The Raid Pyrenean - In reverse!

Jez3113

Help!

My friend and i are going to have a crack at the Raid Pyrenean (in July) in reverse e.g. Cerbere on the Med to Hendaye on the Atlantic. We're credit card touring (not with a tour company) and organising it all ourselves.

I have been scouring the net (without any luck) for information related to the best route when doing it in reverse. What we really need is a route plan to download onto a garmin edge - Can anyone help please? Even a suggested itinerary would be amazing.

1. is it possible to just turn up in towns on the route and find accomodation in first week July?
2. Is it really harder doing it in reverse because of the preveiling wind?
3. Where are the best (cheap) overnight stops?
4. Is there much differnce by doing it in reverse in terms of the ascents/descents?
5. Will we miss out on anything by doing it this way?
6. can we arrange it so that we get some of the longest days in early on in the route?

- In fact, any advice at all about doing it reverse would be really helpful!

We could simply do the itenerary in reverse but this means we may struggle to get to hendaye within the alloted time (1700), because the last day is 180km. Another slight problem doing it this way is that the first day would only be 90 km or so and it be preferable to get most of the miles out of the way early on...

Any advice from someone who has done this already would be very much appreciated.
Thanks, Jerry

MichaelW

From Ax-Les-Thermes to Tarascon Sur Ariage is usually done on the busy E9/N20. There is a really nice alternative climb to Col de Chiola and a long descent that runs parallel, just North through Pas de Soulombrie.

durhamwasp

Any particular reason why you are doing it in reverse?

Also, bit of a daft question, but in order to get your medal for completing the challenge can you do it either way, or does it HAVE to be the suggested Atlantic to Med? (of course, personally i think its absolutely fine, just wondering)

Good luck with it, seems an awesome route and a really awesome challenge! All the best and enjoy.

Garrigou

There's no real 'reverse' direction; it's entirely valid to ride the Raid in either direction, it's just that West to East is more popular.
Accommodation without booking may vary from town to town. Some places in the coastal resorts can be 'a bit funny' about requests for single night's accommodation in peak season - e.g. they want minimum stays of 3 nights. Some of the other traditional Raid towns only have 2-3 hotels to choose from, so can get full up quite easily.
Wind direction can be an issue for riding speed - but, obviously, that depends on how hard it blows!
'Best' & 'cheap' aren't usually the same thing in terms of the hotels / B&Bs / guest houses that you might consider. I guess you can try cheaper ones and then upgrade along the way if you don't rate them.
Some of the climbs vary quite significantly between their Western & Eastern faces (e.g. Peyresourde & Aspin which most people would rate as harder from the East than from the West), but others are pretty even. You'll miss out on climbing the 'classic' side of the Aubisque by riding East to West. Instead you'll go up the Soulor first & have only a very minor 'add-on' to get to the Aubisque from there.
You can arrange your days into whatever 'chunks' you fancy. As you've suggested, I'd ride some longer days early on rather than leaving yourself a 180km day to finish up with. That will change the towns you'll stay in, but needn't be a problem.
Enjoy it. It's a great ride.

Jez3113

Garrigou - you have put my mind at ease - thanks so much for your advice.

Michael - i will try and find that alternative route.

Has anyone on here done the raid without a tour operator first week in july? Is it realistic to just turn up in a town and find cheap accom, or are we going to have to cycle around to other towns (whilst knackered) after cycling 150Km + ?

Are there any Youth hostels on the route? or recommendations for cheap places to stay?

Thanks again. I'm sure you will all receive good cycling Karma.

Jerry

Jez3113

Wasp - we're doing it in reverse because of flight logistics/prices and we aim to turn up at a wedding (probably half dead, wearing lycra and smelling like a burned rat!) afterwards...

Jez3113

just arrived back - had the best 6 days (5days for the Raid, one day to get from Girona airport to cebere) cycling EVER. The pyrenees seems to be designed for cyclists!

To answer my questions - The Raid in reverse is fine. The wind didn't seem to bother us at all, until the last day down to biarritz.

It is probably harder doing it in reverse - all the big horrible cols are on day 3/4 this meant that my legs were shot for the last day.

We found good accomm. easily without booking.

thanks for all your advice!

Jerry

avoidingmyphd

tell me it was your own wedding?

Garrigou

Chapeau, Fella - glad it went well. You're dead right about it being 'designed for cyclists'