Holiday Packages
Please see for more information below Guided Mountain Bike Weeks, Raid Pyrenean & Classic Tour Cols week and what they include:-
GUIDED MOUNTAIN BIKE WEEKS:
-7 days/6 nights at Les Sorbiers our fine Napoleonic hotel in the heart of the Pyrenees.-Half board including breakfast, afternoon tea and fantastic home-cooked 3 course meals every night.
Wine included(Wed is our night off)
-Cereal bars and energy drink to keep you fuelled-up.
-Secure storage for your bikes we know how much you love them!!
-Back up on call just in case for major break downs
Price per person £440.00 based on 2 sharing.
Day 1 - Arrival:
Depending on how you travel to France we will either see you at Les Sorbiers or we will arrange to meet you at the train station or airport. Although you will not be able to get access to your room until mid day you will be able to unpack your bike, familiarise yourself with the village and maybe even go for a quick ride on some local trails.
After you have had a chance to freshen up, we will serve a delicious 3 course dinner using fresh produce bought from our local markets, with selected wine to complement the meal. During the course of the first day we will find out from you exactly what kind of riding you would like to do over the next few days, to get the most out of your valuable holiday time.
Day 2, 3 & 4 - Guided Riding:
Your first 2 full days of biking will enable you to explore a wide variety of tracks and trails where we can offer guided rides in small groups for a wide range of abilities. During breakfast we will discuss the riding for the day ahead. After your feedback and with over 20 different day rides to choose from we will then select a route best suited to your riding ability, weather and mood on that particular day.
Day 5 - Explore or Relax:
The guides have one/two days off during the week. It's maybe a good idea for you to take a break too. Maybe try one of the different adventure sports available in the area, or just sit back in a comfortable chair and have a lovely relaxing day in the hotel or take in a trip to the thermal spa and get a massage to soothe those aching legs.
Day 5&6 - Guided Riding:
There is still plenty to explore in the 3 valleys of Bareges and with over 600km of trails to ride in a week you will just about scratch the service of this wonderful ride area. By now us and the guides will have a good idea of the kind of riding you enjoy and will be able to tailor the route more than ever to suit your needs.
Day 7 - Homeward Bound:
Your final day in Bareges is usually a time to relax, clean your bike, enjoy the sunshine, have one last look over the mountains and reflect on what has been your home over the last week.
The Official Raid Pyrenean
Scheduled dates: 2009- June / arrive Biarritz 20th start 21st finish the ride 26th return home 27th via Carcassonne or Perpignan.
- July / arrive Biarritz 18th start 19th finish the ride 24th return home 25th via Carcassonne or Perpignan (Dependant on TDF dates).
- August / arrive Biarritz 15th start 16th finish the ride 21st return home 22nd via Carcassonne or Perpignan.
- September / arrive Biarritz 5th start 6th finish the ride 11th return home 12th via Carcassonne or Perpignan.
What is the Raid Pyrenees?
The route of the Raid crosses the Pyrenees and can start from the town of Hendaye on the Atlantic Coast crossing the Pyrenees to Cerbere on the Mediterranean. The route takes you over many of the cols including the Tourmalet, Aubisque, Aspin, Portet d'Aspet and Peyresourde with around 11000metres of climbing the route. Crossing the Pyrenees in the Raid as part of an official organised cycling event is a difficult undertaking, however it also gives you the opportunity to ride most of the famous cols of the Tour de France. These Cols are steeped in history as the route passes through Pyrenees Atlantique, Aquitaine, Hautes Garonne, Hautes Pyrenees, and Ariege to the finish in the Pyrenees Orientale.
