Looking for Hotel in the Pau area

[E. Buygum]

Hi folks: grateful for any help...Google isn't coming up with the goods this year.

I am looking for a hotel in the Pau area (probably). Needs to be reasonably big as we'll need 7-8 rooms. Ideally close to twisties but within a reasonable morning's ride of Santander for the journey home. Don't want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere i.e. would like to be within walking distance of a few bars, restaurants. A week away in May. Ferry all booked. Can't wait. Cheers.

 

[madman]

Stayed in Oleron near Pau the year before last. Not sure of the hotel name but it had secure parking and was well priced at 40 euros per room. Being in a smaller town often means more availability.

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

Hotel Bristol in Oloron St Marie ?

 

[E. Buygum]

Thanks, chaps...Oloron St Marie looks about right and the Hotel Bristol has.....a squash court.

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

Also has a great restaurant, dead small place, but fond memories of reeling off to bed full of pastis....

 

[naza]

pau

Hi

I’ve staid at the IBIS (Accor group) in Pau, and we found it very nice, it’s in the town center, and has a garage.

Me and the missus staid there in an emergency, when suddenly we realized there was absolutely no place to stay in the coast, from Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Bayonne, last august.
So eventually we decided to skip the coast and head to Foix witch is always a must in our trips.

We were swearing a lot about our misfortune (it was passed midnight when we arrived to Pau), when the reception guy answered us back in Portuguese! That was quite a laugh.

Price around 50€/double bedroom.

Cheers

MAC

 

[mad manc]

Pau hotel

We stayed here two years ago
http://www.kyriad-prestige-pau-centre-bosquet.fr/en/index.aspx

Secure parking, right in the centre of Pau. Clean and quiet. Wasnt to badly priced either if I remember rightly.

 

[E. Buygum]

Thanks, folks. Much appreciated...incidentally...We'll have 4-5 days in the Pyrenees. I have never been before. Would we be better off staying in the Pau area the whole time or should we stay in the Eastern Pyrenees for a couple of nights (with a day trip to Andorra, perhaps) and then staying in the Pau area for a couple of nights before heading to Santander? It's a hassle moving hotels but Andorra appeals...

 

[madman]

Having been to Andorra once, I would not bother again. I certainly would not consider staying the night as it is a s**t hole in my opinion. I found that small hotels were a much better quality on the French side rather than the Spanish.

 

[E. Buygum]

Having been to Andorra once, I would not bother again. I certainly would not consider staying the night as it is a s**t hole in my opinion. I found that small hotels were a much better quality on the French side rather than the Spanish.

Decision made. Cheers.

 

[(RIP) Shenzi]

Madman has been kind about Andorra. We loved this hotel, www.lacasuena.com, just into Spain over the Col de Portalet. Definitely going back next year, if you need more details ask away.
One pic is the hotel terrace and the other from our room window.

 

[E. Buygum]

Shenzl: looks absolutely stunning. May be a little dear for one or two ot the guys but it gets my vote.
Cheers

 

[PyreneesRider]

Having been to Andorra once, I would not bother again. I certainly would not consider staying the night as it is a s**t hole in my opinion. I found that small hotels were a much better quality on the French side rather than the Spanish.

Generally this is right - for a larger party tho - consider the Parador in Seu D'Urgell - may be pricey tho. there is also a 3* hotel in sort which is preety cool - again the name escapes me.

 

[Grazoid]

Lost our base around there when Jules's sister and her family moved back to the UK last year.

Some great roads around there and the Lindt factory shop in Oloron.

Head for St Jean Pied de Port and towards the source of the Nieve. You will see brown signs indicating the Route du Fromage Ossau-Irraty which takes you across the tops and the high passes.

Our favourite route was then to head back towards Oloron from Larru on the D26

 

[Corp.Clinger!]

Depending on your dates..you may hit the street racing in Pau,with classic cars and a round of the WTCC. www.autoevolution.com/sport/fia-wtcc/circuits/pau-street-circuit.html ...bottom of page and you`ll see pix...

Here`s a video of a car on the roads through the town centre.You can also see what the weather can be like at that time of year.

