Day ride to Gavarnie

June 7, 2024

We keep talking about riding up Tourmalet, but I’m still fatigued and Al didn’t argue when I suggested going to Gavarnie instead. It’s a climb, it has views, and neither of us had done it before. It would be possible to ride further up to Col des Tentes should one or both of us be so inspired, or if the traffic was troublesome on D921, we could turn off after Gèdre and head up Cirque de Troumouse instead. Both of these latter options would be similar elevation gain to Col du Tourmalet, but aren’t as famous because they’ve never featured in the Tour de France due to their being located in the Parc National des Pyrénées.

We rode the Voie Verte until its end in Pierrefitte-Nestalas and then followed the “industry tour” devised by RWGPS until we joined D921. It’s uphill all the way to Luz-St-Saveur with a fair bit of traffic, not enough to feel uncomfortable but enough to make me not stop on the narrow canyon road to take any photos.

There was a pullout so I managed to get this one of the overgrown bridge down below.

We turned off just before D921 crossed the river and entered the outskirts of Luz-St-Saveur and took D12 through Sassis and Saint-Saveur. This was an excellent choice, as we discovered later. We climbed on a quiet road up to Pont Napoleon instead of through arterial streets in Luz.

Gave de Gavarnie has carved a deep canyon here

I was curious about the bridge when I saw a worn plaque on it that said something about Napoleon III and because we had passed a building as we entered Saint-Saveur that had a sign saying “Résidence de l’Impératrice Eugénie” so I looked it up. According to French Wikipedia as translated by me: in July 1859, Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, frequenters of thermal cures, came to Luz-Saint-Saveur and stayed 23 days. During that time, the Emperor decided to undertake a vast program of road works which included not only construction of this bridge but also th3 railway from Lourdes to Pierrefitte-Nestalas… So we can thank Napoleon III for the railway that became the Voie Verte des Gaves.

Several tractors pulling trailers like this passed us. The trailers are carrying cattle, presumably to higher pastures. This one passed us while we were in a pullout but the trailer sides are too high to see the cows. You’ll have to take my word for it.

What there was was a little mountain village, catering to walkers and other park visitors. You could get glimpses from the road but the view from the further side of the village of the Cirque de Gavarnie was incredible. We rode up the walking route (wide and paved at first) until it became too rough for our bikes without reducing tire pressure. At that point the trail seemed to be getting narrow so that was far enough.

At this viewpoint, there was also a plaque about the conjunction of the French and Spanish National Parks: Pyrénées and Monte Perdido. Another info board told how Ramond de Carbonnières had explored the Cirque de Gavarnie and Mont Perdu with the objective of proving that the rock of the Pyrenees, rich in fossils, was sedimentary and marine in origin. He published Voyages en Mont-Perdu in 1801 and “launched a veritable earthquake in the scientific community”.

As for me, I dawdled and took photos as we headed back down to the village of Gavarnie.

I’m going to suggest this blue one as flower of the day

Riding the path back down to the village. Those buildings aren’t it; there are a few businesses outside the village boundary.

I had to get a photo of this penstock and transmission system. You can tour this hydroelectric installation in Pregnères—by appointment only, allow 90 minutes.

We stayed on D921 through Luz-St-Saveur on our way down and stopped in one of the bike stores to ask about Col d’Aubisque. The owner (Al remembers him because most the VVV rented bikes from this shop for their 2016 trip) said the problem was due to a landslide and that he’d heard from others in the business that the workers were so bothered by all the cyclist trying to go through that the Gendarmes were now fining people who ignored the route barrée signs. This is why I’m so behind now on this journal—I’ve been creating new options for going around the closure and moaning about not being able to do what was to be one of if not *the* top highlight of the trip. Creating routes on an iPad with touchscreen only is time-consuming!

This sculpture is beside the Voie Verte in Argelès-Gazost. It must have been challenging to create!

And a passionflower, just because it’s in the garden of our B&B

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Today's ride: 80 km (50 miles)
Total: 1,721 km (1,069 miles)

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Patrick O'HaraCol de Soulor is a nice alternative.
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5 months ago

Scott FenwickIt would be a real shame to miss the Col d’Aubisque. There is so much misinformation about the area of road that is damaged. It is true that it is closed but it is such a small section of road and even then most of the pavement is still in place- it takes about three minutes to walk the damaged section. We did not think it was at all unsafe and have certainly been through far worse. But it is not the kind of gamble that you can take lightly in the event that you are actually turned around. Col de Soulor is not an option from the Argelès-Gazost side because the barrèe is about 3 KM before you reach this col.
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5 months ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Patrick O'HaraUnfortunately, the closure is between Argelès-Gazost and Col du Soulor. To get to Aubisque from this side, you need to do Spandelles and then Soulor from the north. From there, you can get to Col d’Aubisque no problem. But RWGPS says 2500 m of climbing. Even though its estimates are generally high, it would be too much for us on loaded bikes.
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5 months ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Scott FenwickAgreed. Today is the day, Sunday, and they might not be working up there today. However, there was a storm last night and it’s still wet and gray this morning, with rain expected most of the day.

I’m one of those who gushed about the ride when I did it before in perfect weather so I’m very aware of what I’m missing.
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5 months ago