Mythical mountain passes of the Pyrenees by bicycle

Morning trip from Barcelona to Bossòst and port of port alternative in the afternoon: the Col de Menté, a pass with a climb of 11 km from Saint Béat, with a difference in altitude of 849 mt and an average gradient of 9%. A pass famous for the unfortunate fall of Ocaña in the descent of the 1971 Tour that will help us to warm up our muscles for the following days.
After dinner we will have a brief daily briefing explaining the details of the next day’s route.

From Bossòst we will cycle along the bucolic and quiet Aranese road that jumps the border through the legendary Col du Portillon, on the way to the thermal town of Bagneres de Luchon. The second hurdle of the day is the famous Col du Peyresourde of 1569 mt., through which we will access the region of Haut Pyrénées, where the real giants of the Pyrenees await us. The descent of the Peyresourde towards the Louron Valley is splendid in its contrasts of green and blue lake Génos-Loudenvielle. From the shores of the lake we will start the ascent to the Col d’Azet. 7’5 km. to reach the pass at 1.580 mt. A total elevation gain of 620 mt with an average of 8’3%.

The second part of the day, optional, is the ascent to the Cap de Long Lake (2,175 mt.) within the Néouvielle National Nature Reserve. This ascent is one of the most beautiful itineraries in the Pyrenees. It is part with the neighboring Lac d’Aubert of the well known Route des Lacs. These lakes located in south-facing valleys allow trees to grow to altitudes of over 2000 mt. We are at the back of the Tourmalet massif and the height of these two well-known but less traveled ascents, exceed the height of the Tourmalet.
About this place the famous Pyrenean of the late XIX century Henry Russell said that it was of a “terrible majesty” and that being in such a pure environment “…What could we miss, except our loved ones… How could we miss civilization if in its absence we find such satisfaction?

The long awaited appointment with the greats of the Pyrenees has arrived. We will leave early to overcome the Col d’Aspin, an open and clear ascent that allows us to perfectly visualize the route to the top and enjoy from its horseshoe curves the spectacle of the valley of La Neste with the tourist town of Arreu in the background. From the Aspin we will link with the highlight of the day, the legendary Col du Tourmalet, a pilgrimage point for cyclists from all over the world.
Cycling owes its discovery to the intrepid journalist Alphonse Steinès who pursued the crazy idea in 1910 that the Tour would cross the giants of the Pyrenees. Cycling writer and chronicler Ander Izaguirre explains with great grace and emotion the anecdotes of his first exploration and the stories of the first time he crossed on a bicycle. His book“Plomo en los Bolsillos“(Lead in the Pockets) from Libros del KO publishing house, is an essential and exciting read about the pioneers of the Tour. The climb is spectacular and is surrounded by all the epic that has haunted the various editions of the Tour that have climbed it. However, it is neither the highest nor the most difficult pass in the Pyrenees. Its two slopes are especially attractive to face it and we will do it from Sainte Marie de Campan to descend later by the valley slope that will take us to the town of Luz Saint Sauveur.
The optional pass of the day will be the ski resort of Luz Ardiden, a pass with a slope of 1000 meters, an optimal asphalted and privileged views over the valley. It is about 14 km of ascent with an average gradient of about 8%.

Today’s route will take us to two border passes in the highest parts of the Pyrenees. On the way to the two ascents of the day, we will pass through one of those particularly photogenic mountain places: the most amazing impassable wall of the whole chain: the cirque of Gavarnie. Its rock walls are crowned by some of the 3000 mt peaks most coveted by mountaineers. From the village of Gavarnie take the road that turns right towards the Col de Tentes. This road was supposed to join Spain and France at this point, but so many windows open to the fresh air of the neighboring country did not end up being to Franco’s liking and the road remained in project on the Aragonese side. The polemic appears periodically in the Aragonese courts, however the environmental protections of our days seem to have paralyzed the idea definitively.

The Col de Tentes has a distance of 11 km from the village of Gavarnie with an average of 8%. The highlight is the high mountain scenery and the layout of the road that is looking for the ledges to crown the pass of the pass. Once at the top, the reward is one of the most beautiful views over the peaks of the central massif of Monte Perdido: the Casco, the Marboré, the Taillón, the Roland gap…

On our way back to Gavarnie we will head to the village of Gedre to face the second pass of the day, the col at the entrance of the Troumouse glacial cirque. We will find ourselves surrounded by the immense wall of rock that crowns different summits between 2800 and 3100 mt.

The climb is long, with some breaks in between. However, both the Col de Tentes and the Troumouse are considered two of the most challenging climbs in the Pyrenees. From Gedre we will have to climb about 100 mt to crown the col which is located at 2,100 mt. Before the summit we will pass through a 1 km break at the Plateau de Millet where there is a hostel of the same name with a tempting terrace. It seems that we have completed the ascent, but the road continues to climb the last horseshoe curves for 3 km more.

Culmination of the passage through the central Pyrenees, in one of the most beautiful stages of the entire journey.

From Luz we descend to the village of Argelèrs Gasòst to start the ascent to the Col du Soulor . Until the village of Arrens Marsous, and except for the initial 4 kilometers a little busy and with more slope, the climb is very relaxed in the following ones that cross the beautiful valley of Azun. From this point the road makes a 180º turn and starts a series of turns with a steeper gradient and an average of 8.5%.

At the top of Soulor we will enjoy great views of our next objective: the Circo de Litor. This road literally carved into the rock of an abyss seems an impossible step until you do not visualize it cut on the wall. The itinerary begins with a slight descent and the central crossing of the wall is done gliding. At the start of the climb to the nearby Col d’Aubisque, famous not only for the Pyrenean scenery that surrounds it, but also for the colorful iron bicycles that are immortalized every summer in the photos of all cyclists.

Long and steep descent to the town of Laruns where we will start our last and optional pass: the Portalet, a border crossing of 1800 mt, quite long but rolling. The average gradient is 4.5% but has several points of 9%. It is an ascent that goes from the initial closed and wooded valley to the immense open meadows where the beautiful and solitary silhouette of the Pic de Midi d’Ossau stands out. Descent to Biescas and end of the stage.

Return trip to Barcelona.