Pyrenees route advice needed

[geofflowe]

Going Portsmouth Santander in July (rtn) and want to explore the Pyrenees either into France or most likely Spain. I've heard Parador hotels are good but expensive? Aim to do around 6--700 miles in a circular route from Santander so any route / hotel recomendations would be welcome.

[missdiane]

Can't help with route as we flew to Pau,
Not sure what you had planned but if you are up for it; a walk up to Cirque de Gavarnie is a very rewarding, you can walk up to the bottom of the big waterfall, we went in the height of summer and had to walk through snow to get there (never seen snow in summer before)
Was the best day we had in the Pyranees

Edited by missdiane on Thursday 13th January 19:52

[geofflowe]

Nice pic and a good walk by the sounds of it, thanks.

[Smiler.]

Sort road.

[geofflowe]

?????

[hornetrider]

Smiler. said:

Sort road.

This.

OP find my post in the 'best roads you've ever driven' thread that's knocking around. That's the route you want to take.

[hornetrider]

Here you go.

hornetrider said:

Argeles-Gazost > Bareges > Arreau > Bagneres du Luchon > Vielha > Sort > Ribera D'Urgellet

Absolutely fking outstanding. Knocks the Alps into a cocked hat.

[Tin Hat]

Tin Hat said:

We took Britanny Ferries from Plymouth - It was like a mill pond and sailed by with 5 pints of Kronenberg ( didn't even beat up Mrs TH ).

Food excellent, but with a cabin stood us in at least £ 800.00.

If you fancy a boring read, this is what happened to us:


http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

[geofflowe]

Thanks for the replies so far - food for thought.

[smifffymoto]

Gavarnie is good but crowded as is the Haute Pyrenees in comparison to Ariege which has very similar walking and scenery without the crowds and the roads are alot quieter.
You may want to plan well as Le Tour is in the Pyrenees in the middle of July,It passes my campsite on the 16th,that day they leave St Gaudens for a finish at Plateau de Biele taking in 6 cols.

[geofflowe]

Thanks for the info.

[llewop]

French side: hotel in St Jean Pied de Port roughly 25-30 miles from Biarritz

http://www.hotel-les-pyrenees.com/index.htm

stayed there some years back was very very nice

In terms of route - one of my favourite roads is to go over the Col de Tourmalet - one of the most famous climbs on the Tour de France (roughly South of Lourdes heading East if you don't know where it is)

[Steven Quas]

Being at about 2000m, Gavarnie is a good refuge from extreme heat. When it's 40C in the valley, it's about 28C there...

Steven Quas , Hamburg