Cycling across the Pyrenees

In August 1998 two Derby CTC members, David Lees and Steven Massey cycled across the Pyrenees from Biarritz to Perpignan. This is their daily log – detailing the highs and lows of the trip which saw them covering some 826 miles in 12 days (average 68.9miles per day in case you are wondering!)

There are also some photographs from the trip, showing some of the climbs covered on this classic route.

The Route:

Day	From/To	Climbs
1	Biarritz—St Jean	Puerto de Otxando Col de Ispeguy
2	St Jean—Tardets	Alto Ibaneta Abqurretta Port de Iarrau
3	Tardets—Laruns	Col de la Pierre St. Martin Col de Marie Blanque
4	Laruns—Piere Fitt-nestalas	Col d’Aubisque Col du Soulor Pont d’Espagne
5	Pierre Fitt—St Lary-Soulan	Col du Tormalet Col d’Aspin Col d’Azet
6	St Lary Soulan—St Beat	Col de Peyresorde Superbagneres
7	St Beat—St Girans	Col de Merte Col d’Aspet-Portet Col de la Core
8	St Girons—Aix les Thermes	Col de Port
9	Aix les Thermes—Egat	Port d’Envira (Andorra)
10	Egat—Chalabre	Col d’Quillane Col des Tougnets
11	Chalabre—Durban	Col de St Benoit Col de Paradis Pont d’Orbieu Col de Bedes Col de Ville
12	Durban—St Marie Plage	Col d’Extreme Col de la Bataille

Day 0: London Heathrow to Biarritz

Short hop from Hampton Hill (where David lived at the time) to Heathrow airport for a flight to Biarritz (via Paris). We arrived at Biarritz at 1.30PM and the bikes arrived later at 5PM, with some mild (but easily fixable) damage to Steve’s machine.

Day 1: Biarritz—St Jean

(via: St Piee, Puerto de Otxando, Col de Ispeguy, St Etienne, and St Jean) 63.5 miles

Very undulating route, highest point 672m. Started 9:30am
Weather: warm but cloudy
Evening: lovely Basque folk atmosphere took over road. Good quiet campsite but ant ridden!

Day 2: St Jean—Tardets

(via: Alto Ibaneta, Abqurretta, Port de Iarrau, and Tardets)

Climbs: 3 major, 74 miles

Very tiring. Started at 9am, 19 miles of climbing up to 1^st peak, then undulating roads in Big Mig Spanish country before 2^nd climb—not too bad. Last climb very tough—Steve 30 minutes on me, lovely road and scenery.
Weather: baking heat—struggled to drink enough and eat also (poor food previous night)
Evening: campsite very good, ate well at the Pyrenean restaurant

Day 3: Tardets—Laruns

(via: Col de la Pierre St Martin, Escot, Col de la Marie Blanc)

Climbs: 2 major, 62 miles

First climb was extremely steep, 15% at start. Took me 2 hours 25 minutes up and down. Good descent to Escot where we started Marie Blanque—exceedingly tough (steepest side). Unrelenting gradient in one direction for 12 kilometres. Thunder storm at the top, long descent down to the main road and campsite afterwards.
Weather: very hot (sticky) then thunderstorm and rain.
Evening: campsite very cheap, food excellent—3 course meal for 95f
Other: Interesting wild boars at the top of the first climb.

Day 4: Laruns—Piere Fitte Nestalas

(via: Col d’Aubisque, Col du Soulor, and Pont d’Espagne)

Climbs: 2 major, 61 miles

Two and a half-mile roll-out before Aubisque, then 12 miles of climb. Cool start, climb more enjoyable, steady rhythm all the way although steep. Saw none other than the Tour de France 88 winner Pedro Delgardo descending it. Nice climb, good café at the top.

Then followed the most beautiful scenery yet with wild cows, ponies and horses. Short climb (2km) to summit of Col du Soulor. Descent afterwards brilliant, very good road surface.

Then a steady 12 mile ascent to Pont d’Esp via Cauterets (ski resort). Very beautiful, lots of waterfalls but full of cars and coaches. Caught Steve as he was repairing a blowout (rear), he then caught me on remaining 7km. Lots of hairpin bends, one in five bends a hairpin and 14% plus gradient. Very hard—Steve was going like a train after the repair, very fast. At the top nothing much apart from commercial stuff, a dead-end. Good descent to the campsite 12 miles away.

Weather: cool start, improved throughout the day—baking heat on the last climb.
Evening: excellent salmon pasta dish and 24 degrees

Day 5: Pierre Fitte-nestalas—St Lary-Soulan

(via: Col du Tormalet, Col d’Aspin, and Col d’Azet)

Climbs: 3 major, 69 miles

Steady, progressively uphill route to base of Tourmalet. Then 18 km and 6-10% average per kilometre gradient. Very warm on lower slopes and then progressively cooler. Lots cyclists on climb. Took Steve 1 hour 50 minutes and me 2 hours 20 minutes. Tough as there was a long thunderstorm at the top. Rapid descent to St Marie de Campan, then 12+kilometres to Aspin. Steady start with a steep finish--enjoyable, a walk in the park compared to Tourmalet. It rained at the summit here as well. Twisty descent to Arreau.

Gentle progress to St Lary Soulan, decided to do nearby climb or Col d’Azet (it appeared easy) 11 kilometres, average gradient 9%--very tough. I went the wrong way, Steve finished in under an hour.

Descent back to St Lary, found a four star municipal campsite, more rain and thunder.

Weather: extremely hot and sunny at times (particularly in the valleys) but lots of rain and thunderstorms.
Evening: excellent pasta bolognaise meal and ½ pizza each and wine for under £10. St Lary Soulan extremely touristy and busy/lively.
Other: lots of wild dogs and animals on last climb—all okay. Last climb tougher than Aspin by far.

