Pyrenees & France

[hubbike]

I've tried to tag on a few questions of my own to recent Barcelona-UK threads...but with no answers forthcoming perhaps I will have a shot at my own post.

I will be cycling from Barcelona to Portsmouth, leaving around the 1st of December and hopefully getting back for mid-december.

Q1: Will Pyrenean passes be open? or snowed in. I am not put off by cold weather and snow and would be keen to do a highish pass but which would you recommend? where can I find out about whether they are open or not?

Q2: Although I want to have fun, I'm more about staying warm and doing a lot of cycling, so don't really need any tourist sites along the way. but which route?

here are the ideas...

Barca over the Pyrenese, Toulouse, Bordeaux, west coast....
or
maybe the east following the Rhone then what? (not cycling thru paris please.)

criteria
avoid too many cities ideally I will wild camp each night please!
avoid major roads, ideally cycle paths please!
after the Pyrenese I just want to nail it home so no more mtns after that please...

will take ferry to Pompey from Caen, Le Harve or perhaps cherbourg

ok plan my route guys!!!

 

[jay clock]

Well I think you are bonkers! But there have been other nutters on here who have done madder things. What would put me off most would be the sun setting at 1715 and rising at 0805. Stealth camping in cold weather with all evening huddled in tent does not appeal

But if you must, here is a link for the cols and their status http://www.bison-fut...67A6A.TC60_10_M

Keep us posted!

Jay

 

[rich p]

I agree with JC!

Creep round the coast might be a plan

 

[hubbike]

Well I think you are bonkers! But there have been other nutters on here who have done madder things. What would put me off most would be the sun setting at 1715 and rising at 0805. Stealth camping in cold weather with all evening huddled in tent does not appeal

But if you must, here is a link for the cols and their status http://www.bison-fut...67A6A.TC60_10_M

Keep us posted!

Jay

might be doing a bit of riding at night time to keep warm

 

[Kirstie]

I'd just go around the end of them rather than over the middle. I can't imagine many of the big ones will be open. In terms of getting through France and covering ground quickly, you could do worse than head up the 'canal entre les 2 mers' (the surface is variable depending on which departement you're in) which takes you from the med to the atlantic, and then up the west coast from Bordeaux-ish until you get to the first ferry port. There's also a canal-side route which goes from the med, north of perpignan but I'm not sure where it drops you out. Possibly in the foothills of the pyrenees?

 

[rich p]

BTW, hubbike,

Happy Birthday and congrats on your fantastic trip!

 

[hubbike]

muchas gracias rich p!!

 

[asterix]

I like hearing about this sort of thing..

 

[willem]

I think it is a great plan. We have snow now in the north of Holland, where I live, but the roads are still perfectly fine and nighttime temperatures do not drop below minus 6. So technically there is no reason not to ride, and no reason not to camp if you have some decent gear for this sort of weather. Southern France and much of Spain will be quite a bit warmer, I am sure. The link to the passes that was given does not work, but this is an area where you would need to tread more carefully. Go round them, or take a train for a couple of miles. Please let us know how you are doing.
Willem

 

[andym]

...Southern France and much of Spain will be quite a bit warmer, I am sure.

I wouldn't bet on it. It snowed here in Bologna yesterday and indeed I thought of hubbike as i rode in the icy cold and snow (admittedly today is a bit warmer). It might be OK if you get a spell of cold clear sunny weather but on the other hand it could just be wet, grey and miserable. But still there's always the train if it does get too miserable.

 

[hubbike]

thanks for the support and advice folks!

still here in barcelona at the moment. it seems cold but not too bad. Think I will take the risk and head to Vic and then on to Puigcerdá. From there to Tolouse...then follow the canal path to Bordeaux (thanks kirstie) and the west coast... tried to understand the site posted above (http://www.bison-fute.equipement.gouv.fr/ works fine btw.) it says access to andora is Normal and for the other areas it says to take Les équipements spéciaux whatever that is, chains for the cars I expect...if all else fails there are trains...

 

[andym]

Yep chains/snow tyres.

 

[hubbike]

right. I'm in Puigcerda...so far so good. but it was a very chilly camp in a picnic area at 1700m last night. -5 degrees when I switched out my headtorch. I slept well except slightly cold toes.

Onwards to Francia...

 

[willem]

Well done - I am jealous. Take care.
Willem

 

[andym]

Jealous??? Travelling through France yesterday everywhere (at least on my route via Dijon) was under snow, grey, and bitterly cold..

hubbike - as willem says take care, but seriously, maybe time to consider taking the train.