Alps of Pyrenees?
#1
Alps of Pyrenees?
I love touring through mountains! I have been all over Southern France pulling BOB and now I ask you for advice. Would you recommend a ride through the French Alps (Vercours, Grands cols du Tour) or the Pyrenees (Raid pyreneen)? Thanks in advance!
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Heidelberg Germany
Posts: 151
Bikes: Canyon Alu
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Depends on what you prefer...
Pyrenean roads are steeper and smaller, temperature is often over 35 degree C in summer, sometimes there are difficulties like "where can I get my next water ration?", but you MUST have seen once these TdF cols.
Alps are not that wild, sometimes it's cold over 2500 m (even in August), but you MUST have seen once these TdF cols.
I rode both, both with a trailer. My favorite is the Route Des Grandes Alpes.
Pyrenean roads are steeper and smaller, temperature is often over 35 degree C in summer, sometimes there are difficulties like "where can I get my next water ration?", but you MUST have seen once these TdF cols.
Alps are not that wild, sometimes it's cold over 2500 m (even in August), but you MUST have seen once these TdF cols.
I rode both, both with a trailer. My favorite is the Route Des Grandes Alpes.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Maastricht, NL
Posts: 584
Bikes: Gazelle Playa
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Have you done this ride?
https://mngudi.com/BicycleTouring/Pyrenees/
Or check out this site, beter pics.
https://www.steephill.tv/galleries/2005/ariege-pyrenees/
Cheers
https://mngudi.com/BicycleTouring/Pyrenees/
Or check out this site, beter pics.
https://www.steephill.tv/galleries/2005/ariege-pyrenees/
Cheers
#4
I really enjoy small and quiet roads so I suppose the Pyrenees would be less busy than the Alps. Is this true? Are the Alps crammed full of tourists and traffic in the mid-June to early July season?
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Okanagan Valley, BC CANADA
Posts: 1,049
Bikes: Trek 7300FX, Lemond Sarthe
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Any suggestions for which place in the Pyrenees would be the best vacation base for cycling daytrips only?
Last edited by bccycleguy; 03-30-06 at 10:19 AM.
#6
Punk Rock Lives
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Throughout the west in a van, on my bike, and in the forest
Posts: 3,311
Bikes: Long Haul Trucker with BRIFTERS!
Liked 48 Times
in
42 Posts
Originally Posted by Crankypants
I love touring through mountains! I have been all over Southern France pulling BOB and now I ask you for advice. Would you recommend a ride through the French Alps (Vercours, Grands cols du Tour) or the Pyrenees (Raid pyreneen)? Thanks in advance!
roughstuff
#7
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ottawa, ON
Posts: 132
Bikes: 1980 Mercian Pro steel, 2005 Specialized Roubaix, 2016 Norco Search, 2018 Ritchey Breakaway, 2019 Giant Defy
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
I'm going to the Midi Pyrenees in late May and staying at a cycling lodge near Massat where I plan to do day rides for a week. Their website is www.cyclepyrenees.com There are lots of little roads to climb in the area although the big tour cols are further west. The appeal for me was that I could fly into Toulouse, take a train south to Tarascon-sur-Ariege and they would pick me up there for 40 Euro round trip. Take a look at the Steephill website mentioned above as they stayed there and there are some great pictures and video on it. BCCycleguy, if you're still on this thread, I noticed that you're in the Okanagan. What's the road bike riding there like? We're in Ottawa and thinking about moving west. Thanks!
Last edited by canamdad; 03-30-06 at 01:51 PM.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Heidelberg Germany
Posts: 151
Bikes: Canyon Alu
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Crankypants
I really enjoy small and quiet roads so I suppose the Pyrenees would be less busy than the Alps. Is this true? Are the Alps crammed full of tourists and traffic in the mid-June to early July season?
But there are many quiet roads, too, for example the colle d'Agnello (one of my favorites) or the Col de la Cayolle (another one of my favorites).
marmotte
#9
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Pyrenees
We're in the Pyrenees because it is less commercialised and has better weather. The roads are truly fantastic and generally empty other than for cyclists.
If you're worried about the heat, the best time to come is September and the good weather can last right up to the first week of November.
If you're worried about the heat, the best time to come is September and the good weather can last right up to the first week of November.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 59
Bikes: Mongoose Omega, Fuji World
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Crankypants
I really enjoy small and quiet roads so I suppose the Pyrenees would be less busy than the Alps. Is this true? Are the Alps crammed full of tourists and traffic in the mid-June to early July season?
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Heidelberg Germany
Posts: 151
Bikes: Canyon Alu
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Nomad
... Did a subsequent trip through the Alps of northern italy into france and they are definitely more spectacular ...
This is Colle di Agnello (Col Agnel on the french side)