Pyrenees - Route from Arreau to Pau

[531c]

Hello - I'm just planning a short tour in the Pyrenees, and currently looking at finishing up in Arreau, at the base of the Col d'Aspin. I will need to get back from there to Pau in one day's ride, which is about 100km ish.

Since this is a reasonable distance I was planning to take as flat a route as possible, via Tarbes on the D107, N117 etc but it looks busy - does anyone have any experience of these roads, or maybe a better route? I'd rather not go back over the Tourmalet, Aspin, Aubisque

 

[Cathryn]

I'm sorry we can't help - looks like no-one knows these roads.

If you fancy the Alps, we'd all be much more 'alpful.

 

[jay clock]

Not so fast young lady....

I lived in Oloron, 35km south of Pau, for a year -sadly before I got the cycling bug.

Arreau is a LOVELY little place.

DO avoid the N117 - although by-passed by the A64 since I was there, there will still be lots of traffic, partic lorries, taking it to save the tolls.

I would go over the Col d'Aspin which I think is the only major climb - from there is all downhill (I plotted it on mapmyride.com and it really is a downhill)

Then turn left on the D937 and follow that through Lourdes until Nay. The main road becomes the D938, but the old 937 is still there. Lourdes is worth 5 mins to gawp at the religious tat shops - get yourself a St Bernadette water bottle for instance, that lights up!

Pau is a lovely town too.

 

[Cathryn]

Thanks for calling me young...

 

[theloafer]

531c..not sure this will be any good to you ....poss let you pick your way around there was used by a dutch couple doing lejog....getas down to very detailed roads ....http://demo.loqit.eu/

 

[531c]

Thanks jay_clock and everyone, the final day of my tour goes over the Tourmalet and Aspin, I hadn't planned on doing the Aspin from both directions but if it avoids the busy roads then maybe that's the best plan.

You're right, Pau is a lovely town. Looking forward to a cold beer on the Boulevard de Pyrenees already :-)

Never seen mapmyride before - what a great site!

 

[jay clock]

yes, and I also use mapmyrun. Very good for really detailed route planning, can see route profiles (heights) and combine satellite and road mapping