JULY 1
- ARRIVE PAU
We’ll meet you at the airport and take you to our
impressive hotel, the Parc Beaumont, in Pau. You’ll have the
afternoon to assemble bikes, sightsee, and perhaps take a nap
before our get-acquainted dinner tonight at the hotel, which
will be followed by an overview of the tour. We will watch the
Tour de France (5th) stage finish, as we will every day.
JULY 2 - ARGELÈS-GAZOST
- 64mi, 6600ft
As a warm-up, we will amble through the foothills
before challenging the big climbs of the Pyrenees. The Col
d’Aubisque, and Col du Soulor combo, is our first major Tour de
France challange, and often appears on the Tour de France
route. It is one of the most beautiful of all ‘Tour’ climbs,
and the traverse from the Aubisque to the Col du Soulor is
probably the most spectacular stretch of road of our entire
tour. This stretch of road, as one guide book describes, “...is
a marvelous, tortuous road that will make any car miserable -
not to mention the bicyclists of the Tour de France, on those
occasions when the sadists who run it steer the race this way.”
Well, the Tour comes this way almost every year, and you will be
amazed and delighted, not miserable! But do watch out
for large cows that graze freely on the grass alongside the
road.
JULY 3- ST. LARY-SOULAN –57 mi, 8000 ft
Today
we begin by following the Tour de France route over the Col du
Tourmalet. This is the single biggest climbing gain, nearly
6000 ft, in this year’s Tour (3rd in actual
elevation).
After a long descent we begin the gradual climb up the Col
d’Aspin, but we soon turn off on the small, lightly traveled
road up the Hourquette d’Ancizan (165 ft higher than the Aspin).
Here in the park-like forest we will have a typical French
pique-nique lunch. On to St. Lary, but don’t check in at
the hotel just yet, because the extra loop up the road to the
Lac de Cap de Long is a very scenic, though strenuous climb (be
sure to take plenty of water). It adds 29 miles and 3900 feet
of elevation. Near the top, just below the lake, the
switchbacks are so tight that the front of your bike will start
a new switchback before your backside has finished the last
switchback. These are the biggest and most beautiful mountains
in the Pyrenees. Equally inspiring is the slightly shorter, but
just as high, ride to Pla d’Adet, the ski area above town.
JULY
4 – SAUVETERRE – 65mi, 6500ft, or 40mi, 4300 ft
Our ride today is pure Tour de France, as we
tackle the Col de Val Louron-Azet, Col de Peyresourde (be sure
to try the delicious crêpes at the little café at the summit),
and the Col du Portillon, these last two in this years race.
These are big beautiful climbs and the views are grand. From
the Portillon we descend into Spain, and then head down valley
back into France. Our hotel is very elegant, quite a surprise
considering its location, nestled between the hills and the
heavily farmed valleys.
JULY
5 - ST. GIRON – 67mi, 9000ft, or 46mi, 5100ft
More ‘Tour’ climbs are in store for today, Col de
Mente, Col de Portet d’Aspet, and Col de la Core. Besides some
awesome scenery, we will pass a plaque dedicated to Luis Ocana,
at the site where a mudslide took him out of a past Tour while
he was wearing the yellow jersey. We will also pass the
memorial dedicated to the Italian rider, Casartelli, who died on
the descent of the Portet d’Aspet in 1995. A long gradual
descent brings us to St. Giron, the largest town, and one of the
more elegant hotels of our tour. This hotel is where Lance
stays when he is in the Pyrenees, both training, or racing when
the Tour comes through. Lance always requested room #7.
JULY 6 - ST. GIRON loop ride - 37mi, 1400ft
-or- as much as 72mi, 5900ft
Sleep in this morning or choose one of many loop
rides. The ‘Route Verte’ along the ridge of the Massif de
l’Arize is wonderful, with plenty of ups and downs. There are a
couple options for shorter rides, but the best include a loop
through the Grotte du Mas d’Azil. This is a huge prehistoric
cave with a river (and road) running through it from one side of
the hill to the other. You can also take a short spin and be
back in town in time for lunch and then spend the rest of the
afternoon relaxing by the pool.
