Road to Tourmalet

[sparky1969]

Does anyone know what the road is like from Lourdes to the Col du Tourmalet? Hilly? Will i be knackered before i even get there? I know its about 20 miles.

 

[Telemark]

you can have a look on Google - Streetview allows you to do a virtual cycle ride along the road, from the comfort of your own home

[You have probably come across this before, but just in case you haven't, just drag the little orange man to a position on the map, all the roads with blue highlighted lines have been photographed.]

Hope this helps

Edit: just had a look myself, some of the google photo route south of Lourdes goes along a dual carriageway D road, which wouldn't be a good place to be on a bike. There are other wee roads in parallel, but you should get a general idea of the lay of the land around there.

T

 

[nmcgann]

I don't know the bit from Lourdes to Argeles-Gazost, but from Argeles onward it goes up the Gorge de Luz and it's only a very slight upward gradient. Take it easy and you'll be just fine.

Of course, when you get to Luz St Sauveur the easy ride stops and it's turn left & game on

PS: There's a cycle path callled the greenway (I think) that runs from Lourdes to Argeles. I haven't ridden it, but I think it's pretty much flat.

 

[sparky1969]

I don't know the bit from Lourdes to Argeles-Gazost, but from Argeles onward it goes up the Gorge de Luz and it's only a very slight upward gradient. Take it easy and you'll be just fine.

Of course, when you get to Luz St Sauveur the easy ride stops and it's turn left & game on

PS: There's a cycle path callled the greenway (I think) that runs from Lourdes to Argeles. I haven't ridden it, but I think it's pretty much flat.

Cheers, my legs are burning just thinking about it!

 

[sparky1969]

Cheers, i better get training!