Pyrenees, October 2021
Again to the Pyrenees and again with Marcellus and Extreme Tours.
Six of us are going: Marcellus, Beat, Wolfgang, Franz, Andi and I.
The weather this time will make us slightly deviate from the planned route but we will get again many beautiful routes, great landscapes and great food.
I ride 2000 miles, 1250 of which in the Pyrenees.
Here is a video compiling the 2500 pictures taken by Marcellus, Andi, Franz and myself during the tour.
We are six. On the picture from left to right Beat, Wolfgang, Marcellus, Franz, Andi and Tom
The Pyrenees are quite far away. Therefore, the journey takes two days. I ride to Franz and from there we go with the trailer to the starting point in Perpignan. Andi rides to Marcellus. They go with the trailer first to Beat and from there to Perpignan. Wolfgang drives first to the Vercors and then continues to Perpignan.
The first day of driving. The route first goes along the Mediterranean Sea before we turn into the mountains. The weather forecast is not so great. We will get rain. Later in the day on Coll de la Creueta it rains heavily and we get into thick fog. But we had the beautiful coastal road before that and also good Spanish food for lunch.
Map 2021_10_03
The weather is still not that great. It rained heavily overnight and it's still raining. On the way to Port de Pailhères we see the snow in the higher elevations and decide to head west. We quickly reach dry areas and on the Port de la Bonaigua we meet the snow we would have had on the Port de Pailhères and on the 1200 ft higher Port d'Envalira. Here it is also cold, but dry. We would have had to move through snow showers on the planned route.
Map 2021_10_04
Originally, we were to go to the Col du Tourmalet on the French side. There, however, it is supposed to rain turning into snow. Therefore, we modify the route and drive rather to the west and south. We discover a new pass for us, the Puerto de Serrablo with very bad road but magnificent views. The Cañon de Añisclo was on the list, but unfortunately it is closed.
Map 2021_10_05
The weather is getting better and better. We move on to La Seu d'Urgell. Today we go over the Coll de Montilobar, the Coll de Bóixols, a great paella from Mama in the Cantina de Llinars awaits us and we drive for the first time over the Coll d'Arnat with a short piece of gravel road.
Map 2021_10_06
It is still very cold in the morning. After the good tapas dinner, we now go on a southern loop over fast but lonely roads. Especially impressive is a well preserved but overgrown road on the way. We reach our planned lunch spot too early. But that doesn't matter, because the roads continue to wind wonderfully. The Coll de Merolla is incredibly curvy and also surprises us with two donkeys. And in the second attempt we enjoy the Coll de la Creueta in brilliant sunshine.
Map 2021_10_07
Already the last day of the tour. We drive back to Perpignan. But before that we go through Andorra and France, back to Spain and then back to France. We have the best weather and also get the typical Catalan sausage.
Map 2021_10_08
Again two days are needed. We leave early in the morning and reach Franz's house in the evening. The next day, I drive on early as well. It is foggy and very cold. Around noon the temperatures are double-digit (above 10 C = 50 F) Fortunately, I have little traffic and after the fog also beautiful sun.
Map 2021_10_pyrenaeen