Pyrenees trip

[Zed 44]

Plans are coming together for a Pyrenees trip.

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=2001036417288...

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Saint-Jean-de-L...

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Perpignan,+France/...

The plan is for a 9 day trip starting after the 23rd June.

At the moment there are a couple of us planning to go. We want to keep the group to not more than 6 but if others want to join in, you would be most welcome.

Edited by Zed 44 on Wednesday 12th March 23:22

[Zed 44]

Is everyone having trouble seeing the maps I put up? Google seems to have up-dated their map function but I still prefer classic maps. Maybe that's the problem.

[Zed 44]

Third time lucky - maybe??

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=2001036417288...

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=2001036417288...

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=2001036417288...

Edited by Zed 44 on Wednesday 12th March 17:30

[Zed 44]

Wozy68 said:

We have today booked our route (I'll now have to remember how to sort out my route on google maps and edit on my thread) and we are going down from St Malo to the Pyrenees and staying in Vielha. Returning via Santandar.
St Malo to Vielha is about 6 .5 hours if memory serves,

The road from Asasp - Arros to Ripoll via Vielha is a great road and beautiful too boot. EDIT: THIS IS A FABULOUS ROAD, especially from Luchon.

My initial thinking with the route previous to that, is your spending alot of your time in France, I would always drive more in Spain in the mountains that the French side. Less traffic, better road surface cheaper fuel, more understanding coppers. I'd be tempted to get over the border and head for Pamplona then east on the A21 to Jaca then up to Biescas and north from there on the A136 (D934 on the French side) to meet up with your route just before Laruns. On the map it looks like a minor road, it isn't.

Edited by Wozy68 on Thursday 13th March 14:05

Thanks for the heads up on the routes. You're going in July aren't you via. the ferry to St. Malo.

We'll probably go channel tunnel on the 23rd June. France has some great D roads which I prefer to use.

I've allowed 3 days on each leg of the trip with a margin of 1-2 days over the top if necessary. So 9-11 days all in.

[Zed 44]

TurboHatchback said:

Can I ask why you are driving all the way to and from Calais rather than taking the ferry to Santander/Bilbao? That's a lot of driving for a 9 day holiday. My 2013 summer road trip was around the Pyrenees and it was most enjoyable, we took the ferry out which was very nice and drove back which was a bloody long way. Mind you, we were in a 20yr old Landcruiser 4.2 diesel with no cruise control, a comfortable cruising speed of 65 and a window that decided to stick half open. In a normal car it might make more sense.

I am planning a similar trip for summer 2014 although I intend to take the boat both ways to/from Bilbao/Santander.

658+ reasons not to take the ferry but also enjoy driving the French D roads and I love France.

I can understand taking the ferry though if you're on a time limit.

[Zed 44]

Wozy68 said:

We have today booked our route (I'll now have to remember how to sort out my route on google maps and edit on my thread) and we are going down from St Malo to the Pyrenees and staying in Vielha. Returning via Santandar.
St Malo to Vielha is about 6 .5 hours if memory serves,

The road from Asasp - Arros to Ripoll via Vielha is a great road and beautiful too boot. EDIT: THIS IS A FABULOUS ROAD, especially from Luchon.

My initial thinking with the route previous to that, is your spending alot of your time in France, I would always drive more in Spain in the mountains that the French side. Less traffic, better road surface cheaper fuel, more understanding coppers. I'd be tempted to get over the border and head for Pamplona then east on the A21 to Jaca then up to Biescas and north from there on the A136 (D934 on the French side) to meet up with your route just before Laruns. On the map it looks like a minor road, it isn't.

Edited by Wozy68 on Thursday 13th March 14:05

Is this more or less the route?

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=2014556566090...

[Zed 44]

Wozy68 said:

Kind of, other than maybe I prefer to take the N260A from Biescas to the N260 then north to Vielha, its more demanding to drive than the route into Luchon you are showing (I prefer that part going back west, than going east).

Later follow the N260 to Puigcerda and then the N116 to Perpignan is my favoured route, it can get busy but not usually until late July.

