JULY 4 - ARRIVE PAU (Lestelle Betharram)
We’ll meet you at the airport and take you to our
hotel just outside of town. 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 (1st) stage finish, as we will every day.
JULY 5 - OLORON St MARIE - 72 mi, 7500 ft
Our first day of riding is more fun than hard. There are no big
climbs, just lots of little ones, as we explore the lush green
foothills and small passes to the north of the big mountains.
This is not a big tourist area, so the roads are small and have
very little traffic. The Tour de France seldom ventures this
far west in the Pyrenees, as they stick to the bigger passes,
however they did pass through on some o these same roads in
2003. The highest of our passes is the Col de Marie-Blanque.
There are a variety of route choices with the longest being 90
miles with 8000+ feet of elevation.
JULY 6
- ST. SAVIN - 70
mi, 7600
ft
We
retrace our route through the foothills as a warm-up before
challenging the big climbs of the Pyrenees. The Col d’Aubisque
is our first major Tour de France climb. It is not on this
year’s agenda, but still it is one of the most beautiful climbs
of any Tour de France. However, probably the most spectacular
stretch of road of our entire tour, is the traverse from the
Aubisque to the Col du Soulor. 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. Our hotel in St. Savin is small, but
unexpectedly good, and the
chef de
cuisine
is one of the best of the entire trip.
JULY 7 - ST. LARY-SOULAN - 53 mi, 8300 ft - or -
85 mi, 12,500 ft
Today we cycle up the Big One, the Col de Tourmalet, the climb
that is a leg-breaker on almost every Tour de France, including
this year’s, with the stage finish in la Mongie. A high speed
descent places us at the start of the climb of the Col d’Aspin,
but we soon turn off on the small, lightly traveled road up the
Hourquette d’Ancizan. 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). 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.
JULY 8 - ST. GIRONS - 76 mi, 8600 ft
Today’s ride reads somewhat like a Tour de France stage, Col de
Val Louron, Col de Peyresourde (be sure to stop here for great
crepes), Col de Mente, and Col de Portet d’Aspet. If this
sounds like too much, just remember that a normal 'Tour' stage
would have three more cols before the finish! Besides some
awesome scenery, we will pass a plaque dedicated to Luis Ocana,
at the site where a mudslide took him out of the 1971 Tour while
he was wearing the yellow jersey. We will also pass the
memorial dedicated to the Italian rider, Fabio Casartelli who
died in 1995 on the descent of the Portet d’Aspet. A long
gradual descent bring us to St. Girons, 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 training or when the Tour
comes through.
JULY 9 - ST. GIRONS loop ride - 67 mi, 6600
ft-or-35 mi, 1300 ft
Sleep in this morning or choose one of many loop rides. Two
years in a row the 'Tour' has climbed two small passes, Col de
la Core and Col de Latrape, and so will we. This is a beautiful
forested route and if you add the small climb up the Col de
Catchaudegue you will have a great day of cycling on some
wonderful winding roads with great views. Another one of our
favorites, for a more leisurely day, is a route that features
more of those peaceful, small winding roads that grace the
Pyrenees, the ride to the Grotte du Mas d’Azil. This is a large
cave carved out by a flowing river and now has a road through
the entire grotte.
JULY 10 - FOIX - 65 mi, 5000 ft-or-89 mi, 9300 ft
Much of
today’s ride is on very small, very scenic roads with little or
no traffic - a route never visited by the Tour de France, until
this year. The small Col d’Agnes and Port de Lers gives 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. The 13th stage of
the Tour de France has a mountain top finish at the Plateau de
Beille, this is our destination for the long route. Foix is a
bustling little city with well preserved castle dominating the
skyline. Be sure to leave time to explore and find a good ice
cream or beer.
