Travel and stay in the Pyrenees

dazandandrea

dazandandrea

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Most of my life in one form or another
We have decided that we need a trip down to the Pyrenees some time.
Its an area we have never been to so would appreciate any advice etc.
Can anyone point us to a guide or any travl posts concerning this area.
Autocruise peugeout based van do size isnt an issue. Thanks.
 
If you're planning to wild camp look out for signs saying:

ATTENTION! OURS!

Whilst pitching my tent in a bit of scrub/woodland at the Col du Tourmalet I was warned by a passing biker gendarme that since bears were re-introduced the farmers believe that they kill their lambs so leave out poisoned honey which results in some very bad tempered bears.

Do you like cycling as it is a great area for climbing some classic routes!
Click to expand...

Col du Tourmalet (2115m), part of the Tour de France route is one of the highest paved mountain passes in the French Pyrenees.

These daft cyclists ride up there every Sunday apparently. Here's a couple with the gendarme near where I was pitching my tent.......

Bear country. Col de Tourmalet 2110m..JPG
 
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Cyclists ride up Tourmalet all the time not just Sunday! Luz Saint Sauveur is a great place to stay if cycling is what you want to do and there are at least 2 campsites there.
 
clanjones said:
Cyclists ride up Tourmalet all the time not just Sunday!
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Indeed they do. The road surface also has painted encouragement graffiti every so often.
I've amended my lazy post - I should have said that these cyclists (told me that they) ride up there every Sunday.

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Spriddler I see what you mean! We have met people who do reps up some of the climbs! Mad or what! We found the Pyrenees quite tough on the tandem compared to the southern alps and climbs like Col de La Bonette. Hautacam is a beast and many people think (us included!) that it is harder than Tourmalet.

Anyway apologies for hijacking the thread, getting a bit of cabin fever not being able to cycling in some heat!
 
Wonderful area to explore. lots of great areas to stay and easy enough to cut to great coasts either side if you want some beach. But watch out for processionary caterpillars, not good for humans and can be fatal for dogs

<Broken link removed>
 
We both have bikes but i fancy taking the mororbike ( would probably be able to tow the van with the bike 🤣🤣🤣) not only that we will have at least one dog with us.
will have to stop on sites as wife isnt too keen on wild camping. Keep the ideas coming 👍👍👍👍
 
I assume it's a trip planned later in the year...are the Pyrenees not snow covered just now or am I mixing this location up with the Himalayas...🏂🧞

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Pyrenees are wonderful - after flying over them many times a year(as a professional) they were my main motivation or transitioning from a boat to a MH.

I cannot advise on campsites as we do not use them but there are perfectly safe Aires.

One tip is of you use LPG there is no refills up the mountains, at least not on the section from the middle to the Atlantic. We were coming down to change valleys, so added a 25 km trip to a town(?) to fill.

Geoff
 
Been there several times since 1983.
Superb walking area if you like multi-day walks hut to hut (or carrying your own tent)
The Ordessa George is one of the most spectacular walks in southern Europe.

Some of the many towns worth a stop are:
Carcassone - A walled medieval town, used in many film sets
Gavarnie - Little town, now overrun by tourists, but spectacular world class mountains all around, including a 1km vertical waterfall
Lourdes - Imagine Disney did religion, it's a real eye opener! fascinating and sad at the same time, thousands of people, from all over the world, descend to be cured. You really do need the meter tall plastic Jesus figure with multiple flashing lights and other tat that would embarrass Blackpool.
 
jumar said:
I assume it's a trip planned later in the year...are the Pyrenees not snow covered just now or am I mixing this location up with the Himalayas...🏂🧞
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It will be may time. Possibly next year.
But due to work etc i have to plan things well in advance.
 
Just been looking at suggestions and looks stunning 👍👍👍 i think ive convinced Andrea.

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Therein lies the dilemma, the Pyrenees are pretty big and cover 3 countries so it does depend where you want to go. As towns go Mirepoix is lovely with a really convenient aire. I keep meaning to stop at Foix and drove right past it last month but not open.
 
There's an Aires at Arrens Marsous just behind the fire station, also nearby in summer is a municipal camp site, and in high season, opposite that is a really lovely tiered camp site. From there you can go up to lac d'estaing, where there is another Aires. Quite tight and fairly hidden. Also busy. It's a lovely area, we go there often. No trip to our son's and family's just 1.5 hours away is complete without at least a picnic there.
 