The idea of a crossing of the Pyrenees was first thought up by a French cyclist Maurice Bugard in 1912 a young cyclist from the Cyclo Club Bearnaise and the dream was to cross the Pyrenees from the Ocean to the Sea. The first inception of the Raid was first called Randonnee Pyreneenne, it was based around a set itenery of different mountainous terrain and gradients of mountain roads and so the set figures of, 18 cols 710 km, for 11000 metres. The proposal was deemed too audacious at the time and then shelved for years until the end of the 2 wars that had waged throughout France and Europe. In 1949, Paul Mathis resurrected the project of Maurice Bugard, and designed the Routier Pyreneen a pre-cursor to the Raid. He looked to do the premier traverse through the mountains from Hendaye-Cerbere in the month of June that year. The route was difficult and he never got beyond the Col du Marie Blanque due to snow still blocking the route he returned home to the Bearnaise countryside to plan for another attempt. In 1950, Mathis, accompanied by Miss Betbeder was to cross from the East of the Pyrenees to west the opposite way he had tried in 1949. Again in June they departed as it says in their diary with tenacity, guile and the patience of the Bearnaise they would arrive victorious in the town of Hendaye. Mathis again passed back across the Mountains in 1951 from west to east him being the first person to traverse the route from both directions. In the winter of 51-52 Paul Mathis decided the official route through the Pyrenees should have certain points to stop for confirmation on the route to verify every individuals crossing and in the spring of 1952 the official organisation was formed the Raid Pyreneen. All persons wanting to cross would be given the 18 cols to climb in any order via the shortest route of 710kms. This is still carried on today and the official documentation has to be ordered a month in advance of the raid. In the words of the Raid Pyrenees. After the solitude of the Soulor through the circle of death the cols of the Ariegeois, the valleys and the Gaves will give you memories that will always have a certain place within your heart, the Cerdagne and, Mont-Louis, the son of the area, will open the doors into the Catalan region. The long days of riding, your team and their spirit everyday will not disguise the pain, suffering, effort and action you put in to achieve your mission but will give you some fantastic memories that will stay with you forever.
About us and the Raid:-
We live in the Pyrenees on the Col du Tourmalet all year round and speak French. We know the Raid Pyrenees route from the Atlantic to the Med very well and so you can be sure that the information we give you on the route is up do date and accurate, as well as easy to follow. As cyclists ourselves, who have cycled ALL of the cols en route, we know what it is you are going through on the climbs, and when you are most likely to need support. We follow the exact route of the original Raid, to keep the ride official all of the Cols we climb where on the original route.
Les Sorbiers and Pyrenees Cycling has been running road cycling holidays since its conception over 18 years ago. Rob has been in the cycling industry for even longer and so you can be sure that we will not overlook any aspect of your trip, from the riding, to the logistics of the travel arrangements and the accommodation.
Who can take Part?
The environment of cycling through the Pyrenees is a tough undertaking and the riders that take part are regularly training for 8-10 hours per week. Most of our clients ride on a regular basis with the CTC or cycling club some will have done cyclosportives or long distance Audax cycling events. However if you have never cycled you can find a coach here who can transform you from a non cyclist into a rider that can undertake the Raid within 6-8 months.
The aim of the Raid is to complete it our daily routes are set down in the official Carnet de Route / Route guide, you will also be accompanied by a guide to help you navigate and encourage you to get across the mountains in the set times. The guide is there to pace the group and ensure no-one is left behind we do not need to cycle fast in order to manage the daily routes and time limits. With our service vehicle for support, we are happy for you to take as long as it takes to do each days route, and we will give you all the support and back-up that you need. All you need to do is eat, drink, cycle and sleep - we will do the rest!
Contact us by phone or email with any questions we can advise you on fitness levels on clothing gear ratios and other equipment. All the hotels we use cater for various dietary requirements. We use small friendly and family run hotels that we know and have previously used and understand our needs regarding cyclists.
We limit our group sizes to minimum of 6 and a maximum of 16 so you get the benefits of being with enough other cyclists to find others of the same abilities who cycle at your pace. But we also pride ourselves on our individuality and get to know anyone else in the group; your leaders will know where and when you will need that extra bit of encouragement. We expect the group to be of mixed abilities but still offer everyone the same, high level of support. It also means that in the case of any emergencies or mechanicals, our van is placed at various points where we know you will be in need of a refill of water or an energy bar.
