Pyrenees by bicycle - which route?

rob796

Hello, in May I'm planning my 9-10 days cycling trip in the Pyrenees mountains with a road bicycle.

I want to go from Mediteranien see (Llançà or Perpingian) to the Atlantic coast (San Sebastian).
By checking several sources I found several different route options and can't decide which one would be best.

Can anyone recommend a specific moderate/challenging route to go?
In addition, what is the best option to go back from San Sebastian to Barcelona? Train? Bus? Car?

Thank you!

pblakeney

I would look at the routes that various companies use for their Raid tours.
I imagine that they are very similar. Just one example as I've used them but not that tour.

https://marmot-tours.co.uk/holidays/raid-pyrenean/

ugo.santalucia

Any route that avoids the busy roads… avoid the road to Andorra/col du Puymorens for example

drhaggis

rob796 said:

Hello, in May I'm planning my 9-10 days cycling trip in the Pyrenees mountains with a road bicycle.

I want to go from Mediteranien see (Llançà or Perpingian) to the Atlantic coast (San Sebastian).
By checking several sources I found several different route options and can't decide which one would be best.

Can anyone recommend a specific moderate/challenging route to go?
In addition, what is the best option to go back from San Sebastian to Barcelona? Train? Bus? Car?

Thank you!

I've spent quite a bit of time in San Sebastian, but I've cycled mostly around, rather than to the Pyrinees.

Trains in Spain are hit/miss. Cities on the high-speed network will have good connections. The northern coast is not there, due to orography and politics. The train to Barcelona was an absolute pain in the past. The carriages should be fine, but will be slow [Checks Renfe... it's now 6h, and not too expensive, bike requires special reservation]

In the routes linked by pblakeney, I'd consider avoiding the coast road between Hendaye and St Jean de Luz in the high season. It's a beautiful road, mind you, but full of busy tourists that don't know what a cyclist is. I did it once with my wife and it wasn't pleasant in the slightest. On the other hand, St Jean de Pied de Port is 100% worth a visit.

If you cross the border to Spain in Hendaye, you should avoid Gi-636 road and go to San Sebastian via Jaizkibel (Gi-3440). It's a proper Cat 2 climb, features yearly in Clasica SS (now the other way around), and will also be in this year's TdF.

Also, if you plan on spending some time in San Sebastian book early. Places get booked quite in advance, and the prices there are not Benidorm.

rob796

Thanks to all of you for your recommendations.
I found a flight back home from Bilbao, so there is no anymore intention to get back to Barcelona.

Based on what I've learned here is my initial route https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1BdpqK-HkfQ1jWxQ28R6otAo0dvCAxQs&usp=sharing
Still considering, maybe I should spend more time on French side. On the other side, I guess Spain is cheaper to travel. Any comments which side is better?

drhaggis

Re sides: I think swapping countries freely is the best thing ever, so I'd try to spend at least a night, and maybe two, in France! Schengen FTW! But be aware that Andorra is in neither Schengen nor the EU, that there is a border there to spoil the climb to Pas de la Casa.

I've noticed you're not doing Tourmalet. Any particular reason why? I'd possibly swap the night in Sabiñanigo for somewhere in France. Then, next day, you could go back to Spain crossing Larrau.

Are you doing this on a road bike or anything more rugged?

In the last stage, the end of the route, from Lesaka to Oiartzun, you're folllowing what I believe is a Garmin suggestion. I'd stick to the road (Na-4000 turning into Gi-3420). It's not very busy, and a very nice double-climb. Just be aware that, on the descent after the tunnel, the asphalt is not perfectly smooth, and you may be going quite fast on one of the wettest parts of Spain.

If you're sleeping in (nearby) Roncesvalles, I would strongly suggest going by St Jean de Pied de Port (see pic), and then touch the French Basque Country.


You should be aware that the N-121A sees quite a bit of traffic. It was widened and rerouted not so long ago. It does have wide hard shoulders and, where new tunnels were built, the old road still exists for cyclists. However, I'd keep my time there at a minimum.

If sticking to the Spanish side there, as an alternative, at Santesteban you could take Na-170, then Na-4150 (road via Goizueta) at Ariskil (the old Basakabi hotel) . This Goizueta road is super popular with local cyclists.

If going through France, this would be a suggestion:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41849274
Note that, while I've cycled Sare - Donostia, I haven't done so yet from St Jean de Pied de Port to Sare. Roads are in very good condition, and are popular with local cyclists, but no personal bike experience there, sorry. However, if you want more climbing, going to Bera and then back to france will add two more cols to the list. Neither is high, but the vertical meters will definitely increase.

drhaggis

I'm furious. I posted a really long answer that got lost in the forum bugs. This is a shortened version.

I'd try to go through Tourmalet, fitness allowing. For that, rather than Sabiñanigo, I'd probably sleep in France, closer to Pau. For an epic return to Spain, you could go though the lesser known, but no less tough, Larrau.