Day 6: St Lary Soulan—St Beat

(via: Col de Peyresorde, Luchon and Superbagneres)

Climbs: 2 major, 69 miles

Woke up to steady rain and had our usual start of about 9am delayed whilst we waited for it to stop; underway just before 11am.

Climbed steadily to the base of the Peyresorde where we cycled in the rain, a very wet descent. We were very cold on arrival in Luchon. Superbagneres was very long (12 miles) through rain, mist and cold. A very cold descent, even with a copy of L’Equip down my shirt! Weather improved after the descent and eventually found a campsite in St Beat.

Weather: Abysmal, lots of rain and low cloud/mist and wet. Only had some clearer weather towards the end.
Evening: excellent 6 course set meal (beef, prawns, salad . . . ) Nice quietish place.

Day 7: St Beat—St Girans

(via: Col de Merte, Col d’Aspet-Portet and Col de la Core)

Climbs: 3 major, 63 miles

Started off climbing straightaway from St Beat—over 10k steady climb. Quick descent to next Col where we stopped to pay tribute to Fabio Cassatelli—steep climb to top. At top had a nice view and drink where we discovered that I had lost yet another camera!! Previous Col? We may never know!! Good progress to the base of the last climb despite headwind and solid heat.

Then 15km steady slog up in the heat. From the top a good descent (it didn’t rain!). Followed a nice valley to St Giron via numerous tunnels—not nice! (Pretty though)

Suffered a tough 2km final climb to a bogus campsite in St Giron!

Weather: hot and sunny (baking a times) no rain.
Evening: ate at campsite restaurant, good food as expected!

Day 8: St Girons—Aix les Thermes

(via: Col de Port, Trascon and Aix les Thermes)

Climbs: 1 major, 56 miles

Gentle, very scenic, 18 miles of road along a picturesque valley before we started the long and steady Col de Port (14 km), a good steady gradient.

Nice, steady descent to Tarascon, where there was baking heat! Then quite tough, slightly uphill, busy road for about 20 miles to Aix les Thermes.

Weather: warm, then very hot after Tarascon—peak of the day.
Evening: Good campsite near river. Time to explore Aix les Thermes and for me to phone my parents before a good pizza and later spaghetti bolognaise meal.

Other: Treated day as kind of a rest day . . . finished 3:30/4pm.

Day 9: Aix les Thermes—Egat

(via: Port d’Envira (Andorra), La Seu de Gall and Font Romeu)

Climbs: 1 major, 95 miles

Tough, 23 mile, climb in early heat up to Andorra—very busy traffic wise due to border controls. Then good 20 mile descent through Andorra in incredible heat. Andorra was very nice but very congested traffic wise. After the descent there was a long hard slog, roughly a 30-mile ascent (ascended from 670m-1220m) to Purgerda. Climbed last 8/9km up to 1700m where we camped for the night.

Weather: baking hot, very clear
Evening: good meal in nearest hotel/restaurant (3km away).

Day 10: Egat—Chalabre

(via: Font Romeu, Col d’Quillane, Formigueres, Axat Quillan and Col des Tougnets)

Climbs: 2, 70 miles

Very cold morning having camped at altitude and then climbed for the first 10 miles. Plateau riding for the next six miles before a steady long descent of about 25 miles. At last, a reward for the work of the previous day! Very scenic descent through gorges etc to Quillan. From there a baking heat, in 30’s with lovely blue skies. Last 20 miles very blustery though, and tired at the end, having done 9 small (category 3?) Cols (Tougnets)

Weather: cool start, then baking heat, then very blustery with head wind at end.
Evening: pizza excellent in restaurant, good local wine.

Day 11: Chalabre—Durban

(via: Col de St Benoit, Limoux, Couiza, Col de Paradis, Pont d’Orbieu, Col de Bedes and Col de Ville Rouge)

Climbs: 5, 76 miles

Straightforward route going via minor hills after a late start (Steve not well). Tough wind for the majority of the route, very scenic barren (dry) landscape—lots of vines. Baking heat towards the end of the day, ended up staying in Durban (Corbieres country) as opposed to Tucon (Fitou region). Unfortunately, we couldn’t get an evening meal.

Weather: blustery and then baking heat.

Other: discovered that we were not flying back to England until the day after next—got an extra day!

Day 12: Durban—St Marie Plage

(via: Col d’Extreme, Tuchan (Fitou), Col de la Bataille, Thuir, St Cyprene Plage and St Marie Plage)

Climbs: 2, 68 miles

Homeward bound! Overcast start soon cleared though to the usual hot sunny conditions going through excellent wine regions. Long route skirting around Perpignan on minor roads. Steve’s b/b race appeared to have collapsed—clunking sound! Reached coast, (Mediterranean) at long last (first sight) St Cyprene Plage. Had a very nice big ice cream, very busy beach with nice women as per usual! Then did another 8 miles to find a 2 star campsite on road near beach—good.

Weather: coolish start, then baking heat and blustery.

And finally - Wines and Beers that we drank throughout the trip:

Day	Drink
0	Kronenberg (airport) Bottle of Spanish Red
1	3 x Kronenberg
2	Kronenberg Bottle of French Red (Fleur St John)
3	Bottle of French red (local table) Kanterbrau beer
4	Madiran (regional full bodied red) Pelforth blonde beer x 2
5	Regional red Kronenberg
6	Bordeaux red ’96 Chateaux les Rouilieres
7	3 x Kronenberg Fitou red
8	2 x beers ’96 Cabernet Sauvignon
9	Cotes du Rousillon—excellent Heineken
10	Fitou red—excellent 3 x Amstrel 1x Kronenberg
11	3 beers
12	1 glass house red 3 beers (going up)