JULY
7 – FOIX - 66mi, 6000ft, or 60mi, 4700ftMuch
of today’s ride is on very small, very scenic roads with little
or no traffic - a route, including all three climbs,
never
visited by the Tour de France,
until 2004. The Col de
Latrape is a very gradual climb up a pretty green valley, while
the higher Col d’Agnes and Port de Lers give us a high alpine
traverse, with wonderful views in all directions.
Lunch, at
a small
restaurant near the top, has great views of the peaks and
valleys plus an alpine lake.
Near the bottom of the long
descent is the Grotte de Niaux. The climb up to this
prehistoric cave is rewarded with an interesting cave experience
and some beautifully preserved cave drawings.
Foix is a bustling little city with a well preserved castle
dominating the skyline. Be sure to leave time to explore and
find a good ice cream or beer.
JULY 8 – FOIX – loop ride - 48mi, 3900ft, or 71mi, 5300ft
There is not a single ‘Tour’ climb today, but there is still
plenty of climbing and plenty of beautiful scenery as most of
the day is spent riding on small roads through a fairly remote
area of the Pyrenees. Our first significant climb is to the
historic Cathar castle of Montségur. Next is the wide open
Plateau de Sault. A short side trip to Espezel finds us a great
local restaurant for lunch (at 39 miles) At the western end we
have a rip roaring descend on a one lane road through the woods,
with a glimpse now and then of the valley below. A short climb
brings us to a hanging valley that parallels the big valley
below. From here it is a rolling traverse all the way to
Tarascon, with lots of ups and downs, through a number of small
villages. This is one of our favorite routes in France.
JULY
9 – SAUVETERRE - 90mi, 6600 ft, or 67mi, 4000ft
We start the day challenging one of the Tour de
France ’regulars’, the Col de Port. From this particular
direction, the descent is winding and gradual, resulting in an
exhilarating roller coaster ride – one of the best anywhere.
From St. Giron, we retrace our route up the Col de Portet
d’Aspet, but then we veer north to the Col de Buret and Col des
Ares before descending to our pleasant country inn near
Sauveterre. The easy route heads down river from St Giron and
then off into the low hills on a series of small farming roads.
We stay at the same elegant hotel as before.
JULY
10 - BAGNERES DE BIGORRE - 80 mi, 9200 ft, or 53 mi, 4500 ft
We have a choice of two very different rides
today, one is pure Tour de France, and the other is on small
roads that have never been used by the Tour. The big ride takes
us into Spain and over the Col du Portillon, and the Col de
Peyresourd again, but from the opposite direction (remember to
stop for the cheap, delicious crepes) and then the Col d’Aspin.
The easier (?) route follows the valley along the base of the
mountains and climbs up and down, traversing the sides of these
giant foothills. But what makes this route so special, is
something that captures the essence of rural France; small
farming roads connecting ancient villages, roads winding past
neat stone farm houses, through pastures and over hills, an
excursion showing us a way of life that is hard working but slow
paced and rewarding.
JULY
11 – GAVARNIE - 51 mi, 4500ft, or 71mi, 7500ft
Today
will be probably the most spectacular, most scenic of the entire
trip, as we
continue cycling through these beautiful mountains. This
morning's section heading to Lourdes is one of the most
beautiful routes of the tour, small hill side roads with some
hill top views of the big mountains that are so very close.