JULY 11 - COUIZA - 70 mi, 5700 ft,-or-51 mi,
3400 ft
From town
this morning, we have a long gradual climb up the valley to the
spa town of Ax-les-Thermes. From here we have a long hard climb
up the Port de Pailheres, the second highest pass in the
Pyrennes. Amazingly the Tour de France never included this pass
until 2003. The switchbacks near the top are so tight that the
van will have trouble following - this is more a bike path than
a road. The long descent, through a series of gorges, is not
only immensely satisfying but also dramatic. The easy route has
a number of little climbs on small roads, including a pass-by of
the châteaux, Montsegur and Puivert. Our hotel a registered
historic monument, is a restored 16th century fortified chateau,
old, elegant, very interesting, and most enjoyable.
JULY 12 - TARASCON - 67 mi, 6000 ft-or-74 mi, 8300 ft
After
a casual ride up the valley, we turn off on a small road and
spend the next 20 kilometers climbing winding through the forest
with the occasional cliff or gorge. Next is the wide open
Plateau de Sault. At the western end we have a rip roaring
descend on a bikepath-like road through the wood, with a glimpse
now and then of the valley below. A climb brings us to a
hanging valley that parallels the big valley on a rolling
traverse all the way to Tarascon, with lots of ups and downs and
through a number of villages. This is one of our favorite
routes in France. The hard route is only for hard core hammer
heads. The Col du Pradel is reached by a tiny steep road, with
a tinier steeper descent, almost all the way back to Ax-les-Thermes,
before you have another big climb back up to the Plateau de
Sault.
JULY 13 - SAUVETERRE - 80 mi, 6000 ft-or 67 mi,
3400 ft
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. Girons,
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 Girons and then off into the
low hills on a series of small farming roads. Our hotel is very
elegant, quite a surprise considering its location, nestled
between the hills and the heavily farmed valleys.
JULY 14 - 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, the Col de Peyresourd (remember to
stop at the refuge for some delicious crepes) and the Col
d’Aspin. These are beautiful climbs and the views are grand.
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 15 - GAVARNIE - 54 mi, 4500ft
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 towards 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. There
are two major ‘Tour’ climbs, the Hautacam (22mi,
3900ft) and Luz
Ardiden (20mi,
3300ft). There is an
optional climb up to the resort village of Cauterets and beyond
(31mi,
3300ft).
This is a beautiful road, much of the way climbing past a series
of water falls, high into the alpine areas around the tallest
mountains in the Pyrenees. As Americans, we would assume that
only foot paths, not paved roads, would be found at this
altitude and in this terrain! At 4500 ft elevation, Gavarnie is
a true alpine village, the highest in the Pyrenees, having a
most stunning setting beneath the famous Cirque de Gavarnie. Be
sure to take a quick stroll through town and maybe a short hike
towards the impressive mountain cirque. Go either this evening
or tomorrow morning and you will have some awesome views of the
huge mountains and Europe’s longest waterfall.
JULY 16 - GAVARNIE - 53 mi, 8000 FT
This is the day we have been waiting for the Tour de France has
a stage finish in la Mongie, and we will be there. This will be
the first major test and one of only two mountain top finishes,
so it will be very important to the overall standings. We will
climb the Col du Tourmalet from the back side and descend to la
Mongie. Relax, and have lunch, all the while absorbing the
incredible energy of hundreds of thousands of cycling fans
lining the roads waiting for their favorite champion to come
racing up the hill first. On these slopes of the Tourmalet, the
first important attacks of the race will be launched, where the
stage victor and perhaps “Tour” champion will emerge.
JULY 17 - PAU - 78 mi, 5400 ft-or-60 mi, 3700
ft-or-41 mi, all down hill
Our last ride is all a repeat of 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
d’Aubisque is the challenge for the long route, while climbing
and then descending the Col du Sulour is the easy challenge.
Riding straight back to the hotel provides a unique contrast to
the tour to this point, no climbing! Farewell dinner tonight at
the hotel.
JULY 18 - DEPARTURE
Van transport provided to Pau airport.
COST:
$2900 per person based on Double Occupancy
$500 Single 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. |
