Individual Day Rides

June 8, 2024

Today we decided to ride separately. Al wanted to challenge himself on Col du Tourmalet, while I really didn’t feel up to 2000 m of climbing—on the harder west approach. I’d like to, but it wasn’t a realistic goal for today, especially given the weather forecast. A storm was approaching and the wind and rain might start as early as 2.

Jacquie’s ride: Col des Bordères loop

I started with Al for the first couple of km south to Pierrefitte-Nestalas, where I turned onto the road to St-Savin. I wanted to take a look at St-Savin as a base for a possible future visit to the area and to see where Pyrenees Cycling Lodge was actually located. I’d wanted to stay there but they had no availability for our dates. It seems like a nice place but all approaches are uphill! However, evening meals are included so no need to venture out to eat.

Looking across the valley of the Gave de Pau. The cluster of buildings on the right is Arudy.

The Pyrenees Cycling Lodge. Maybe next time?

The old abbey church is the building you most notice when seeing the village from afar, so I made my way there, only to find it behind a temporary fence. It seems a major restoration is underway. The cloister and terrasse were open so I wandered through.

There are only a couple of the original double columns left but I liked the carvings on the capitals. They were clearly made by different sculptors, as shown in the photos below.

The cloister. There is only an arcade on one side, in the shadow. There’s a newer residential building behind me and a passage through to the terrasse between it and the end of the cloister arcade.

The unusual plant growing on the terrasse.

I got back on my bike and headed toward my goal, Col des Bordères.

Flower of the day. Seen on the last part of the climb and I took the photo carefully leaning over an electric fence.

Similar to the blue ones above but much more common. I saw these at Gavarnie yesterday and these are at the edge of a field full of them.

Look at the size of her bell! I wonder why the bells are different sizes and tones…

Views on the descent make me stop. Safer that way.

There was a nice picnic spot near this old bridge in Arrens. The road took me across a newer and smoother bridge.

Looking back at Marsous and beyond, towards Col de Soulor. The col is open but the road between here and there is not.

It was a long descent into Argelès-Gazost. I hadn’t realized how much elevation I’d gained. Since I passed very close to the chambre d’hôtes I’d stayed at in 2016, I rode over to take a look. It was no more, but I expected that since the couple who ran it were elderly back then.

From Argelès-Gazost, I rode up to St-Savin again, just to see how the approach was from here. I was also thinking that I would like a beer and a bite to eat and there was nothing in Adast, while I’d seen a nice-looking bistro getting ready for the day in St-Savin.

Entering St-Savin, there’s the usual sign posted by small villages that they are not lit at night. Even Argelès-Gazost could do it since it’s essentially asleep by 10, judging how quiet it has been when we ride home after dinner.

Speaking of signs, there were a few “gravillons” warning signs on my route today, including this variation.

Various beverages at the Bistrot de l’Abbaye. Which one disappeared first?

My snack: shrimp and avocado tacos, French-chef style.

I took the more direct route down the hillside, not recommended if you’re on skinny tires. There was no traffic at all on D921 so I rode that the short distance to Adast.

You don’t see this if you use the Voie Verte!

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Al’s ride: Col du Tourmalet

The first part of Al’s ride was the same as we had taken to Gavarnie, all the way to Pont Napoleon. He hadn’t meant to go that far, but the bridge he wanted to take, that lines up with the Route du Tourmalet, was barrée for construction and he was unable to cross.

It was a tough climb up but he got there and even took a few photos on the way up.

In 2016, this was high up on a wall. Al said the wall is gone now so the sculpture (that is brought down and stored every winter) is just on these plinths.

Barrèges, the resort village between Tourmalet and Luz.

The expected storm was beginning to blow in from the north as Al was coming back down the Gorge de Luz. Riders going up had smiles but he had to pedal hard on the way down.

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We both got home dry and hoped we could get to Argelès-Gazost for dinner (and back) without getting soaked. Heavy rain was forecast in the evening.

One of the three free-ranging chickens kept by our hosts. She kept wanting to visit us on our outdoor terrasse and would have come in if we’d let her.

And her friend. Bolder than the third hen which we never saw.

We rode into the headwind to a restaurant adjacent to the Voie Verte that we’d eaten at before. We leaned our bikes against a wall, under the eave, as we didn’t expect anyone to choose to dine outdoors tonight. As we were having our meals, the skies opened. The couple who had chosen to eat under the (sun) umbrellas grabbed their plates and rushed inside. We were really lucky—the rain died off and stayed off as we rode home.

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John VincentJacquie;

You are in the same area we cycled a little over two weeks ago. We stayed in Luz Saint Sauveuer. Congrats to Al on the Tourmalet climb. Darlene did it on a rented gravel bike. I was her “domestique” with all her gear, water and food on my E-bike.

We have completed our Pyrenees trip based on much of your 2016 route. It was a bit help. We are in San Sebastián on our way home to Victoria tomorrow.
John and Darlene
Ebikestouring@gmail.com
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5 months ago

Jacquie GaudetTo John VincentWe have another 10 days to go and are hoping the weather clears without getting too hot.
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5 months ago