Food and Fuel
The evenings meals will be taken together either at the hotel or a suitable restaurant in town. A 3 course evening meal is included. We know that the hotels and restaurants offer only best local produce. Vegetarian options are offered daily and other dietary requirements are not a problem to us. Local dishes are sometimes on the menu but then the Hotels work to the seasons and what is available to them, Pasta nearly always features on the Menu. Along the way you can sample some fine Pyrenean cuisine, Garbure is one of those hearty vegetable soups made with Tarbais beans and fortified with ham hock. Toulouse cassoulet with pork, sausage and goose a very rich meaty stew. Four different types of cheeses Ossau, Iraty, Val D'Aran & Bigorre. Desserts include egg batter, open fire, spit cooked gateau Brioche rum and orange sponge. Local wines include Madiran, St Mont, Jurancon and Pacherenc.Vegetarians are welcome and will be looked after very well. Cereal/energy bars, cakes, bananas and other snacks for during the day are included and will be distributed by the support van. We have our own TORQ energy powders/gels/bars to keep you supplied en route although we do have our own. Breakfast is based around a continental style but designed to give you enough energy to undertake each days ride.
Transport to the Pyrenees?
The trip starts at Biarritz or Pau airports and ends at Carcassonne or Perpignan airports. Ryanair provide a reasonably priced flight service between London Stansted and both these airports. If booked in advance flights should be relatively inexpensive. Minibus transfers (30 minutes and 80 minutes respectively) are arranged to tie in with the recommended flights.
Currently the flight timetables for June to September 2009 are not yet out - we will update our website with the recommended flights as soon as the times are available.
Ryan Air currently charges £15.00 each way for the carriage of a bike and do have a limited number of spaces for bikes on each flight (see www.ryanair.com. for more information).
Flights:-
Flights are not included. But the information on getting here as follows.
From Belgium Charleroi to Pau we can transfer from here to Biarritz other international airport to Biarritz is Frankfurt-Hahn.
Stansted and Luton from the South to Biarritz. Ryanair Alternatives from north of the UK are Birmingham or from Ireland, Shannon and Dublin. We are able to give lots of help and advice in sorting out which travel arrangements might suit you best, so please don't hesitate to contact us for some advice and other information we have on how to get here.
Please see the prices section for more information on airlines, airport transfers, driving to the start or taking the train from the UK.
Our package includes:-
Experienced / knowledgeable leaders that guide you daily on the road no other Tours do this not for the price shown!!!!!
* Accommodation 2** Hotels 6 days based on 2 sharing
* Breakfasts for 7 days
* Evening Meals for 7 days
* Pyrenees Cycling Jersey
* Carnet de Route
* Guiding for 6 stages
* Support vehicle & driver.
* Hotel luggage transfers
* TORQ energy drinks bars and gels etc.
* Airport Transfers to Biarritz and Carcassonne or Perpignan
The cost for 7 nights is £795.00 or 1000.00 euros per person.
CLASSIC TOUR COLS WEEKS:
inlcudes return transfers from/to Pau airport or Lourdes train station-Half board including breakfast, afternoon tea and fantastic home-cooked 3 course meals every night. Wine included(Wed is our night off).
-Cereal bars and energy drink to keep you fuelled-up.
-Secure storage for your bikes we know how much you love them!!
-Back up on call just in case for major break downs...
Price per person £440.00 based on 2 sharing.
-You will be staying for 7 days/6 nights at Les Sorbiers our fine Napoleonic hotel in the heart of the Pyrenees.
-5 days of riding 1 - 2 cols per day with the guide. Riding the Tourmalet, Luz Ardiden, Cauterets, Hautacam, Aubisque, Soulor and the Aspin, Just to name a few there are others, Col du Tentes 2200m that takes in 40km climb not just the alps that have the big boys.
EARLY SEASON TRAINING CAMPS:
All our 2009 Preparation & Training camps are based in the French Pyrenees.
The Pyrenees has always been an attractive area to go and explore on the bike. It's classic Tour de France territory and offers the opportunity to ride the roads and emulate the Tour stars who have done battle here.
The Pyrenees are probably the best place in Europe to base your pre season training. It's not the first place you would think of for taking a bike for a bit of training over the colder months. Though, if you combine it with a bit of skiing, as a team building training camp there couldn't be anywhere better. It's not a new concept as it was something that was done regularly by pro teams of the '80s and early '90s. A perfect way to introduce and integrate into a new team over the closed season before the serious business of training and racing gets underway.