When looking for an hotel you might find them pretty full up. You could also try www.pagesjaunes.fr and pick a town and see what hotels jump out at you.
Also try www.lachainemeteo.fr for a snippet of what the weather will be like closer to the time. Postcode of Pau is 64000 .
For info there are Honda,Ducati,KTM,Kawasaki,Yamaha and Suzuki dealers all within a short ride of each other. Also you`ll find www.dafy-moto.fr for accessories,tyres and oils etc.
A lot of classic car clubs and classic moto clubs do a circuit from Pau to Oloron Saint Marie to the mountains to the likes of Gourette to Col d`Aubisque to Col du Soulor to Asson to Nay to Pau again. It`s a great ride out .

A nice shorter ride out here is from Pau to Nay to Asson to Col du Soulor to Gourette ski station,so steep and twisty,to Laruns to Pau.

That coupled with any of the rides to the whole Iraty area to the coast are scenic with twisties and good roads. Can`t go wrong really. A good ride to do also would be to leave early in the morning and take yourselves off to Artzmendi...a narrow road up to a radar station where you have excellent views.

The realms of possibility are endless. A longer and great ride are from Pau to the Col du Somport tunnel to Jaca in Spain. Take lunch and see the old military fort,returning by Col du Pourtalet to Laruns to Pau. This is indeed a favouriteroute of mine. At a push it`s possible to visit Riglos village in Spain. Do a google image search on that one to see Arizona type landscapes.

http://www.gdargaud.net/Climbing/Spain.html

Try www.viamichelin and click on the Driving Directions here and it`ll give you a fairly accurate note of the ride times. Any road with a green highlighter on it will be a scenic road.
At the end of the day you can`t really go wrong if you work a ride out based on any twisties that you see on the map and after entering the details to find your timings.

In my neck of the woods you can get fuel in Nay,Coarraze,...Igon especially handy here for cash sales,as the fuel station opens 0700 until 1900 7 days per week,...Asson, Laruns,and Arudy ....and in the Spanish side at El Formigal.....on towards Jaca.

Asson,next doot to me,has food/coffee serving all day 7 days per week....where a few moto clubs would call and get a coffee/beer en route to the mountain twisties. Not too common to find a food place like this being open all day,in these parts.

www.pyreneesguide.com/454/pyrenees-guide-about-pyrenees-atlantiques.html



Pau to Santander is easlily do able. eg Pau to Biarritz will take about 2 hrs real time via autoroute. The autoroute to Santander is a great high speed curved road...about as good as an autoroute ride can be.

I would decide to take Pau over the other towns mentioned,if it were I staying,due to the great nightlife and eating places. Any females in your party will like it for its shops in the old quarter...though don`t let them loose with a credit card...!!...Pau has a new spa just opened close to the junction 10 exit for the autoroute...that would get brownie points built up if any of the ladies needed an afternoon there.
Try to avod a visit to Lourdes..it`s gray and commercial...and really busy...uuggghhh..a terrible place...

Second choice would be Oloron Ste Marie. Other smaller towns will be quiet and dead after mealtimes.

If you need to know anything more just post away...

 

[Rich ZX12R]

Ibis - Dull but in town centre, secure parking at rear, Two minutes walk to picturesque square with obligatory bars and cafes, and staff at an Ibis never look down their nose at 7 or 8 bikers turning up when wet. Also saw Jason Leonard there last time so a top place!

 

[E. Buygum]

C. Clinger and others many thanks for all the information. As ever, getting a dozen blokes to agree on any plan takes a bit of time but it's finally booked and we'll be setting off on April 30 overnight to St Malo, staying in the Vendee for a couple of nights (not the obvious choice but we'll be visiting friends/ relatives there) and then on to Oloron Ste Marie for 4 nights at the Hotel Bristol...it was one of the cheaper options (big factor this year) and they were really helpful with the booking. We return on May 7 from Santander.

I'll be spending the next couple of weeks looking at those suggested routes.

Can't wait: it has been a fairly crap few months at work and to have a week of great roads, food, beer and a good company sounds just about perfect at the moment. If anyone could arrange suitable weather, it would be much appreciated.

 

[Corp.Clinger!]

No bother...enjoy your trip....in view of staying at Oloron....I`d take a wee trip,for sure, over into Jaca in Spain via Col du Somport and then and come home via Col du Pourtalet,Laruns Bielle and Col du Marie Blanque.....If you ride by Asson stop in `Chez Naty` bistro for a beer and a blether,as I live next door. By the way Michelin Map number 342 refers to the whole area....



Enjoy....