Bagneres de Luchon - are there any group rides

[doxter]

Hi folks previously some nice posters suggested Luchon as a nice location for a weeks Pyrenean biking - I'm wondering are there riding groups who are open to visitors to ride with them ? it's always nice to get some direction from those who know the landscapes and favoured ride routes

thanks guys

doxter

 

[winkybiker]

Hi folks previously some nice posters suggested Luchon as a nice location for a weeks Pyrenean biking - I'm wondering are there riding groups who are open to visitors to ride with them ? it's always nice to get some direction from those who know the landscapes and favoured ride routes

thanks guys

doxter

Contact Chris at Pyractif (just down the road at Bertren). He's been riding the area for years and will point you in the right direction. Which will mostly be up. A load of great climbs right there out of Luchon. BdL is a fabulous place to base yourself.

http://www.pyractif.com

 

[leftover pie]

Contact Chris at Pyractif (just down the road at Bertren). He's been riding the area for years and will point you in the right direction. Which will mostly be up. A load of great climbs right there out of Luchon. BdL is a fabulous place to base yourself.

http://www.pyractif.com

+1 for chris & pyractif

You can't really go wrong from Luchon though, as winky says anywhere you go will be up - which makes group riding problematic as you can only climb at your own pace.

Do not miss out on the climb to Superbagneres, the road up the valley is a great challenge and the views are stunning.

And hit the Peyresourde even if it's just for the creperie at the top, delicious.

 

[doxter]

Thanks very much guys , luchon is indeed a terrific spot - managed to do many of the good ones around there but it will take a repeat to get to tourmalet / aspet which I didn't manage this time . what struck me most about the landscape was how green it was , further on in the weekend it was explained but the heavy rains that must be a feature of the lands .

Something that surprised me was the low amount of people road biking - maybe it was slightly too early in the year ?

Yip I will return , all being well , and hope to somehow conquer the aforementioned monsters

thank you for the advice and for anyone who gets the chance to get to luchon make sure you take in the pleasure of the thermal bath / Hammam vapororium - it's top for muscle recovery
http://uk.luchon-bien-etre.fr

 

[winkybiker]

Thanks very much guys , luchon is indeed a terrific spot - managed to do many of the good ones around there but it will take a repeat to get to tourmalet / aspet which I didn't manage this time . what struck me most about the landscape was how green it was , further on in the weekend it was explained but the heavy rains that must be a feature of the lands .

Something that surprised me was the low amount of people road biking - maybe it was slightly too early in the year ?

Yip I will return , all being well , and hope to somehow conquer the aforementioned monsters

thank you for the advice and for anyone who gets the chance to get to luchon make sure you take in the pleasure of the thermal bath / Hammam vapororium - it's top for muscle recovery
http://uk.luchon-bien-etre.fr

Glad you enjoyed. The Pyrenees are like a great big Disneyland for cycling. Probably the best place in the world to ride a bicycle.

 

[mastermind]

I can also recommend the Port de Bales. Nasty clime, with beautifull scenery. You don't really need directions, since it is just one straight clime

 

[WillemS]

And hit the Peyresourde even if it's just for the creperie at the top, delicious.

+1.

If you're in Bagnères-de-Luchon, then there's a nice route combining the Peyresourde and the Port de Balès. The downside is that there's quite a lot of flat in between the Peyresourde and the Balès.

Last summer, staying at the other side of the Peyresourde (near Arreau), my group first did the flat section to Mauléon-Barousse, ascended the Port de Balès, descended to the intersection with the Peyresourde and climbed up the remaining section of the Peyresourde (skipping the first part from B.-de-Luchon).

If you staying in Luchon, you can climb the Peyresourde, then descend and do the flat section to Mauléon, climb the Balès and then descend back down to Luchon.

 

[doxter]

I can also recommend the Port de Bales. Nasty clime, with beautifull scenery. You don't really need directions, since it is just one straight clime

Yeah I found that one , on day one which was a little shock in the 30 degree heat I have to say , another really nice one was the mont de galie , it's short but it's a lovely ride and you can combine it with col des ares and col de menteith too if looping back to luchon.

Probably the biggest buzz of them all was superbagneres , the final few kms were thrilling I thought .

would be interested in anyone's views on rides from luchon that take in tourmalet and any nice rides into Spain - done the portillon and down into the Valle d'aran which I'm told was French until Napoleon gifted it to his neighbours .
It is such a hotspotch of peoples and languages down there - fantastic .

Thanks again all for the guidance, very much appreciated .

 

[winkybiker]

Yeah I found that one , on day one which was a little shock in the 30 degree heat I have to say , another really nice one was the mont de galie , it's short but it's a lovely ride and you can combine it with col des ares and col de menteith too if looping back to luchon.

Probably the biggest buzz of them all was superbagneres , the final few kms were thrilling I thought .

would be interested in anyone's views on rides from luchon that take in tourmalet and any nice rides into Spain - done the portillon and down into the Valle d'aran which I'm told was French until Napoleon gifted it to his neighbours .
It is such a hotspotch of peoples and languages down there - fantastic .

Thanks again all for the guidance, very much appreciated .

One of the best rides I've ever done was from Laruns to Bertren, taking in the Aubisque, Tourmalet and Aspin (easy side). If you were heading back to Luchon, you'd also pop over the Peyresourde for an epic day. You need to organise a ride to Laruns. You could take the train from Montrejeaux on the previous day and stay over in a cheap hotel.

Out and back to the top of the Tourmalet is also a great, but very tough day from Luchon. The D26 route around to the Aspin avoids the Peyresourde, but makes for an even longer day from Luchon.