Advice on the Pyrenees please

Markyboy

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Hi all,

A couple of us are booked june / july for a run down to Alicante. The highlight of the trip for us will be riding in the Pyrenees.

Can you guys offer advice on any passes / routes that are worth doing or any placed / towns not to be overlooked.

Your advice / experience would be appreciated appreciated.

Thanks mark
 
Try looking at the two stickies.

Try telling people how long you have got to spend riding in the Pyrenees. Goat tracks or super soothing hooning?

As Alicante is nowhere near the Pyrenees, it’ll also help if you told bods where in the Pyrenees you’ll arrive. The Mediterranean coast end? The middle? The Lourdes end?
 
If you approach the Pyrenees from a westerly side you can run along these cols on the French side -

Col d’Aubisque, the Col de Soulor, the Col du Tourmalet, the Col d’Aspin, and the Col de Pereysourde and over onto the Spanish side at Bagnères-de-Luchon .

From there you can run down onto the N260(worth doing) and head east towards the Med and south from there..
 
Hi, sorry for lack of info.
2 weeks holiday heading from st malo south and entering the Pyrenees somewhere near Pau. We are flexible on time frame but need to be back in Santander 2 weeks later. Destination Alicante fir a few days with our partners then back towards the Pyrenees again. The route, direction in the pyrenees will depend on where people suggest is good to experience. We are ok with sideroads or dirt track's.

Wapping does this help a little. We have never been to the Pyrenees so would be open to other peoples suggestions.

Thanks again

Mark
 
If you approach the Pyrenees from a westerly side you can run along these cols on the French side -

Col d’Aubisque, the Col de Soulor, the Col du Tourmalet, the Col d’Aspin, and the Col de Pereysourde and over onto the Spanish side at Bagnères-de-Luchon .

From there you can run down onto the N260(worth doing) and head east towards the Med and south from there..

Thank you for the info
 
Are you blasting down the Autoroute to Pau or stopping off on some of the really good roads in Tarn, Dordogne & Lot? There's a useful thread on the Dordogne (and nearby areas) which has given me an idea for September as I love the area around Cahors & Rocamadour http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/495695-France?highlight=dordogne - this might give you an idea for an overnight stop before getting to Pau
 
From Pau head for Laruns then take the D934 on to the A-136 to Biescas its a stunning road, however so are others mentioned so you really cant go wrong which ever way you go.
 
Try sending a PM to Simon_100 because he’ll be able to give you some good tips.
 
Let’s cut to the chase.

You tell everyone how long you want to spend in the mountain range (goat tracks perhaps) that separates France from Spain, entering the range at about Pau, exiting somewhere roughly convenient for you then riding to Alicante.
 
Whichever roads you take it will all be stunning. As you are heading for Santandar when going north you might want to plan a couple of days in the Picos De Europa.
 
Good Lord ! :eek: A thread that hasn't been hijacked by Brexit ! Hope you have a great time whatever routes you end up taking .. the scenery is stunning over there.
 
There are great roads on the French side and the Spanish side, so if you can try and be flexible and you can decide when you get there if the weather is not great one side or the other.

I rode down the Col de Tourmalet and it was without doubt the worst hour's riding in my life because of the incredibly thick fog. Riding up there was bright sunny and 20 degrees. Riding down was 5 degrees and just horrible.

On the way to Alicante, check out the Maestrazgo (El Maestrat) area of Spain. It's sparsely populated and very rural, but great scenery and a variety of roads types. You can ride all day and see five cars...
 
Let’s cut to the chase.

You tell everyone how long you want to spend in the mountain range (goat tracks perhaps) that separates France from Spain, entering the range at about Pau, exiting somewhere roughly convenient for you then riding to Alicante.

Wapping, that is correct.
I'm asking the members who have experience of the Pyrenees to share with me their highlights of their trips. I'll research all the info and plan a route around that trying to cram in as much as time will allow.

Wapping have you got any favourite places to visit in the pyrenees?

Thanks mark
 
On the French Side have a look at Route Des Cols:-

https://www.lespyrenees.net/route_des_cols

https://www.routeyou.com/en-fr/route/view/5322474/motorcycle-route/route-des-cols-des-pyrenees-2

http://www.tourism-occitania.co.uk/...2-2652-4ea9-af86-f4036868fbce/itineraire.aspx

The Spanish side is mainly along / near the N260 - particularly good from after Puigcerda through to Jaca.

I am doing a 10 day trip (8 day ride) late May. Out on French Side and Back on Spanish side with a couple of 2 night stops to take on some of the roads to each side of the main routes.
 
Try sending a PM to Simon_100 because he’ll be able to give you some good tips.

Ha ha, can I quote you in that! Very little internet right now. For a start don0t get 'stuck' into teh idea that the N-260 is the be all and end all. Much better to cross the passes too and fro from Spain to France, etc. Avoid te tunnels.

More later
 
I'm asking the members who have experience of the Pyrenees to share with me their highlights of their trips. I'll research all the info and plan a route around that trying to cram in as much as time will allow.

Wapping have you got any favourite places to visit in the pyrenees?

Everyone likes something different. Their favourite place to stay for three days might be very different from their favourite place to stop for a mid-morning coffee. For example, the great town with its great hotels recommended by Bikermate Bulbous Bob will be useless if it's miles from where you plan on being at 11 AM.... you then learn that he only eats KFC and there's the kitchen vent for one right outside your window.

There are loads of very good guide books to Spain and / or the Pyrenees, or just Googling '10 nicest places in the Pyrenees' will turn lots up. Have a look at them. Do they match your itinerary?

The stickies show you the (possible) ways to go across a huge area. Plot out the towns you fancy on them and work out how (and if) you can join them up and find somewhere to sleep.
 
Everyone likes something different. Their favourite place to stay for three days might be very different from their favourite place to stop for a mid-morning coffee. For example, the great town with its great hotels recommended by Bikermate Bulbous Bob will be useless if it's miles from where you plan on being at 11 AM.... you then learn that he only eats KFC and there's the kitchen vent one right outside your window.

There are loads of very good guide books to Spain and / or the Pyrenees, or just Googling '10 nicest places in the Pyrenees' will turn lots up. Have a look at them. Do they match your itinerary?

The stickies show you the (possible) ways to go across a huge area. Plot out the towns you fancy on them and work out how (and if) you can join them up and find somewhere to sleep.

Very sound comments there! First off do you prefer France or Spain for accommodation, people, etc. ...
 
I quite like a place called Torla in the ordesa national park.
There is an offshoot off the N260 that heads up to it(still signed N260).best part of the 260 imho
The village of Torla is set in spectacular scenery and it’s worth an overnight stopover,to see the sun setting on the mountains,
And seeing the colours change.
There is a nice restaurant with a good sized terrace to view from over an eve meal,but if the place is busy you’d need to grab a table sharpish.
Can’t remember the name of the restaurant,but if you go it will be obvious enough.
There are a few hotels in the village and one a few hundred meters back from the aforementioned restaurant with an underground secure car/bike park ,if that sort of thing is a requirement.
 


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