Bike-Dreams : La Grande Boucle des Pyrénées
 
La Grande Boucle des Pyrénées
 


La Grande Boucle des Pyrénées (vice versa)

 

In a nutshell
 
 
Start
Finish

Countries

Stages
Rest days
 
 
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:

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Barcelona, Spain
Nice, France

Spain, France

17
3 days : Luz St. Sauveur, Carcassonne,
Malaucène
 
Total distance
Average distance
Total climbing
Average climbing
 
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:
:
:
 
1.850 km
109 km
34.000 meters
2.000 meters
 
1.155 miles
68 miles
111.500 feet
6.560 feet
 
Road condition

Period

 
Accommodation

 
Price
Discount
 
 
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:

 
:


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100% paved

Friday May 10th, 2024
Wednesday May 29th, 2024

Campings plus 3 hotel nights
in Barcelona, Montserrat and Nice

€ 3.195,-
€ 200,- for early registration
 
 
Description

You take a map of France and start dreaming about the moon landscape of the Mont Ventoux. You look further on the map and see the classic climbs of the Pyrenees. Your finger drifts over the map and your eyes discover wonderful gorges which connect the Pyrenees with the Mont Ventoux. But... where to start and where to finish? At the Atlantic Ocean? The Mediterranean? Let's start this time in Barcelona and after a great loop through the Spanish and French Pyrenees head east in the direction of the Mont Ventoux and finish in Nice.
"La Grande Boucle des Pyrénées" is born. This time vice versa compared to previous editions and 90% over the same course, only in the reverse direction.

We start near Barcelona at the beaches of the Mediterranean and cycle inland over quiet roads which soon start to climb. The first stop is Montserrat where we stay at the monastery on top of a spectacular massif in the heart of Catalunya. You will be amazed about its beauty and spirality.
The Pyrenees which form the natural border between France and Spain loom up above the horizon and is the inspiring décor for the next ten days. Picturesque villages, small and quiet roads, traditional craftspeople and an older way of life dominate the mountain range. In this setting you climb numerous legendary cols which featured many times in the Tour de France and Vuelta d'España.

Less known passes on the Spanish side are alternated with tranquil dam reservoirs and narrow canyons. The towering canyon walls and lush greenery in the Cañon de Anisclo may not be missed. This gorge in the Parque Nacional Ordesa y Monte Perdido is one of the most amazing sections on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees. The narrow one-way road manoeuvres to great heights around the majestic rock formations and up steep grades to an enchanting land of nature.

You enter France at an altitude of 1.794 meter, more specific, at the Puerto del Portalet. You climb the famous French cols in the Pyrenees from the West. It's the most beautiful, but also the most challenging side. The first one is the Col d'Aubisque (1.709 m) which is one of those hors catégorie cols that make the legend of the Tour de France.

You drop down to the Gorge de Luz and have a first rest day in Luz St. Sauveur. If you don't feel tired yet, you can climb to one of the nearby ski-resorts like Luz Ardiden or Hautacam. Probably you want to safe your energy for the upcoming queen stage : the Col du Tourmalet (2.115 m), the Hourquette d'Anzican (1.564 m) and the Col de Peyresourde (1.569 m). The Tourmalet is one of the most popular mountain climbs and most famous in the Tour de France having featured more than 80 times since 1910. From Luz St. Sauveur, the Tourmalet is 18 kilometers long at almost 8% with a last kilometer of over 10%. Definitely a challenge. The Hourquette d'Anzican and Col de Peyresourde have open scenery most of the way and are not the most difficult climbs. The tough day ends in the fashionable resort of Bagnères-de-Luchon which is celebrated for its thermal springs.

You continue with another iconic triple-col day. Col de Menté (1.349 m), Col de Portet d'Aspet (1.069 m) and Col de la Core (1.395 m). The Col de Portet d'Aspet was already used for the first time in the Tour de France of 1910 and has appeared regularly since. The col is also known for the tragic incident of Fabio Casertelli which died whilst descending a steep section when leading the peloton in 1995. The Société du Tour de France and the Motorola team placed a memorial stone dedication to Fabio Casartelli on the spot where it happened.

The Col d'Agnès (1.570 m) and Col du Chioula (1.431 m) follow before we have a rest day in Carcassonne. The medieval fortified city looks like a surreal fairy-tale town of turrets, magic and wonder. Carcassonne has always been on a strategic position between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, for you it's a sign that you have left the Pyrenees behind. But there is still a lot to come.

You enter the lush Haute Languedoc with gentle climbs and dozens of winding roads. We head in the direction of Millau where we cycle below the impressive Millau Viaduct. It's the one of the tallest vehicle bridges in the world with a highest pier which fits between the Eiffel Tower and the Empire State Building. The viaduct is also the gateway to the Gorges du Tarn. Absolutely spectacular, the gorges cut through the limestone plateaux of the Causse de Sauveterre and the Causse Méjean in a precipitous trench about 500 meter deep and 1.600 meter wide for almost 50 kilometer. It's like a geography lesson has sprung to life.
Cycling through the wild and untamed Cévennes Mountains we end up at the famous Pont d'Arc near Vallon which is the largest natural bridge in Europe. It was here that the discovery of the Chauvet Cave was made in 1994 where 32,000 year old cave paintings were found. So, you are definitely not the first one which enjoys the beauty of this incredible natural feature. You cycle downstream through the Gorges de l'Ardeche with spectacular limestone cliffs towering up to 350 meter above the meandering river below.

The Mont Ventoux towers in the distance as you cycle through the lavender fields of the Provence. The mountain is a magnet for cyclists throughout the summer and is probably the second most famous climb in the world after l'Alpe d'Huez. The Mont Ventoux became famous on July 13th, 1967 when the British cyclist Tom Simpson rode himself to exhaustion on the slopes and died. There is a memorial to Tom Simpson on the southern side of the mountain, just over one kilometre from the summit. The last six kilometres come the Mistral wind into play and can buffet a cyclist all over the road. The seven percent gradient can feel more like 15 percent. On a good day it is possible to see as far as the Alps to the north and the Mediterranean to the south.
We have a rest day planned in Malaucène, located in the shadow of the Mont Ventoux. This gives you the opportunity to reach the summit also from one of the other sides or to explore the fabulous surroundings.

You continue further east and cycle on the northern rim of the Grand Canyon du Verdon. The largest canyon in Europe is a dramatic series of limestone cliffs, stunning views, dramatic waterfalls and a startling turquoise-green river is floating up to 700 meters deep. The last stage you pass the narrow and beautiful Gorges du Loup before you drop to sea level at the Mediterranean.

The 5th edition of "La Grande Boucle des Pyrénées" starts Friday May 10th, 2024 in Barcelona. The finish lies after 20 days, 1.850 kilometres and a lot of climbs in Nice, the capital of the Côte d'Azur.

The whole route follows paved, relatively quiet and scenic mountain roads. The course varies from serious hills to long, steep climbs as the Mont Ventoux and the Col du Tourmalet. Don't expect one single flat stage.
The tour is planned in the middle of spring which guarantees normally pleasant cycling temperatures throughout the tour with still patches of snow in the mountains. The weather conditions in the Pyrenees can always be unsettled and the circumstances can become heroic if you reach altitudes around or above 2.000 metres.
The tour is open for cyclists from all around the world to create an exceptional atmosphere, during as well as after the bike ride.

"La Grande Boucle des Pyrénées" is a physical challenge in an alluring and picturesque area. Ride the climbs you always wanted to do, and enjoy the best of what Southern France and Northern Spain has to offer.