Long long over due report on my week in the Pyrenees with www.altitudeadventure.com at the start of September. Donât ask me how I managed to get away given child #2 was on the wayâ¦but I did, hey 2 days is a fine margin in hindsight. Don said I was stupid but what does he know anway
Location: On the eastern Pyrenees, near Perpignan; based on France but basically on the France / Spain / Andorra border. About 1 hour from Perpignan which is on the coast
Area: basically it is a local winter ski area with peaks up to 2500m although we stayed in a house at 1500m. The area is amazing criss crossed with mountain railways, irrigation canals, roads, tunnels, mountain trails (Petit Routes & Grand Routes). Great medical facilities and restaurants in the area. There is no night life as such that I saw, which doesnât mean is not available in one of the local towns, Rogan would find some...
Trails:Bloody incredible on huge mountains, criss crossing valleys & peaks
* Typically there would be a climb of 30min-1 hour
* Descents: flowy, rocky and technical sections, tricky switchbacks, jumps, rock gardens, cliff edges ( v v big), roll offs, more cliff edges. Descending is generally very quick ( you donât want to be too slow) and doable
* Climb again or follow mountain contours, have lunch, with more descending. On the final day we had wine with lunch!
* Climb with more descending - total 4-5 hours
* Finish at a bar, have a beer , head home, have a beer sitting in the sun
* Typically there would be about 500m of climbing in a day, with 1000m of descent
* There are photos and videos on their website which are spot on, & I've more if someone needs a better idea
Getting there : easyâ¦â¦pickup from Barcelona, Girona or Perpignan airports
Set up: Ang & Ian Pendry, an English couple, have a small hotel (hotel dâhôte) on the edge of a small town (St Pierre de Fourcats); basically the cost (â¬480 for the week) covered
* pick up from the airport
* van/bike shuttles as required
* breakfast, packed lunch, fantastic dinners
* beers after a days riding & wine with dinner
* guiding each day
* Accommodation in a hotel type room and use of a garage for bike repairs etc...
Summary
· Ian & Ang run a really tight setup, are super organised & cant do enough to make the week a great holiday; in addition to them, they use a local French guide ( Pierre , a French Army commando trainer); the setting is great ( there is a huge rock structure above the house if you fancy going climbing)
· The climbs are fine
· The descents are very challenging, a bit of speed and blindness to the cliff edges goes a long way
· The hotel they run is simple but good- with wireless internet; the bike repair facilities are excellent. The evening dinners are great and they cater for any preferences without a bother
· Itâs a really chilled out week, the area has a lot of other things in it for the rest day
· Its good value and you really donât spend any money other than a few beers and dinner out one evening
· The biking is simply amazing, huge trails, super set up - would go out there again in the morning
11/10
Location: On the eastern Pyrenees, near Perpignan; based on France but basically on the France / Spain / Andorra border. About 1 hour from Perpignan which is on the coast
Area: basically it is a local winter ski area with peaks up to 2500m although we stayed in a house at 1500m. The area is amazing criss crossed with mountain railways, irrigation canals, roads, tunnels, mountain trails (Petit Routes & Grand Routes). Great medical facilities and restaurants in the area. There is no night life as such that I saw, which doesnât mean is not available in one of the local towns, Rogan would find some...
Trails:Bloody incredible on huge mountains, criss crossing valleys & peaks
* Typically there would be a climb of 30min-1 hour
* Descents: flowy, rocky and technical sections, tricky switchbacks, jumps, rock gardens, cliff edges ( v v big), roll offs, more cliff edges. Descending is generally very quick ( you donât want to be too slow) and doable
* Climb again or follow mountain contours, have lunch, with more descending. On the final day we had wine with lunch!
* Climb with more descending - total 4-5 hours
* Finish at a bar, have a beer , head home, have a beer sitting in the sun
* Typically there would be about 500m of climbing in a day, with 1000m of descent
* There are photos and videos on their website which are spot on, & I've more if someone needs a better idea
Getting there : easyâ¦â¦pickup from Barcelona, Girona or Perpignan airports
Set up: Ang & Ian Pendry, an English couple, have a small hotel (hotel dâhôte) on the edge of a small town (St Pierre de Fourcats); basically the cost (â¬480 for the week) covered
* pick up from the airport
* van/bike shuttles as required
* breakfast, packed lunch, fantastic dinners
* beers after a days riding & wine with dinner
* guiding each day
* Accommodation in a hotel type room and use of a garage for bike repairs etc...
Summary
· Ian & Ang run a really tight setup, are super organised & cant do enough to make the week a great holiday; in addition to them, they use a local French guide ( Pierre , a French Army commando trainer); the setting is great ( there is a huge rock structure above the house if you fancy going climbing)
· The climbs are fine
· The descents are very challenging, a bit of speed and blindness to the cliff edges goes a long way
· The hotel they run is simple but good- with wireless internet; the bike repair facilities are excellent. The evening dinners are great and they cater for any preferences without a bother
· Itâs a really chilled out week, the area has a lot of other things in it for the rest day
· Its good value and you really donât spend any money other than a few beers and dinner out one evening
· The biking is simply amazing, huge trails, super set up - would go out there again in the morning
11/10