Edited by Wozy68 on Saturday 22 March 12:29

So, is this the route? I still wasn't sure as the N260 didn't appear to go to Vielha.

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=2014556566090...

[Zed 44]

Bump for a Pyrenees trip should anyone else want to join.

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zE9ghe0...

The plan is for a 9-14 day trip starting on or just after the 23rd June.

At the moment there are a couple of us planning to go.

[Zed 44]

SEAN 46 said:

Sounds like a great road trip !
What cars will you be driving?
What costs are you looking at?
Please make sure you post up lots of pics when back.
Would love to do something like this again ( done similar on bikes years ago) but will have make do with yet another nurburgring trip next month ...my 44th trip.

At the moment, my GTR, possibly another and possibly a Toyota MR2. Lotta possiblies there.

[Zed 44]

Just got back from Wales. Weather not great but some roads were. Looking forward to the Pyrenees trip in June now.

[Zed 44]

CarbonXKR said:

Thinking of a similar trip at some stage so I hope you don't mind joining in this thread. Current plan would be ferry down to Bilbao instead of driving down through France.

If anyone has specific accommodation recommendations that would be great. Looking to find one or two nights in something characterful. Could be anything from a castle to a spa.

Probably returning a bit further east to accommodate https://goo.gl/maps/bnlJH as apparently the Route Napoléon is worth a look.

When are you going? I'm going around the 17th-18th June.

[Zed 44]

Carbon Based said:

Like ships in the night; looked at this and the other thread and it seems we'll be missing out by up to a couple of weeks.

Will have to catch up after and compare notes.

For sure. Have decided to take the oh. I'm in the process of maybe changing the route. Undecided on whether to zig zag the Pyrenees. Spanish one way and French back or to continue on to Gorge du Verdon, Route de Napoleon, etc, etc.

Might be interested in something UK based in August if you're interested.

[Zed 44]

Carbon Based said:

Like ships in the night; looked at this and the other thread and it seems we'll be missing out by up to a couple of weeks.

Will have to catch up after and compare notes.

For sure. Have decided to take the oh. I'm in the process of maybe changing the route. Undecided on whether to zig zag the Pyrenees. Spanish one way and French back or to continue on to Gorge du Verdon, Route de Napoleon, etc, etc.

Might be interested in something UK based in August if you're interested.

[Zed 44]

Cheers Malc,

Done it.

[Zed 44]

Revised route plan. Two rest periods of 6 days altogether are included; one in the French Pyrenees and the other at Castellane.

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/u/0/edit?hl=en&a...

[Zed 44]

Yesterday was the first day of our crossing the Pyrenees. We headed more or less straight east from Bayonne following the D918 most of the time.

In a couple of places, the roads were not great (ie. Norfolk standard) but for the most part they were very good.

We took in 2 passes, the Col de Gourette and the Col du Aubisque.

It's now time to give the oh a break from 6 to 8 hour driving days so we substituting 4 wheels for 2 feet for 3 days as guests of Eurocamp.

Over the next couple of days, we’ll visit the Pont Napoleon, the Pont d’Espagne and the Cirque de Garvanie close by.

Thursday, the 26th we'll do the Col du Tourmalet and the C28/C13 from Vielha suggested by PowerMalc and Wozy68 on our way to Tremp in Spain.

Edited by Zed 44 on Tuesday 1st July 15:52

[Zed 44]

There was a particularly Norfolk quality road between Aramits and Arudy on the D918 I think. Other than that-

PS. Your friend wasn't driving a Porsche was he??

[Zed 44]

In Castellane at the moment. Have done Vielha to Tremp to Cardona to Llanca. From there on to Salon de Provence for one night and now here. Some fabulous roads in Spain. Will be back soon.

A few pics:

Edited by Zed 44 on Tuesday 1st July 15:48

[Zed 44]

A few snaps near the end of the tour at the Col du Galibier in the Haute Savoie. Road surface wasn't very good and there were tonnes of cyclists.












And finally:



Anyone fancy going out to Spain in September??

[Zed 44]

Just checked the ferry prices for mid-September. I'm tempted.