Pyrennees in May 2018

“Nowhere near the mountains” in Spain = very hilly with great roads.


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Not between Ejea de los Caballeros and Balaguer it isn't- about a third of it is Autovia! :)

Regs

Simon
 
Yeah, you probably know better than me!


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Wwll I'm feeling a bit grump today - another day of glorious sun and forcers for another week! :)

Simon

Last summer I went along the Pyrenees on the classic roads to the Costa Brava. Came back on roads further south to Graus, and those roads were as awesome and quieter. I remember Coll de Bolxois was particularly pleasant.


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If anyone wants this as a Garmin route PM me with your email (its 2.7mb) the route is 1121 miles long, 30h42mins traveling time

Thank you Mr Wapping

I've done a lot of that on previous trips including Gorge de Galamus, I'm thinking of doing something similar next year so have pm'd you for the route :thumby:
 
But why is about a third of it nowhere near then mountains?

Simon

Hi Simon,

You need to see / read the full article; I looked at it as I can't speak German any more than I can speak Spanish. Reading, as it were, between the lines I could near enough guess what the author was on about.

It's a complete tour *, starting, stopping and ending in places that suited the author, following roads that suited him, too. Yup, he broke out of the mountains.... bad man! It does though illustrate the challenges set when bods ask: "Tell me how / where to ride in xxxx (insert large area of choice)". The link is nothing more than yet one more variation on many others.

If folks want to stay in the mountains, I'd suggest the ADAC maps / routes are pretty good for most purposes. If they want to delve further, then they'll need some good maps, a couple of decent guide books on things to see and do and some imaginative patience whilst they create their own holiday of a lifetime on two wheels.

Richard

* A touch over 5,000 km in 21 days.
 
Hi Simon,

You need to see / read the full article; I looked at it as I can't speak German any more than I can speak Spanish. Reading, as it were, between the lines I could near enough guess what the author was on about.

It's a complete tour *, starting, stopping and ending in places that suited the author, following roads that suited him, too. Yup, he broke out of the mountains.... bad man! It does though illustrate the challenges set when bods ask: "Tell me how / where to ride in xxxx (insert large area of choice)". The link is nothing more than yet one more variation on many others.

If folks want to stay in the mountains, I'd suggest the ADAC maps / routes are pretty good for most purposes. If they want to delve further, then they'll need some good maps, a couple of decent guide books on things to see and do and some imaginative patience whilst they create their own holiday of a lifetime on two wheels.

Richard

* A touch over 5,000 km in 21 days.

Yup, you're right. I'm less grumpy today - despite it still being sunny! :) - and actually if I were doing a tour I'd probably factor in special places to visit too. I don't speak a word of German but like you can 'read between the lines' so for anyone following this route, the wine centre at Barbastro to name but one (the Somontana D.O. is one of Spain's best - and that's saying something!). But there is so much more that is temptingly close, like the Castillo de Lloarre sited at the amazing Malos de Riglos gorge, the incredible C-13 road between Cameras and Cellers ...

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... but to be fair he does go over the Port de la Bonaigüa pass and the Port de Larrau ...

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... so, OK, it's down to me to suggest an alernative. I'm reviewing the routes on my web site over the next few days and I'll pay special attention to my Pyrenees tour route - and as I've just opened up my new Prism Tube rather than wait until Christmas I might juts have to put a video together ... :)

Regs

Simon
 
I have various Ride, Alpentourer and ADAC routes pulled together into a folder in Basecamp and will be have a play with the routes and the various towns, gorges, passes etc that have been recommended.

We'll probably only do the western end of the Pyrenees this time
 
We’re off there from 12th to 20th May next year following the Ride route riding down from Caen and back.
If the other ride routes we’ve done are anything to go by, it should be great.
 
I have various Ride, Alpentourer and ADAC routes pulled together into a folder in Basecamp and will be have a play with the routes and the various towns, gorges, passes etc that have been recommended.

We'll probably only do the western end of the Pyrenees this time

Well, hotels booked too now. And I have pulled together various sources and suggested routes to produce some routes for rides.

But one thought has crossed my mind, as we will be arriving in Jaca on the 20th May, are we likely to find the roads over some of the major Cols to the north still affected/shut by snow? Can anyone offer advice on this, and/or point me to a website that shows the status of the roads?

As a fallback, I shall prepare some routes that do not strike off into the high Pyrenees.
 
They will be what they will be, Paul.

For every, “I went in May and they were fine” you’ll get “We went in June and it snowed”

I went in September, it rained and when it wasn’t raining it was very foggy.
 
It was a few years ago that I went in early May before the season proper started, all clear to the south, some routes on the North still closed, but all enjoyable. Using Jaca as a base should result in maximum joy for all.
 
Ah the C-13 road between Cameras and Cellers. Amazing doesn't really sum it up:rob
 
Well, hotels booked too now. And I have pulled together various sources and suggested routes to produce some routes for rides.

But one thought has crossed my mind, as we will be arriving in Jaca on the 20th May, are we likely to find the roads over some of the major Cols to the north still affected/shut by snow? Can anyone offer advice on this, and/or point me to a website that shows the status of the roads?

As a fallback, I shall prepare some routes that do not strike off into the high Pyrenees.

Unless it's actually snowing a blizzard all of the Spanish roads are open all year round. In France it's anther matter as the smaller roads aren'ed cared at all until the snow melts for itself ...

But there are several websites that give up to date information. I found this one after a simple google search but it may be worth asking the considerable ex-pat population of there for which site is the best.

You've already worked out the knack of staying in Spain, a more likely issue than snow is fog or low clouds making the French side - or rather 'northern' as the Val d'Aran is in Spain - unpleasant and even dangerous in the morning!

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At least in many places you can actually see it long before you're committed to the route, this is the Port de Larrau -actually in July! - which I was to regret riding over as it took me 21 kms of terrifying riding on the other side - see image in my earlier post - before I found a place safely off the carriageway to turn around and head back, not before 'rescuing' this guy stuck with no working lights. He'd ridden his lovely T160 Trident - owned since new! - right through his render-vous in Larrau and luckily enough we'd just stopped at the first lay-by back in Spain when all of his buddies - very old-school tie! - rolled up ...

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Ah the C-13 road between Cameras and Cellers. Amazing doesn't really sum it up:rob

Too true, but you really need to ride it both ways as not only is is quite a bit harder north-south thanks to the adverse cambers and ever tightening bends but the Pyrenees end abruptly at Cameras - but never mind, there's a fabulous cafe, Can Pere*, there to enjoy a real biker's breakfast ...

Enjoy!

Simon
* NB, closed Tuesdays!
 
Worth popping into Andorra if you need any gear. You can save £100's on UK prices. Boots, Helmets, Gloves, Tosser Suits - all there - Motocard is a reasonable outlet, but there are others. Bin your old stuff, or post it back home if space is tight? Petrol also cheap - below €1.00 per litre.
 
I have sorted some routes out, based on Jaca: three loops that head north, incl one that does pretty much all the famous tdF passes, and two to the south, in case there is snow in the high passes. Looking forward to getting there now

But I have been to Andorra twice and thought it was bloody awful both times. I assume it looks better when blanketed in snow and when you are on skis. Won't be making the detour there!
 


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