Pyrenees Coast to Coast

Butterd2

Hi all,

I have landed the job of arranging the works cycle trip this year to the Pyrenees, there will be c. 20 of us doing the full C2C and another 10 joining us half way (the Kiddies tour).

So far I have come up with the following and would be interested in any views tips etc, I have done Marie Blanque to Peyresourde before but the 2 ends are unknown quantities.

We are riding light with a support van.


Day 1 (Sun): Biarritz to Esterencuby (37miles, 1316 ft of Ascent)
A couple of small bumps and gentle (1-2%) climb for this evening ride.
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/-/ ... 7952437873
http://www.hotel-andreinia.com/

Day 2 (Mon) Esterencuby to Laruns (60 miles, 7060 ft of Ascent).
Starting with the quiet Col du Landerre (1072m max 10%) before 20 mile flat run to the Marie Blanque (1035m max 12%) taking us up into the Haute Pyrenees
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/es ... 9072273358


Day 3 (Tue): Laruns to Luz (40 miles, 5171 ft of Ascent)
The first big one, Col d'Aubisque (1709m) bump over Col du Soulor (1474m) on the way down and finish at the bottom of Tormalet.
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/-/ ... 8365338092


Day 4 (Wed): Luz to Bagniers de Lunchon (57 miles, 9072 ft of Ascent)
The big day clearing 3 Col's Tormalet, Aspin and Perysourde and meeting the kiddies tour that night.
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/-/ ... 8387336577

Day 5 (Thurs): Lunchon to Oust (68 miles, 8839 ft of Ascent)
Kick off over the Col du Portillon (1293m) into Spain, back into France up the Col d'Artigaux (1382m) over Col de Porte de Aspet (1069m) stopping at the Memorial to Fabio Casartelli
and finish with the Col de la Core (1395m).
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/-/ ... 8072668830

Day 6 (Fri): Oust to Ax-les-Thermes (56 miles, 4925 ft of Ascent)
Over the Col de Port (1250m) in the morning then down to Tarascon to cross the river L'Ariege and up the Pas de Souloumbrie (911m) into Ax avoiding the main roads.
 http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/-/444127418031756948

Day 7 (Sat): Ax to Perpignan (82 miles, 7438 ft of Ascent)
Straight into an 11 mile climb over Port de Pailheres (2001m), bump over Col de Garabel (1267m) then over Col de Jau (1513m) at 40 miles followed by a 40 mile 4000 foot drop down into Perpignan.
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/-/ ... 8058537202


Total Distance: 400 miles
Total Ascent: 43,821 ft

Thanks in advance.

Wallace1492

Sounds fantastic!! Can I come?

Garrigou

The Col d' Artigascou (on Day 3 before the Portet d' Aspet) isn't a fully paved road from the Luchon side. More of a MTB than a Road bike climb.You might want to try the Col de Mente (harder) or Col des Ares (easier) instead.

Butterd2

Garrigou wrote:

The Col d' Artigascou (on Day 3 before the Portet d' Aspet) isn't a fully paved road from the Luchon side. More of a MTB than a Road bike climb.You might want to try the Col de Mente (harder) or Col des Ares (easier) instead.

Ooo thanks, that's exactly the sort of help I needed. I've done Mente before and know its a nice climb, think I will have to reroute.

Really appreciate you taking the time to look through this.

Garrigou

When they're slogging up the 10% kilometres at the start of the Mente, your mates will love you for that decsion! Have a great trip.

Peak Times

Garrigou wrote:

The Col d' Artigascou (on Day 3 before the Portet d' Aspet) isn't a fully paved road from the Luchon side. More of a MTB than a Road bike climb.You might want to try the Col de Mente (harder) or Col des Ares (easier) instead.

I agree - the road is barely a track in places and certainly not one that you would want to shred your tyres on. The Ares - Buret - Portet d'Aspet route a nice lead up to the Aspet, whereas the Mente is full on almost from the start. But if doing the Mente you could also start by going over the Portillon from Luchon into Spain and then back into France before heading up the Mente from St Beat.

For information the new road at the border is open, and St Beat has recently been resurfaced so all in all a good road surface.

Butterd2

Peak Times wrote:

I agree - the road is barely a track in places and certainly not one that you would want to shred your tyres on. The Ares - Buret - Portet d'Aspet route a nice lead up to the Aspet, whereas the Mente is full on almost from the start. But if doing the Mente you could also start by going over the Portillon from Luchon into Spain and then back into France before heading up the Mente from St Beat.

For information the new road at the border is open, and St Beat has recently been resurfaced so all in all a good road surface.

Again, many thanks for the advice, I think at this stage I can keep both options open and even decide on the morning depending on the feeling in the group. I would like to do Portillon as I not been up there before, Mente I remember as a nice climb (maybe because it doesn't have the km markers telling you how far you still have to go?) but looking at the profiles Core looks like a really tough end to the day so don't want to take on too much before then so Buret may be more sensible.

blorg

I would also consider the established Raid Pyrénéen route. All the big cols and it is paved properly the whole way. Great route. Much of what you have planned is similar anyway. To get the brevet you need to do it in 4.5 days and get your card stamped on the way but there is nothing stopping you taking whatever amount of time you like at it. I did it last year under the time limit but wasn't organised enough to apply for the card beforehand so no medal for me There is a slightly longer version (810km) with effectively no time limit.

