HOLIDAY DETAILS
The Pyrenees: This high mountain range, stretching for over 400km from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean,
forming a natural boundary between France and Spain, is known for its high, rocky 3,000m peaks, deep gorges, streams,
forests, abundant flowers and wildlife. The range is not as high as France’s other big mountain chain, the Alps, but in many
ways is even more beautiful. It is less developed than the Alps, with some parts of the chain still quite wild and remote, with
extensive forests. It is a fascinating region with numerous attractive towns and villages. The eastern end of the Pyrenees is part
of the old Catalan region. This area is drier, and the landscape has a Mediterranean feel. In the west is the Basque country, with
its own language and a distinct separate identity. Nestled high in the centre of the mountains is Andorra, a small separate state,
the last remnant of several such states that at one time existed in the Pyrenees.
The Tour: This is a Fully Supported Holiday with a tour leader and vehicle support to carry all the luggage and
provide additional assistance if necessary. The holiday is designed to enable you to complete the ‘Raid Pyreneen’ route
within the 10 day time limit. This is a challenge and so for most people this is a fairly strenuous trip. Starting and
finishing at sea level the route includes 28 cols (mountain passes), which means that on most days you will have 2 or 3 significant
climbs. If you have not ridden a bicycle in mountainous areas before then you should be aware that cycling over this sort of
terrain is fairly strenuous and doing so day after day can be very tiring. The daily mileage is between 35 and 65 miles, and some
of the climbs are long (10 miles of uphill is not unusual). However most of the roads are fairly well graded with plenty of switchbacks,
and are nowhere near as steep as some roads in the UK. Gradients are usually around 6 or 7% (that’s about 1 in 16 or 1 in 14),
with short sections that are about 10 - 12% (that’s about 1 in 10 – 1 in 8). In addition the first couple of days are fairly
easy (partly due to a lack of suitable accommodation in the area), which does mean that you have a few days to find your climbing legs.
If you wish to claim an official medallion for completing the ride, you need to register with the Cyclo Club Béarnais (an
additional fee is payable), and ensure your ‘brevet’ card is stamped at various control points along the ride. Further details
will be sent with your booking information.
Accommodation & Food: Accommodation is in small family run hotels, generally graded 2* or similar, offering clean and comfortable rooms. Single people travelling alone will be booked into a twin bedded room with another single member of the same sex – unless you have paid the single room price for the holiday. We book rooms with ensuite facilities where available, but this cannot always be guaranteed. Breakfast is provided at the accommodation, most hotels also have a restaurant attached for an evening meal, or there is at least one other restaurant nearby.
Start: The holiday starts at Banyuls-sur-Mer, a few kilometres north of the Cerbere, the official start point of the Raid. Flights are available to
the nearby airport at Perpignan from Stansted, and Southampton airports in the UK, or there are high speed trains from Paris (with Eurostar
connections from London). We will provide transport from Perpignan to Banyuls on the first day.
Finish: The holiday ends at Hendaye on the Atlantic coast. The following day we will provide transport to Biarritz. Flights are available from Biarritz to Stansted and Gatwick. Note: The cost of flights or rail travel to Perpignan and the return from Biarritz are not included in the cost of the holiday. You may book flights or trains yourself or if you wish us to make the booking for you we can do so (an additional fee is payable). A separate form will be sent to you.
Cycle Transport: If required we offer a cycle transport service to take your bicycle from your home in the UK
to the start of the holiday, and return it to your home at the end of the trip (additional fee payable).
Documents: You require a passport to visit France. Nationals of some other countries also require a visa. Non EU passport holders should check with the nearest French Embassy. You are also required to have travel insurance for the duration of the holiday. If you do not purchase insurance from us you will be required to provide evidence of a suitable alternative policy.
Bikes: The type of bicycle that you bring on these holidays is entirely up to you. If you have a choice we would recommend a 'road' or ‘touring’ bike as being the most suitable for most people, as they are generally lighter and easier to ride. However the most important thing is that your bike functions properly and you are comfortable riding it. Whatever type of cycle you are taking you should make sure that it has suitable gears for this sort of trip. If you haven't ridden in this type of terrain before you'll probably find that you'll be most comfortable with a bottom gear of about 25 - 30 inches, which will usually mean having a triple chainring. If you are riding a mountain bike then you should fit it with narrow 'slick' tyres.
You should also make sure that you are able to carry some spare food and clothing with you on the bike. The route does cross some wild exposed areas with little in the way of shelter and no services, and you can get very cold descending some of the passes even if the weather is sunny.
Weather: The weather at the end of June is usually hot and sunny, with temperatures in the valleys in the high 20's or low 30's. However at the top of the high passes it is generally considerably cooler - the temperature drops by one degree for every 100 metres of elevation gained. You should be aware that mountain weather can be particularly unpredictable and the weather in the high mountains can be very poor, and you should be prepared for this.
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