It is a known fact that the weather is can be much dryer over the winter months, and is the reason why many of the top professional teams use the area for their pre season training. The roads are of good quality and there is a choice of either flat valley roads hilly and mountainous rides, with most roads going up to and over 2000m even in March.
We offer Preparation & Training camps to suit all abilities and budgets see prices page for 2009 holiday dates these include the below.
- Half board including breakfast, afternoon tea and fantastic home-cooked 3 course
meals every night. Wine included (Wed is our night off).
- Qualified sports masseur / physio massages available at reduced prices
- Cereal bars and energy drink to keep you fuelled-up.
- Secure storage for your bikes we know how much you love them!!
- Airport Transfers from Pau only - Toulouse surcharge of 30.00 euros per person
- Back up on call just in case for major break downs...
Price per person £440.00 based on 2 sharing.
-You will be staying for 7 days/6 nights at Les Sorbiers our fine Napoleonic hotel in the heart of the Pyrenees.
Flights from most UK airports to Pau or Toulouse these can either be booked by yourself using low fare airlines Ryanair or Easyjet or can be booked through ourselves a for an extra booking fee of £20.00 per person.
RIDING IN THE MOUNTAINS
Other guides and companies offer an incredibly complex week. We keep it simple rather than stopping at a different place everyday we offer a fixed base. All offer conflicting advice on food gear ratios even how to ride. Our approach is less scientific, however still as professional, but more rooted in the indivdual persons abilities. No-one can ride the mountains for you and the best you can do is to train and prepare as much as you can for your holiday, as we who ride the mountains everyday will also encourage you to ride them. Our philosophy starts lies in the love of the mountains this provides the heart and soul of pyrenees cycling.
How to assess your ability....
Our ability grading system used for our tours has been developed out of client feedback and guide feedback over many years. It is a bit more detailed than most people use, but we've found that it is much more useful.
We give grades for two different things:
- Fitness level required.
- Mountain bike handling skills level required.
Why separate the two?
If you look at a starting out mountain biking weekend you have to be reasonably fit, because we are riding in the mountains, but can have little or no previous mountain biking experience. To mountain bike in here in the Pyrenees, however, you could get away with less fitness and just use cable cars for all the uphill, but the rides demand a good skill level. How would this work with one grade? Badly, we think!
Do remember that grades are still just an indicator, and if you want to talk about your suitability for a certain trip please give us a call.
Skills Mountain biking we use levels A-D:
A No experience of mountain biking or limited experience, mainly on gravel tracks or smooth trails, but can already cycle.
B Can ride with confidence on gravel tracks and trails, over loose stones and some rough ground. May have some experience of man-made singletrack trails and feel happy on blue and red routes (in the UK).
C Can ride over most normal terrain including steep, rough, narrow tracks with tree roots and other small obstacles forming part of the normal ride. Confident on all man-made singletrack trails and will be able to ride most small drops/step-downs or other technical trail features.
D Can ride over any terrain including very rocky, severe descents, 2+ foot high drop-offs and other more challenging trail features.
Fitness road and off road
We use levels 1 to 4:
1 Basic fitness from exercise once or twice per week. Can ride on flat or gently rolling terrain at a steady pace. Usually have the stamina to spend 2-4 hours out on a ride.
2 Moderate fitness from two or three sessions of riding each week. Can ride hilly terrain at a steady pace, or more demanding terrain but only for shorter rides.
3 Good fitness from regular riding and training sessions and time spent actively involved in cycling. Can ride full days in any terrain at a steady pace.
4 Excellent fitness from regular training and a significant amount of time spent riding or racing. Can ride in any terrain at a demanding pace.
Gearing
MTB All gearing is compatible with climbing here in the Pyrenees
Road
Compact or Triple Chainsets
Sprockets
27 good
26 Makes it hard
25 Even harder
24 One for the Pro's
For dates and further pricing on our holidays see our prices page for single supplement add £40.00.
So if you are looking for cycling in the high pyrenees guided or self guided, accommodation in a magnificent mountain setting, the best thing to do is look at our prices page and contact us with dates in mind and with an idea as to which holiday week will match your requirements.
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