Pyrenees 4 day trip - Col suggestions?

rc856

Hi folks,

I'm heading to the Pyrenees for a 4 day trip in June but was mulling over what cols to do and was wondering if I might've missed any hidden gems?

We've only really got 3 full days of riding so have gone for the obvious based on our intended round trips of about 60-70 miles.
We'll be based in St-Savin near Lourdes.

Day 1 - Down to Luz Ardiden and then Hautacam on the return.
Day 2 - Col de Soulor on the way to the Col d'Aubisque..wasn't sure if we get a flat run home or we have to go back over the Soulor?
Day 3 - Col du Tourmalet

Although we've planned on 2 cols, we've left the Tourmalet alone...maybe due to some fear of it! The only col close by seems to be the Pic de Midi but we weren't sure about that due to the surface (or lack of) etc.


Do we change day 1 and do Luz Ardiden and then the Tourmalet on day 3 instead?

Your thoughts are most welcome.

Thanks

Garrigou

Luz & Hautacam are a good pair, for sure.
If you go straight out of Argeles-Gazost to climb the Soulor and then on to the Aubisque, you'll either have to make a very long loop back to Argeles (if you're wanting it to be flat) or come back over the Soulor. But in the return direction, the Soulor is a 2.5km climb at about 5%, so nothing to be scared of.
The Pic du Midi is the mountain top which sits above the pass at the Col du Tourmalet. It's not something anyone would ever ride on a road bike, but it's a good ride on a MTB.
IMHO you'd be mad not to do Tourmalet. As a stand-alone ride it's not as difficult as the ride you're doing when you combine Luz Ardiden & Hautacam. So if you're up for those two, you'd be fine on Tourmalet. And it's a cracking descent too.
Others around there which might be worth a look are the Col de Borderes and the Col de Spandelles. After that, you're running out of options a little, unless you're happy to put some bigger mileages in.
Cheers; have a good time.

rc856

Thanks mate.
Feel better about the Soulor return trip
Yeah, definitely doing the Tourmalet but felt it might make for a
shorter day when we're only 15 or 20kms from the start of it.

My last paragraph might not be clear?
I meant on day 1 we do something else along with Hautacam and maybe day 3
could be Luz and then along to Tourmalet?
As we're going for the Tour cols we know best, I'd hate to miss out on a gem I didn't know about.

Thanks

Garrigou

There's nothing much else other than what I mentioned previously.
If you don't mind a longer ride to get to the foot of it, most people would say that the Aubisque is a much better ride climbing from the West than it is coming up from the Soulor. But that requires a 40 mile (pretty flat) ride to get around to Laruns.
Tourmalet with Luz Ardiden on the same day saves you having to ride up the Gorge de Luz twice (it's a slightly draggy 2.5% average gradient for 12km, but with the potential for quite a bit of traffic, so not really the nicest ride).

nick hanson

Your day 2
A nice option is to head west,then south (I forget the villages,but obvious on a map)
to tackle the Aubisque from Eaux Bonnes side.
Awesome,& not too much of a ride.Back over the Soulor,& Argeles Gazost(where we've based ourselves in the past) & back home

nick hanson

RC856 wrote:

Thanks mate.
As we're going for the Tour cols we know best, I'd hate to miss out on a gem I didn't know about.

Thanks

If you've got 3 days,then you've probably got enough on your plate with the cols Mentioned,& they are Gems
You can make the Tourmalet into a circuit.
Do not under estimate the Tourmalet,though.Its a fair old drag south to Luz st Sauvier,then a real nice climb to my favourite cafe,at the summit
Then descend to ste marie de campan,north via Bagnes de bigore & west,home

gyorgyigabor

Hello, you can find my travelogue about cycling in the Pyrenees, by clicking here the ENG flag :-)
http://www.gyorgyigabor.hu/2010_pireneus1.html

I visited all of the paved cols above 2000m there in 2010 and in 2007:
http://www.gyorgyigabor.hu/2007_raid_pyreneen_eng.php

Videos about the cols, can you find here:
http://www.gyorgyigabor.hu/Pireneusok_emelk_lista.php

Have a nice trip!

Tourmalet, Aubisque is a must. If you are interested in not only legendary climbs, but wonderful, that not to miss: Cirque Trou,ouse (2108 m) !

Gabor (Hungary )

shawman

Good choice on location, it really is hard to beat that valley for cycling. It depends on how good a cyclist you are, but generally the Tourmalet as a round trip of 100km will take 4:30 to 5 hours. Hautacam and back to Argeles about 2:30, Argeles to Ardiden and back 3 hours. The road between Soulor and Aubisque is a must, it really is amazing.
If doing Soulor/Aubisque there is also Borderes, Spandells, Corodque or Lac d'Estaing for add ons. You can also go round by lourdes and up the Soulor from the north.
Ardiden and Hautacam will be a very hard day in the saddle.
Cirque de troumouse, Gavarnie and pont d'Espagne are also well worth considering for anyone on a longer trip, but with only 4 day the must do climbs are Tourmalet, Hautacam, Luz Ardiden and Soulor Aubisque. The ride round to the west to do Aubisque from Laurans is not worth it if you only have 4 days.
Don't worry you wont run out of climbs in Argeles.

The Pic du Midi is an add-on from the top of Tourmalet. If I remember right it is about 5.5km at 8.5% on a gravel road up to about 2600m. Most of the gravel is well compacted and there are a few bits of tarmac where it was paved in the past. I did it on a road bike and did not fall or get a puncture but as has been said a mountain bike would be best! It really is only for those who are a bit mental, and I don't think it can be done in June as there will still be snow. I did it in August.

This was mid June and it was completely blocked a few km up from Tourmalet.
Photo from pedaldancer.com
http://www.pedaldancer.com/2010/06/traveling-through-pyrenees.html

rc856

Thanks for the replies folks.

Shawman...the Pic du Midi looks interesting!!! :shock: