumbs) - for a map showing all of them together. This is useful for putting itineraries together from a combination of routes. However to make the best round trips in the higher Pyrenean passes you have to expand your remit into the neighbouring provinces and over into France.
The on-line listings for services are a bit limited as they are just that, a list, rather than appearing on an interactive on-line map. But a selection of them do appear on the download version. I'm not sure if this selection is based on businesses paying for the privilege or that the designers have tried to ensure that enough information for planning your holiday is there but not so much to make the map unreadable.
I guess that most people would still revert to sites like booking.com anyway but there are plenty of places that are very 'bike friendly' that aren't there, including my own holiday accommodation business, Casa Rafela, which is located pretty much at the centre of all of the routes near Tremp - curiously enough our actuall location on the C1311 isn't included in any of the routes despite that road being one of the best rides in Europe!
OK - "and now a word from our sponsors" Casa Rafela is a lovely two bedroomed cottage in a small village. It has private parking and is a perfect base for exploring and riding in the Pyrenees - and having a great holiday (thumbs) - you can rent it by the week, please!
And now, here's the video - enjoy!
Regs
Simon
* just to prove me a plonker the video features the N-260 :laugh:
I intend going to Spain later this year with the intention of going to Santiago De Compostella.
