Day 11 - Farewell to the Pyrenees
Monday 4th September 2017
I leave the hotel Confort at 10:30am. It is a sunny morning but quite chilly in the crisp mountain air. The climb up to the Col de Port (elevation 1249m) is on a narrow and twisty back road with four or five hairpins and tight curves at the top. The surface is rather bumpy so I'm riding with care. The sun is heating up the world nicely now and I stop at the top to take off the Windstopper fleece.
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| Leaving the Hotel Confort in bright sunshine |
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| At the summit of the Col de Port |
I continue riding west down from the summit until I see a sign for Col de Peguere. It is a single track road winding up the mountain but has a reasonable surface so I turn right to explore.
The road up to the top is through dense forest. I meet no traffic on the narrow climb and emerge at Le Col de Peguere (1375m). At the summit there is a left turn signed Col de Portel. It looks ok so I give it a try. I'm in no hurry to leave the Pyrenees.
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| At the top of the Col de Peguere |
The road up to the top is through dense forest. I meet no traffic on the narrow climb and emerge at Le Col de Peguere (1375m). At the summit there is a left turn signed Col de Portel. It looks ok so I give it a try. I'm in no hurry to leave the Pyrenees.
This road takes me along a high ridge with stunning views south across the valley.
The next peak is the Col de la Crouzette at 1245m. THere is a great view here looking south over to the distant high peaks of the central Pyrenees.
A sign points down the valley to the village of Biert so I follow it down a winding single track of a road. The surface is manageable though very bumpy. There is no traffic.
Now I am on a better road. It is still pretty rural though as I follow a winding river gorge south down to Seix.
The next peak is the Col de la Crouzette at 1245m. THere is a great view here looking south over to the distant high peaks of the central Pyrenees.
A sign points down the valley to the village of Biert so I follow it down a winding single track of a road. The surface is manageable though very bumpy. There is no traffic.
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| Distant Pyrenees peaks |
Now I am on a better road. It is still pretty rural though as I follow a winding river gorge south down to Seix.
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| On the road to Seix |
From Seix I climb up to the top of the Col de Core. There is no sign here so I don't know the elevation, but it is quite high.
There are lovely views down both valleys. It's a good road too, lots of twisties and a few hairpins through the forest to the bald summit.
There are lovely views down both valleys. It's a good road too, lots of twisties and a few hairpins through the forest to the bald summit.
There is a fantastic road down the other side. Another cycle race route I would guess and the tarmac is perfect as I twist and wriggle down to the valley floor. Just beautiful.
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| Parked up at the Ibis hotel in Auch |
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| Classy supper in the Ibis |
Now it's back onto the main roads for the run north to the town of Auch and the Ibis Budget hotel there. I've left the foothills behind now and it is an easy ride with just a few small towns where the traffic builds up. Big country this France.
I get to the local Supermarche just before it closes and buy bread, cheese, fruit and wine for supper in my room.
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