We've visited Lac de Payolle a couple of times as the scenery attracts us. There are a number of options to stay / overnight park.

en.wikipedia.org

Lac de Payolle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
www.searchforsites.co.uk

AirePark Campan Morere

Details for AirePark Campan Morere a Overnight parking - with services Campan, Hautes-Pyrénées, Occitanie, France, 65710
www.searchforsites.co.uk
www.searchforsites.co.uk

Campan Lac De Payolle

Details for Campan Lac De Payolle a Off site parking Hautes-Pyrénées [65], Occitanie, France, 65710
www.searchforsites.co.uk
www.searchforsites.co.uk

Payolle

Details for Payolle a Overnight parking - with services Campan, Hautes-Pyrénées, Occitanie, France, 65710
www.searchforsites.co.uk
 
There is a beautiful France Passion site about 40k West of Mirepoix at
8 Mailhol
09350 Les Bordes-sur-Arize
France
Space for 6 vehicles. Built by a local farmer. Free. Just buy some of his duck products. Carrefour supermarket and Boulangerie a 5 minute walk away. Close to the pre-historic caves at Le Maz d’Azil which are well worth a visit. Beautiful area and one we will return to.
 
I have friends that live just short of the Pyrenees who are also motorhomers, he is a biker and obviously knows all the good roads. We have stayed many times and the view from his place is stunning, the only problem might be your dog as they have cats. I can always ask if this would interest you, they are just a few K’s short of Foix. This was the view from their property in late September ‘20
843ACA4B-ABE0-4349-903F-69805EBE489E.jpeg

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Hi , we live near Mirepoix in the Arriege and have a MH & Harley, been here 22 years so if you want a lot of info message me a contact detail , with your likes etc and I'll help you plan a trip. Depending on the winter there can still be snow in early May if you go high into the mountains, this requires snow chains by law when there is snow on the roads.........this is a fabulous place to tour and I would urge you to read up on the Cathar history of this area as it is the main historical draw , with many old chateaux and villages from the time....good luck
 
The Pyrénées are a fantastic place to visit, both the French side and the Spanish and not forgetting Andorra. Lots and lots of campsites and Aires available for camping cars.
Too many places to mention, just explore this beautiful region.
Visiting in May one or two of the high cols, Tourmalet and Aubisque may still be closed due to snow and Spring road works to repair the damage caused by the harsh winters at that altitude.
Some fantastic roads for motorcycle my preferred method of traveling in the Pyrénées.

20190926_153338.jpg
 
clanjones said:
Spriddler I see what you mean! We have met people who do reps up some of the climbs! Mad or what! We found the Pyrenees quite tough on the tandem compared to the southern alps and climbs like Col de La Bonette. Hautacam is a beast and many people think (us included!) that it is harder than Tourmalet.

Anyway apologies for hijacking the thread, getting a bit of cabin fever not being able to cycling in some heat!
Click to expand...
Yes it's a lovely if tough cycling area. Hautacam is a beast but the views from the top are wonderful - the descent is sublime on pristine tarmac. One gem though, is the cycle path from Lourdes to Argeles Gazost. A former railway track it's pan flat and very well maintained - great if you don't fancy the climbs. "The Voie Verte des Gaves connects Lourdes and Cauterets following the route of the old railway line south towards the Pyrenees. The track surface is good, the inclines are gentle and the scenery is fantastic, following the the river along the bottom of the valley."

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Making lots of notes and putting pins in maps.
I doubt if the motorbike will be joining us as i think it would be a Pita towing it that far.
 
dazandandrea said:
We have decided that we need a trip down to the Pyrenees some time.
Its an area we have never been to so would appreciate any advice etc.
Can anyone point us to a guide or any travl posts concerning this area.
Autocruise peugeout based van do size isnt an issue. Thanks.
Click to expand...
We have been to this area many times over the years. One trip we did was from Mediterranean Coast to Atlantic following the cols.

Actually we have done it both ways.

There is one part you have to watch the time as it is one way in morning and other afternoon

Here’s a link to various Cols

View my photos at: https://www.carolweaver.co.uk/Travel/Mountains-and-Cols

Here’s a link to Aires in France including the Pyrenees. You’ll need to look on map for individual names - currently listed alphabetically

View my photos at: https://www.carolweaver.co.uk/Travel/Aires-in-France

We love France and the area.
 
Carol, thanks for those links , some great photos.
Ive forwarded them to Andrea.
We are fairly new to European travel in our van. So douing a trip like that would be a massive undertaking.
I did when i was younger get to drive as far as Istanbul with my mum and dad in a 1973 vw T2.
Was a great trip but ended in disaster.
Again ,thanks for the links. 👍👍👍👍

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