Lourdes is the world’s most popular Christian pilgrimage
destination and is always crowded and somewhat commercially
overdone. But it is still beautiful and worth a visit. Luz
Ardiden is a ski station that is sometimes used as a stage
fiinish, this is our extra hard addition for the day. Our final
destination today is one of the most amazing locations in all
the Pyrenees, but we have to earn it. Even though the climb to
Gavarnie averages only 3.5%, tired legs will still be begging
for it to end. At 4500
ft elevation, Gavarnie is a true alpine village, the highest in
the Pyrenees, having a most stunning setting beneath the famous Cirq de Gavarnie.
JULY
12 – GAVARNIE – Rest day –or- 17mi, 3000ft
A rest day will be sorely needed, but there are
still things to do and places to see. You may choose to explore
this area on foot. The Cirq de Gavarnie offers one of the
greatest alpine sights in Europe, and there are plenty of hiking
trails, including one that climbs through a notch in the high
cliffs to the border with Spain. Another way to get to the
border is to bike up the road to its end. At this point, the
highest on our tour, we have a breathtaking view of the cliffs
of the cirque and the towering waterfall, Europe’s tallest.
Regardless of the day’s activity, The Tour de France, has its
first mountain stage today so be sure to catch the finish in Pau
on TV.
JULY
13 - ARGELES-GAZOST – 36mi, 4800ft
Today is the big day, the Tour de France comes
this way. We have the opportunity to watch the Tour from
anywhere on the climb of the Col du Tourmalet. This is the most
famous of all the Pyrenees climbs and used in just about every
Tour de France since 1910 when the Pyrenees were first used in
the Tour. We will leave Gavarnie and coas downhill to Luz St
Sauveur, buy a picnic lunch and start the climb. After finding
a good viewing spot near the top, where one can see for many
switchbacks below, we will wait for the Tour parade that
precedes the race. Soon the racers will come charging up the
road at an impressive speed, leaving an exciting memory, never
to be forgotten. After the race passes we can descend to our
hotel in Argeles Gazost and catch the finish on TV.
JULY 14 – Pau – 42mi, 3600ft, or 60mi, 5500ft
Our last ride is a repeat of some of the roads we
have already ridden, but what wonderful roads they are. No
matter which route you take it promises some of the best scenery
and views of the trip, a fitting conclusion to a great tour in
the Pyrenees. The Col du Soulor and Col d’Aubisque present the
big challenge for the long route. The easier route descends
from the Soulor and then rolls over hills and valleys all the
way to our hotel in Pau. We’ll have beer and recount stories,
then enjoy our farewell dinner tonight at the hotel.
JULY
15 - DEPARTURE
Van transport provided to Pau airport
COST:
$3095 per person based on Double Occupancy
$550 single room supplement
INCLUDES:
·3-4 star Hotel Accommodations Full breakfast daily (except arrival day)
·All dinners (except departure day)
·Airport transfers from Pau airport,
·Bike mechanic and van support with cellular phone,
·Ground transportation for all passengers, luggage & bikes,
·Regional map plus detailed daily route maps & cue sheets.
NOT INCLUDED:
·International
airfare,
·Tips and gratuities,
·Laundry, telephone, and items of a personal nature,
·Lunches and alcoholic beverages (a supplemental fee will be charged to those who wish wine with dinner, and may be prepaid before departure)
PRE-TRIP
PLANNING
A complete trip packet will be sent upon receipt of your final payment, including tour t-shirt, hotel lists, maps, and luggage tags. Our guidebook containing information on what to bring, how to pack your bike for flying,
equipment list, and changing currencies, will be sent upon receipt of your secondary deposit (due by March 1). All participants must possess a current passport
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Erickson Cycle Tours recommends purchasing insurance for trip
cancellation, injury, illness, and loss of effects. A travel insurance brochure with application is included with your confirmation letter.
AIRFARE
We offer the services of our travel agent, Shannon or Steve of
Rogue Travel, in obtaining economical, expedient air
reservations, and we can assist with lodging for pre- and
post-tour plans. For flight information, contact Rogue Travel at
1.800.443.9216, or
shannon@mind.net. If you prefer you may use the services of
your own travel agent. |
