If you put Parc naturel régional des Pyrénées Ariégeoises,into google a website for cyclists will talk to you !! Looks like big hills 😎Good luck 🍀🍀🍀

Still very beautiful despite misty outlook - Gave de Pau is a lovely name. Setting realistic goals is good because success is always sweet ! Enjoy your rest in Lourdes xxx

I wondered if that’s what this is. You could see it as far north as Munich for our stopover, and it’s the same here in Barcelona.

There's a "weather event" on right now that's driven by winds blowing up from the northern Sahara. They're warmer winds and they carry sand and dust, which accounts for the visibility problems you've noted.

Courage - these events are rare and don't last long. Enjoy the higher temps while they last!

Ach ! so annoying for you but don’t beat yourselves up - the only way to expertly plan this route is to do it and you are ! Enjoy each day whatever it brings ! Good luck with the onwards ! Much love as always thinking of you.xxx

Oh, my gosh. Glad you made it in safely. I think the best tip for overcoming extreme stupidity is to learn from experience. You’re obviously getting a crash course!

Hello darlings , Sorry to have only just caught up on cycleblaze I will be an avid ❤️❤️❤️from now on. What an adventure ! with all its twists and turns ! Hope all goes well in the next couple of days ! Keep the faith ! Love you 😘

That would be cool! I was hoping we would be at the (other) coast in 10-12 days, but so far we've been slower than expected, and if we stop with a visitor for a few days... It may well add up!

Hey, depending on how fast you’re moving we could cross paths! We’ll be coming into France along the Mediterranean from the south and will cross into France around the first of April.

Thanks a lot Tricia - such a helpful comment! Unfortunately, foolhardily, I think we are going to stick with our original route for now (see https://cycle.travel/route/pyrenees_coast_to_coast). We may well regret it!

Thanks so much Polly!

I actually do use cycle.travel - it's brilliant isn't it! That's where the eurovelo 3 pilgrim route came from, and where the upcoming Pyrenean route came from, and will probably be where the eurovelo 8 Mediterranean, and all our other routes come from! It's just the past few days connecting things up it's gone wrong.

I've also found Komoot quite unreliable in (bits of) continental Europe. Have you tried cycle.travel? (I've recommended it on another thread, but I'm not a bot, honestly...) I've never used it in Spain, but it's found good routes for me in France, and in Greece (where I currently am). A drawback is that it doesn't yet have an app, so you have to download a route and then re-upload it to whatever navigation device you have...

(But in any case: I hope you get sunshine and tailwinds soon!)

You were asking about a relatively flat route that would get you from where you are to the coast of Italy Here is a suggestion This route for most part of it is on paved cycleways and has a lot of interest From where you are there is a paved cycleway that takes you down the Atlantic Coast At Lacanau there is a paved cycle way that takes you to Bordeaux this is flat easy but rather boring but you can do it easily in a day From Bordeaux (actually it really is a continuation of the route you have been on) the route is Le Canal de deux mers - this follows the Garronne and is one of the nicest rides we have done and takes you to Toulouse. If I was you I wouldnt be tempted to ride the Canal de Midi most of the route is pretty bad on loaded bikes but would catch a train to Avignon then ride to Arles (on road but quiet) from then t0 Aix en Provence and basically follow the med Coast all the way to Italy and through the Italian Riviera We did this as part of a ride in 2019 and loved it
Good luck with whatever you decide
TRicia

Thanks for the support - I'm glad you're enjoying it!! Cheers x

Enjoying your blog everyday a new adventure keep smiling and I hope you find somewhere flat xxxx