Butterd2

A big thanks to those who responded, the updated route now looks like;


Day 1 (Sun): Biarritz to Esterencuby (37miles, 1316 ft of Ascent)
A couple of small bumps and gentle (1-2%) climb for this evening ride.
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/-/ ... 7952437873
http://www.hotel-andreinia.com/

Day 2 (Mon) Esterencuby to Laruns (60 miles, 7060 ft of Ascent).
Starting with the quiet Col du Landerre (1072m max 10%) before 20 mile flat run to the Marie Blanque (1035m max 12%) taking us up into the Haute Pyrenees
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/es ... 9072273358
http://www.bearn-pyrenees-tourisme.com/ ... el-dossau/

Day 3 (Tue): Laruns to Luz (40 miles, 5171 ft of Ascent)
The first big one, Col d'Aubisque (1709m) bump over Col du Soulor (1474m) on the way down and finish at the bottom of Tormalet.
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/-/ ... 8365338092
Opportunity to man up by taking the Col de Tramassel to Hautacam adding 20 miles and 3746 ft of Ascent:
 http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/-france/527127791627021692
http://www.hotel-de-londres.fr/

Day 4 (Wed): Luz to Bagniers de Lunchon (57 miles, 9072 ft of Ascent)
The big day clearing 3 Col's; Tormalet (2109m), Aspin (1498m) and Perysourde (1569m) and meeting the kiddies tour that night.
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/-/ ... 8387336577
www.hotel-etigny.com

Day 5 (Thurs): Lunchon to Oust (75 miles, 7913 ft of Ascent)
Another big day's riding so 3 options for the peleton;
Main Route: Over the Col du Portillon (1293m) into Spain then back into France skirting to the north of Mente and over the smaller Col de Buret (600m) before tackling the
Col de Porte de Aspet (1069m) and finishing the day with a big climb over Col de la Core (1395m)
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/spain/pyr ... 9060914733
For those who would feel ashamed to skirt around a Cat 1 climb then a shorter route exists going straight over Mente (1349m) cutting out Buret and adding a further 1000ft of climbing.
 http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/spain/pyrenees/408127806503576170
Finally, those who would like an easier day can skip Portillon and go straight to Buret leaving only Aspet and Core as the big climbs of the day, cutting out 12 miles and 2000ft of climbing.
 http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/pynrees/593127849136540556
http://www.ariege.com/hoteldelaposte/info.html

Day 6 (Fri): Oust to Ax-les-Thermes (56 miles, 4925 ft of Ascent)
An easier day clearing the Col de Port (1250m) in the morning then down to Tarascon to cross the river L'Ariege and up the Pas de Souloumbrie (911m) into Ax avoiding the main roads.
 http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/-/444127418031756948
www.auzeraie.com

Day 7 (Sat): Ax to Perpignan (82 miles, 7438 ft of Ascent)
Straight into an 11 mile climb over Port de Pailheres (2001m), bump over Col de Garabel (1267m) then over Col de Jau (1513m) at 40 miles followed by a 40 mile 4000 foot decent into Perpignan.
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/france/-/ ... 8058537202


Total Distance: 407 miles
Total Ascent: 42,895 ft

Only 6 weeks to go now :shock:

berliner

Looks good -I would love to do but prices f the tour companies are too high.
A DIY Raid would be great, maybe one support driver in a rented small van/estate. Don't know if and are interested.
Otherwise I'm considering going in September, flying to the Atlantic side and posting my bike bag to the Med side travelling extra light staying in B&Bs. Not really bothered about the brevet/4.5 day stamp. -

blorg

@berliner- your second option is how we did it and it worked out very well. Partner of the guy I did it with was able to take the bike boxes across to the Med but we were self-supported for the actual cycle and got B&Bs as we went. I had a small saddle bag and bar bag while the guy I did it with just used a bum bag with nothing on the bike. Did it within the time limit. If we didn't have the option of getting the boxes across we probably would have tried to leave them the Atlantic side and train back to the start.

Butterd2

berliner wrote:

Looks good -I would love to do but prices f the tour companies are too high.
A DIY Raid would be great, maybe one support driver in a rented small van/estate. Don't know if and are interested.
Otherwise I'm considering going in September, flying to the Atlantic side and posting my bike bag to the Med side travelling extra light staying in B&Bs. Not really bothered about the brevet/4.5 day stamp. -

We are going down the rented van route but with 18 riders the cost (c.€700) is pretty minimal.
One other option for a DiY might be to fly into and out of Toulouse leaving the bike bag there somewhere and using the trains to get to Biarittz and then back from Perpignan. We are doing this on the home leg so can let you know how it goes.

Overall the cost had been £160 for the flights inc. bikes and c.€50 pppn for the accommodation.

berliner

Thanks for that info guys