Rides

Between long trips, there are also some interesting shorter rides

Gourette - La Pierre Saint Martin - Oloron Sainte Marie

30 juillet

Day 1 - Gourette - presque la Pierre Saint Martin
The route called for 78km and 2300m of ascent+, which might have been a bit much for me even if there hadn’t been any technical problems.
The day started easily with a long descent to Bielle before starting the climb to the Col de Marie-Blanque. I was in better shape than the day before and climbed the pass well. When I got to the top, a group of Belgian cyclo-sportifs were with me in a van containing my travel gear, food and everything I (…)

From Tarbes to Gourettes

28 juillet

I set off around 8am, not very awake. It seems that fatigue has been building up since the start of my tour.
After a good breakfast, I take a route I’ve taken many times before, the green path from Tarbes to Lourdes, then the greenway to Argeles-Gazost.
Then things get complicated : to get back to the road I have to take a steep alleyway that ends in steps... I hesitate and look for another way. Eventually I reached the road and from the outset it was 9%. I climb as best I can and am (…)

From Castillon-en-Couserans to Gourdan Polignan

27 juillet

Wonderful breakfast at Natacha’s house in Castillon en Couserans. If you have the opportunity, don’t hesitate to stay with her. Natasha, a former photographer, will be delighted to welcome you to her home, which is decorated with her photographs. And if you can, ask for room 1, it’s really beautiful :)
With a full belly I can set off, and this time the first pass will be Portet-d’Aspet, which is relatively easy in this direction. I get there chatting to some young people I’ve met along the (…)

From Aulus-les-Bains to Castillon-en-Couserans

26 juillet

We got off to an early start with the ascent of the Col de Latrape just on the other side of the bridge. Not too difficult a climb to wake you up.
Then downhill to Seix, where the Col de Core begins. I’m overtaken by lots of cyclists, many of whom cheer me on. One of them even stayed next to me to chat for a while before I decided to take a break.
I arrived at the Col de la Core, where the weather was fine and there were lots of people around : hikers and paragliders.
Then it’s down to (…)

Porte Puymorens - Aulus les Bains

25 juillet

I only had a few hundred metres to go to reach the first pass of the day. It was cool but fine and I arrived at the Col de Puymorens at around 8.30am. It’s hard to read the sign because it’s so covered in all sorts of stickers. Once over the pass, I’m in a freezing drizzle, and it’s less than 7 degrees on the way down. The rain stopped around Hospitalet d’Andorre and I took a long break in a bakery to eat and warm up. Then it’s down to Ax les Thermes without a hitch. The main road to (…)

Prades - Porte Puymorens

24 juillet

It was a very cool start to the day at eight o’clock... and apart from a few sunny spells, it was still very cool...
The climb up to Mont Louis wasn’t very steep, but it was long. Finally I arrived around midday and went to the restaurant opposite the town.
After the Col de la Perche, it’s back down to Estavar, where I hear more Spanish (or Catalan ?) than French.
Then it’s back up to Porte-Puymorens... The route was interrupted by a downpour, but I was lucky enough to find shelter under (…)

Narbonne - Port la Nouvelle - Prades

23 juillet

The Canal de la Robine is undergoing works so I download the alternative route and follow a pretty little road that passes through vineyards and the estates that run them. On the way back to the canal, beware of the many voracious mosquitoes. Opposite the island of St Lucia, there’s a picnic table in the shade of a superb tree, but I’ll only stay long enough to swat away 5 or 6 mosquitoes, then finish my sandwich in the sun... In the evening, the meal will be even better, with a good, (…)

Around the Rhune

Balade d’entraînement pour faire un peu de pré-montagne et quelques cols.
Temps incertain, la météo annonce des orages violents à partir de 17h avec des rafales à 95km/h ! Mais Cédric et aussi Dominique se proposent de mettre le vélo dans la voiture en cas de besoin et de me ramener à Biarritz ! Avoir de l’assistance dans ce cas ça aide ! Ca évite d’avoir peur de rester coincé. A Urrugne j’ai finalement suivi la route principale, sans doute pour ça que je n’ai eu qu’une pente assez (…)

Photos and dongle GPS

Photos and GPS trackings keeping autonomy
Take pictures and keep the tracking while keeping a maximum autonomy. The phone can do anything but you have to stop the navigation and for the tracking the consumption is important so that often it is necessary to limit the use of such to navigation only when it is necessary.
So I acquired the following material : * Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V camera, with a wide angle at 24 and a zoom of 720 ! This camera should be able to do about 400 photos (…)

Retour de Dromen

Departure early Monday morning to release the cottage. I afollow the advice of the owner and change my route to go through Vaunavey la Rochette and the path of Crest to reach this city.
Nice way, weather is quite good at first.
The medieval gate of Vaunaveys la Rochette, just before taking the road to Crest.
Crest
Oh, I have to go through there ... but it’s a staircase.
I have to walk !
At the turning of a wall, the stairs become vertiginous !
Rain and mistral this morning. The (…)