PYRENEES

[welshboxer]

Hi All,

I am off to Bilbao then over to the Lot region of France in May this year. Please could anybody advise me of some good roads to use over the Pyrenees,I will have my wife as pillion.

We arrive in Bilbao at 8:00am and I have till 4:00pm the next day to get to the Lot region.

I have my Michelin maps so road numbers would also be helpful.

Cheers,
Andrew

 

[John Armstrong]

Two roads to have a look at on the Spanish side, the N240 and N260.

Seriously good fun for the rider, lots of scenery for the pillion to have a look at. Ainsa is a nice place to stop for the night.

 

[bladerunner]

Hi

Best buddy and I did Mid French side west to east a few years back

So Arreau to Quillan via D618, D125, D618, D117

getting towards Quillan we had to stop to wipe away tears of laughter - it was as if God was taking the piss. each corner was better and more picturesque than the last.

you want a monestry, there it is, how about a field of sunflowers? top that with a waterfall. OK so what about a distant view of Andora? All the while the backdrop of snow clad pyrenees. Motorbikes were made for days like that.

To be honest, chose a Michelin green sided road anywhere in the Pyrenees and you are guarenteed a good ride (fnar fnar!). Go french & West for green & wet, go Spain and east for hot and arid.

enjoy

S

 

[madman]

The N330 that runs from Spain to Oleron in France is a spectacular border crossing point. I was so impressed that I intend to pop down there again over the next month or so.

Bob
http://bikesindordogne.blogspot.com/

 

[Humbug]

I would take the N240 to Puente la Reina de Jaca, turn onto the A176, travel up the Vallee de Hecho and stay at the Casa Blasquico which has lovely rooms and serves fabulous food :- http://www.altoaragon.co.uk/accomm_hecho_valley.asp

Continue on the A176 through Anso until it meets the NA137/NA1370 which will take you over the Col de la Pierre St. Martin and down to Oleron.

 

[welshboxer]

Thanks to all that replied to my post. It is funny but before I posted I was looking at my maps and liked the look of the N240 and N330, so my suspicions were right.

Andrew

 

[Demongroover]

I agree, we returned home to Blighty via Jaca on the N134 N330.
We stayed at a little hotel in Jaca the night before near the police station that had secure underground parking. We left most of the luggage on the bikes and nothing got touched. Excellent!
At one point over the Pyrenees the wife shouted "look at the castle!" I couldn't see one but it was directly above us built into the rock of the mountain. The roads are superbly tarmacced, twisty and scenic. You'll love it!

 

[(RIP) Shenzi]

The N330 that runs from Spain to Oleron in France is a spectacular border crossing point. I was so impressed that I intend to pop down there again over the next month or so.

Bob
http://bikesindordogne.blogspot.com/

Do you have a Garmin file for that route Bob?

 

[madman]

Sorry, I don't. As we live just up the road we tend to just ride where and when we want and don't use the GPS for much more than looking for hotels etc. We are rather lucky in that time is not a problem for us so we wander about where we want for as long as we want and the next bend in the road might hide something that we need to stop at and spend the day there.
I have a good map of just the Pyrenees, which was bought in Spain and shows all the little passes and I tend to go for them rather than any bigger looking road.

Bob
Photos & videos here

 

[madman]

I think that these are the road in question.

 

[Scuba-Sparky]

Pyrenees!!!!

Can safely say the N260 is an amazing road, took a couple of wrong turns! Oh dear all them bends, twists up'y & downy bits
Went from Jaca to Andorra, seams all the roads in this area are worth a trip, so dont worry just go and enjoy!!

 

[vernon]

Ear plugs

Hi All,

I am off to Bilbao then over to the Lot region of France in May this year. Please could anybody advise me of some good roads to use over the Pyrenees,I will have my wife as pillion.

We arrive in Bilbao at 8:00am and I have till 4:00pm the next day to get to the Lot region.

I have my Michelin maps so road numbers would also be helpful.

Cheers,
Andrew

Dont worry about what roads to use they are all good, the main thing you will require are ear plugs. For some unexplaind reason the northen spaniards shout all the time.

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

As asia dbefore, any road is likely to be great. Michelin green ones are always worth headignfor.

If you get the chance, take some of the tiny white roads, if only for 30 mins and an "up and back" detour. I found it far easier to enjoy splendid isolation in the Pyrenees than in the Alps, where every road is covered with cyclists, bikes, cars and campervans.

I still remember sitting in the grass at the side of the road somewhere between Ainsa and Veilha, on a little road that led north from the N260 an doing absolutely nothing for an hour, out of sight of anyone or any signs of human life, no noise, and tremendous scenery. The road I'd ridden up was quite minor.

Incidentally, I really liked Cahors as a city. Described in a guidebook I read as a "sunny Southern backwater", I can't think of any better way to describe it.

 

[madman]

Cahors - nice place. Park the bike in the pedestrian area in the main square, get a cup of coffee and watch the world go by.
For me it is just an hour away.

Bob
http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q259/bikesindordogne/