Then, for the last bit, you must be aware N-121A sees quite a bit of heavy traffic. It's got a very serviceable, wide hard shoulder, and on the tunnels cyclists are rerouted through the old road. So you should be safe, but it really wouldn't be my choice.

Also, you do Lesaka-Oiartzun half through the road, half through tracks. This looks like a garmin suggestion. If you go this way with a road bike, stick to the road (Na-4000 -> Gi-3420). It's very popular with cylists. Just don't be too ambitious in the descent after the tunnel, as the asphalt is a bit bouncy in a couple of places.

However, since you're sleeping near Roncesvalles, I'd go through St Jean de Pied de Port, and then through some small french-basque villages:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41849274
If not the summer or easter, the coast route from St Jean de Luz is totally worth it.

Whatever you do, do not get into the forbidden bits of N-121A

BTW: Spanish roads starting with N- (e.g. N-121A, N-634) are the equivalent of UK A-roads. Expect good surface, wide lanes, probably hard shoulder, but traffic too.

kingstongraham

That route is begging for Tourmalet and Aubisque to be added in.

pblakeney

Wait a minute! The route does not include the purple bike symbols?
You've chosen entirely the wrong route if so.

kingstongraham

pblakeney said:

I would look at the routes that various companies use for their Raid tours.
I imagine that they are very similar. Just one example as I've used them but not that tour.

https://marmot-tours.co.uk/holidays/raid-pyrenean/

This is still the answer - another one here: https://pyreneesmultisport.com/tours/pyrenean-traverse/

They all choose Atlantic to Med rather than the other way, probably because the Tourmalet is so much better climbing that side and descending as fast as possible through La Mongie.

pblakeney

kingstongraham said:

pblakeney said:

I would look at the routes that various companies use for their Raid tours.
I imagine that they are very similar. Just one example as I've used them but not that tour.

https://marmot-tours.co.uk/holidays/raid-pyrenean/

This is still the answer - another one here: https://pyreneesmultisport.com/tours/pyrenean-traverse/

They all choose Atlantic to Med rather than the other way, probably because the Tourmalet is so much better climbing that side and descending as fast as possible through La Mongie.

Prevailing winds?

drhaggis

pblakeney said:

kingstongraham said:

pblakeney said:

I would look at the routes that various companies use for their Raid tours.
I imagine that they are very similar. Just one example as I've used them but not that tour.

https://marmot-tours.co.uk/holidays/raid-pyrenean/

This is still the answer - another one here: https://pyreneesmultisport.com/tours/pyrenean-traverse/

They all choose Atlantic to Med rather than the other way, probably because the Tourmalet is so much better climbing that side and descending as fast as possible through La Mongie.

Prevailing winds?

Prevailing wind is mostly N or NW in Northern Spain. Provided you're near pyrinees, it shouldn't be particularly windy. Can check ventusky for a month or so.

jimmyjams

kingstongraham said:

pblakeney said:

I would look at the routes that various companies use for their Raid tours.
I imagine that they are very similar. Just one example as I've used them but not that tour.

https://marmot-tours.co.uk/holidays/raid-pyrenean/

This is still the answer - another one here: https://pyreneesmultisport.com/tours/pyrenean-traverse/

They all choose Atlantic to Med rather than the other way, probably because the Tourmalet is so much better climbing that side and descending as fast as possible through La Mongie.

When I did an organised tour through the Pyrenees (mostly on the French side), we went east to west, with a couple of circular tours thrown in, from Puigcerda to Louvie-Juzon. The exception to the rule?
(Also, when I was there with the family and did my own half-day rides as we moved base, all my rides were east to west because that is how we moved, from Argeles on the coast near Perpignan to Ondarroa, halfway between Donostia and Bilbao)

I agree with others that rob796's currently proposed tour would be better (i.e. more appealing to me) if it included many of the well-known passes which he, at the moment, is skipping.
Other changes I'd make to his route are (1) avoid Andorra altogether, an ugly place, (2) avoid Lourdes altogether, a highly-commercialised holy Blackpool, and (3) avoid the stretch along the valley either side of Jaca, an uninteresting landscape.

rob796

Great insights; thank you so much!
What concerns the direction - I didn't think much of it. In the beginning, I found a cheap roundtrip ticket to Barcelona, which was mostly the reason. But as now I'm flexible with flying from/to Bilbao, I can adjust.

Do you think prevailing winds could be an important factor? If it is just the last section near San Sebastian, probably wouldn't be a big thing.

With well known climbs. First I draw the route and later I got an idea to mark them on the map to see how many of them comes naturally on my way. I didn't have intention to climb to all of them But now I see with some corrections I could connect the dots and attempt to climb more of them.

Looks like I'll have to spend some time on the weekend for updating the route

rob796

Hello folks,

What an amazing tour in the Pyrenees mountains! It was one of the most exciting trips I’ve ever taken. I wrote an article about my experience, which includes the route we took, recommendations, and advice for future riders. If you have any questions or suggestions for similar rides, feel free to share them here
https://fullnorth.com/2023/10/23/cycling-in-the-pyrenees-9-day-tour/