Pyrenees return
Discussion
Just finished the route and hotel bookings for northern Spain in June. It will take 3 weeks plus or minus a day. One advantage of being retired - the other being free bus passes. We will take in the Blancpain race at the Paul Ricard circuit as well as two other stopovers, one high in the Pyrenees on the border, the other on the coast in Portugal.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z1ahuj2hTEP...
Comments welcome Wozy68, CarbonXKR or anyone else
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z1ahuj2hTEP...
Comments welcome Wozy68, CarbonXKR or anyone else
Big E 118 said:
We're doing a lot of the N-260/Bagners de Louchon/Col du Tourmalet sections you are doing between the 24th June and 1st July so we may well see you if that coincides with your dates. Look out for a group of 5 or 6 of us, a couple of Porsches, McLaren 12C, one or two Ferraris and if it's delivered in time you'll hear an Aventador SV Roadster from miles away!
One more tip, if you fancy a bit of a jaunt off the N-260 between Castarne and Campo take the A-1605 and then the HU-V-9601. The A-1605 is a lovely road that snakes along a canyon and then the HU-V9601 is a new road that is very fast, wide with sweeping corners that has great views as you come down off the Pyrenees into Campo.
Thanks for that. I'll have a look at those. Shame you didn't know about our trip and had 3 weeks plus to spare otherwise, you could have joined us.One more tip, if you fancy a bit of a jaunt off the N-260 between Castarne and Campo take the A-1605 and then the HU-V-9601. The A-1605 is a lovely road that snakes along a canyon and then the HU-V9601 is a new road that is very fast, wide with sweeping corners that has great views as you come down off the Pyrenees into Campo.
Big E is right about ferries vs. land travel. Mine was £718 this year including outside 2 berth cabin both ways.
I had a look at the roads suggested and of the two routes, I think I would prefer the HU-V-9601 & A-1605. I prefer the tighter twistier sections rather than broad sweeping bends which only become challenging at truly illegal speeds.
BTW, what's wrong with the French side specifically? The D918 is quite good although it does have one or two rough stretches between Eaux Bonnes and Argeles Gazost if memory serves.
I had a look at the roads suggested and of the two routes, I think I would prefer the HU-V-9601 & A-1605. I prefer the tighter twistier sections rather than broad sweeping bends which only become challenging at truly illegal speeds.
BTW, what's wrong with the French side specifically? The D918 is quite good although it does have one or two rough stretches between Eaux Bonnes and Argeles Gazost if memory serves.
Was that on D roads, N roads or autoroutes?
In my experience of 20 years working in France for part of each year and since retiring and touring at lot there, I have seen very very few police on N roads and even fewer on D roads. But that's why I try to pick more challenging roads where breaking the speed limit is either not an option or is unneccessary. I would certainly stick rigidly to it on autoroutes.
Having said that, I know people in France who told me that if you do get caught you can expect the guillotine.
In my experience of 20 years working in France for part of each year and since retiring and touring at lot there, I have seen very very few police on N roads and even fewer on D roads. But that's why I try to pick more challenging roads where breaking the speed limit is either not an option or is unneccessary. I would certainly stick rigidly to it on autoroutes.
Having said that, I know people in France who told me that if you do get caught you can expect the guillotine.
Edited by Zed 44 on Thursday 11th February 09:34
Wozy68 said:
A friend of a close friend whilst leaving Andorra around four years ago, little did he realise that though D/carriageway that the limit had dropped from 80KPH to 50.
As he was in a line of flowing traffic, he thought it odd that a police office on the side of the road was waving and just assumed he was waving at one of the other cars in front, so carried on.
Three miles or so on a police car comes screaming past him and pulls him over. ..... One of the cop actually gets his gun out! The guy has his wife and two kids in the car.
The cops were not happy that 1, he was doing over 30KPH above the speed limit and 2, that he didnt stop as requested for a police officer.
The fella explained that he was in a line of traffic so didnt realsie the officer was flagging him down, that he just hadnt realised the speed limit had reduced and no way would he have intentionally been speeding with or without his family on board.
Cops not accepting this, family and car were escorted to the local police station where his licence was taken off him and he was fined.
No licence, not allowed to drive. His wife hadnt got her licence with her, so now they are well and truly stuffed.
The guy has no other option than to ring his father back in the UK, pay for a flight from Liverpool to the nearest airport that received flights from there.
The earliest flight was the next morning ......
So he had to fork out the following:
Speeding fine .... I think it was 800 euros
Accomodation for four overnight. 350 euros
Flight from Liverpool for his father £200.00
The following day he had to collect dad from the airport, taxi arranged through police, cost 200 euros return.
When the taxi arrives a police officer jumps in the taxi along with him. When they arrive at the airport the officer gets out and is never seen again ..... he'd just required a lift, and this poor sod had just paid for it.
Then his father (luckily it was a five seater car) drove them all the way back to the UK, at the ripe old age of 82....
Seems a bit harsh on the part of the police. I wonder how typical that is. Nevertheless, I do love the country and will be traveling in it again. But I will bear your story in mind, Wozy.As he was in a line of flowing traffic, he thought it odd that a police office on the side of the road was waving and just assumed he was waving at one of the other cars in front, so carried on.
Three miles or so on a police car comes screaming past him and pulls him over. ..... One of the cop actually gets his gun out! The guy has his wife and two kids in the car.
The cops were not happy that 1, he was doing over 30KPH above the speed limit and 2, that he didnt stop as requested for a police officer.
The fella explained that he was in a line of traffic so didnt realsie the officer was flagging him down, that he just hadnt realised the speed limit had reduced and no way would he have intentionally been speeding with or without his family on board.
Cops not accepting this, family and car were escorted to the local police station where his licence was taken off him and he was fined.
No licence, not allowed to drive. His wife hadnt got her licence with her, so now they are well and truly stuffed.
The guy has no other option than to ring his father back in the UK, pay for a flight from Liverpool to the nearest airport that received flights from there.
The earliest flight was the next morning ......
So he had to fork out the following:
Speeding fine .... I think it was 800 euros
Accomodation for four overnight. 350 euros
Flight from Liverpool for his father £200.00
The following day he had to collect dad from the airport, taxi arranged through police, cost 200 euros return.
When the taxi arrives a police officer jumps in the taxi along with him. When they arrive at the airport the officer gets out and is never seen again ..... he'd just required a lift, and this poor sod had just paid for it.
Then his father (luckily it was a five seater car) drove them all the way back to the UK, at the ripe old age of 82....
Edited by Wozy68 on Thursday 11th February 10:32
Gassing Station | Roads | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff