Pedal Dancer®: Col du Tourmalet

Showing posts with label Col du Tourmalet. Show all posts

27 January 2014

Photo for the Day - Tourmalet Loop Ride

One of the best loop rides in the Pyrenees

Riding along the D26. Part of this recommended loop ride, this road is between Lourdes and Bagneres-de-Bigorre in France

The first road I ever rode a bike upon in the Pyrenees was this beautiful green road above (D26). This may also be one of the very first pictures I took while riding in the Pyrenees. I'd say it was a good introduction.

The D26 happens to be part of one of the best 102 kilometer rides in the Pyreness (in my opinion) and one I have yet to map out and recommend on this blog. So here it is - the loop ride of: Lourdes - Bagnères-de-Bigorre - Campan - Col du Tourmalet - Barèges - Luz-Saint-Sauveur - Argelès-Gazost - Lourdes (starting at any point along the route) and riding in one big loop.

This year, a dream week in the Pyrenees awaits any cyclist lucky enough to attend the Tour de France. If you will be riding in the 2014 L'Etape du Tour, you will ride (race) much of this loop. If you will be attending stages 16,17,18,19 of the TDF, be sure to leave a day available in your itinerary to complete this entire ride on a non Etape (July 20th) or non Tour day (July 24th).

If you have ridden in this area before, watching the landmarks pass by during this year's TDF Stage 18 TV coverage will bring back fond memories. Any time you find yourself riding on the D918 through the Pyrenees, you will surely find a corresponding smile on your face.

Loop ride, Lourdes-Col du Tourmalet click to enlarge
Google Map

Route: D26 - D935 - D918 - D921 - D913 - bike path/D921B or D13 through Boo-Silhen back to Lourdes.

This loop ride provides a good sampling of what it is like to ride both the small roads and big mountain passes in the French Pyrenees. I particularly like the first part of this ride (be sure to take the D26 and not the busy D937) through the low-traffic green hills between Lourdes and Bagnères-de-Bigorre. It might seem like it is taking more time than the bigger highway, but the ride and short punchy climbs, are beautiful, fun and a good warm-up to the long steady climb up the D935 to the Col du Tourmalet.

Photos from the ride: all photos by Karen Rakestraw (or ride partners) at Pedal Dancer (2003-2012)

That is me climbing on the nice quiet road to Campan from Bagnères-de-Bigorre

One of the most recognizable structures on the climb to La Mongie/Tourmalet is this avalanche shelter, (look for it in the TV coverage and you will know how much further the riders have to the summit).

The village of La Mongie might be a little quiet in summer, but you will see lots of cyclists on the road who will give you an encouraging cheer.

Looking back down at the ski village of La Mongie, you have a sense of accomplishing a big climb.

Almost to the top and the steep long climb continues

Just a few more hundred sheep to pass

A couple more curves to the top of the Col du Tourmalet

That small passage to the left marks your arrival at the summit. You will not be alone, this climb is very popular.

You'll need to take your own photo of the Giant, the landmark of the summit.

Sit on the patio at the restaurant at the top of the Tourmalet, have a drink, and watch the riders come and go. For most the climb is an incredible accomplishment.

Carry a souvenir back down the mountain in your jersey pocket

Now you'll have to get off the Tourmalet - down that valley you go on a long long descent west.

Look back to see how high you had climbed

Roll through the town and Barèges

Continue through Luz-Saint-Sauveur, or stop for a drink before continuing

Into the Lavendan Valley and past Saint-Savin (on the hill) and into Argeles-Gazost on your way to Lourdes.

From here you can catch the bike path/road back to Lourdes, this is your warm-down but plenty of miles of steady pedaling. Bikes are not allowed on the freeway, it's a bit tricky at the junction at Argeles-Gazost so check your GPS or map.

Remember the Hautacam sits within this loop ride, at the point of Argeles-Gazost: Photo for the Day - Hautacam. Luz Ardiden is another off-shoot from this loop, take a left (south) onto the D921 at the town of Luz-Saint-Sauveur. Col d'Aspin can also be climbed from this loop ride, veer off onto the D918 east at the town of Campan.

More information

The #1 source of information, climb profiles, wonderful photographs, and history about climbing the Tourmalet can be found at: Velo Peloton Col du Tourmalet

Other loop or recommended bike rides I have written about in France:

Recommended Ride: 100km around Mont Ventoux
Recommended Bike Route in Pyrenees, France (foothills near Pau)
Magnificent day in the Haute-Pyrenees (Hourquettes d'Ancizan - Col d'Aspin)
I conquered the Col de Marie Blanque today (a tough beautiful ride)

The route of this year's L'Etape du Tour (July 20th) includes some of this recommended loop ride (including the section of road between Bagnères-de-Bigorre - Campan - Col du Tourmalet - Barèges - Luz-Saint-Sauveur - Argelès-Gazost). This is basically Stage 18 of the 2014 Tour de France.

Map of route from the city of Pau to the climb of Hautacam. Map from pyreneesmultisport.com

16 February 2012

Guess Where? #6

Where have we pedaled to now

Another week of adventure and more desktop traveling to France. Can you guess the locations of these 3 sites?

Image #1

©Photo by PedalDancer/DRR

Image #2

©Photo by PedalDancer

Image #3

©Photo by PedalDancer

Answers

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port ("Saint John at the foot of the mountain pass" in French).

Located in Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is one of the major towns in the French Basque area of the Pyrenees. Once razed by Richard the Lionheart, the town was rebuilt in the same spot on the famed route of pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela over the Roncevaux Pass. Only 6km from the border of Spain, Basque is still spoken on both sides of the border. The town is situated along the river Nive and is wonderfully picturesque with tiled roofs, rust or brown colored shutters, buildings constructed of pink and grey schist, and cobbled streets typical of the area.

I had read that Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port was a growing center of cycling and so we made a point, on a rest day, to travel to visit the town in 2008. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is the old capital of the traditional Basque province of Lower Navarre, and if you have not yet tried a Navarre chilled rosé wine, please do so. Vineyards are increasing in the area, land prices are rising, and the area in a growing trend in popularity. The region reminds me of areas of Tuscany, Italy, and the central coast of California. It is neat and tidy with plentiful cafes and rolling green scenery. Mondays are market days and Sheeps cheese is a delicious local specialty.

River Nive through Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port ©Photo by PedalDancer/DRR

Landscape of Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port ©Photo by PedalDancer/DRR

Port to Spain ©Photo by PedalDancer/DRR

Gothic church, Notre-Dame-du-Bout-du-Pont ©Photo by PedalDancer/DRR

Signs in the area are in both French and Basque

Basque flag

Pic du Midi de Bigorre

It took me until my forth trip to the Pyrenees to understand that there was more than one Pic du Midi along the mountain range of the French Pyrenees. The most well known is Pic du Midi de Bigorre the grand peak above the Col du Tourmalet. The peak (pic) supports the highest observatory in France (Observatoire du Pic du Midi de Bigorre) initially constructed in 1878! NASA placed a large telescope in the building in 1963 in preparation for the Apollo missions to the moon. The observatory now houses a number of instruments and telescopes and has made numerous major discoveries. The road (on the west side) to the top begins just to the left of the souvenir shop on Col du Tourmalet. The road is rocky and rough and not always passable due to snow pack.

Continue past the souvenir shop on Col du Tourmalet ©Photo by PedalDancer

Hike to Pic du Midi de Bigorre ©Photo by PedalDancerr

The rocky road down from Pic du Midi de Bigorre in June ©Photo by PedalDancer

On the other side of this road (seen above) down the east side of the Col du Tourmalet lies the town of La Mongie, from this town you may take a steep cable car ride up to the observatory. This video will give you an idea of the massive area around the Col du Tourmalet, and perhaps why this climb is so magical on a small bicycle. Video: Pic du Midi de Bigorre - Cable Car Ride - All the way to the top!

There is another beautiful mountain peak that is a noticeable landmark on the mountain scape of the Pyrenees named Pic du Midi d'Ossau. This peak is slightly west of the other Pic du Midi with wonderful hiking trails and lakes. I hiked near the base of the peak in 2005, horses and cows roamed among green pastures and lakes, and the sound of cowbells filled the air. It was a rocky steep hike up the hillsides but a very enjoyable hike to Lac de Bious-Artigues. Take the D934 south of Pau and keep going (past the turn left up the D918 to the Col d'Aubisque) until you reach the town of Gabas, park and start hiking.

lake near Pic du Midi d'Ossau ©Photo by PedalDancer

Pic du Midi hiking ©Photo by PedalDancer

Pic du Midi d' Ossau from the Ossau Valley south of Pau ©Photo by PedalDancer

Flamme Rouge (Red Kite)

The red kite is the pennant marking the final kilometer of a bike race. The site of the flag means the race is almost over and the winner about to be determined. The banner inspires the phrase red kite prayer, supposedly naming the gesture of bowing the head as riders pass under the flag, digging deep in their last 1 kilometer of hard effort. I need to start paying better attention because I don't think I've ever noticed a rider actually doing this, but the popular blog Red Kite Prayer, inspired by the name, claims it to be a true tradition. I do know every time I am watching a break away or lone rider in the lead, and the rider passes under that red kite, I find myself cheering "come on you can make it, go!" The red kite is a long tradition in the Tour de France but is also used in other international races. The flamme rouge remains a very happy site for cyclists.

Red Kite at the finish line of the Tour de France ©Photo by PedalDancer

Red Kite being set up at the Criterium du Dauphine ©Photo by PedalDancer

Where we traveled to this week: click map to enlarge

A. Pic du Midi de Bigorre; B. Pic du Midi d'Ossau; C. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

View the other Guess Where series:

Guess Where? #5

Guess Where? #4

Guess Where? #3

Guess Where? #2

Guess Where? #1

09 February 2012

Guess Where? #5

Where have we pedaled to now?

Time to once again take a journey and see if you can guess where these three landmarks are located, ready ....

Image #1

Image #2

Image #3

Answers

#1 The Giant of the Tourmalet sculpture (Montée du Géant du Tourmalet)

This enormous silver sculpture sits atop a stone wall on the summit of the Col du Tourmalet. No sooner do you reach the top of the Tourmalet, then the descent quickly begins off the other side, but here, in this narrow ridge of a mountain pass sits this very recognizable landmark welcoming cyclists and tourists. The statue was built in 1999 to honor the first leg of the Tour de France in the Pyreness, and was dedicated to the first winner, Octave Lapize.

The statue used to, for years (please read comments by VeloPeloton), rest for the winter in the garden outside the Laurent Fignon Cycling Center (now closed), in Gerde near the town of Bagnéres de Bigorre, down valley from the Col du Tourmalet (but now rests in Tarbes, 50 km away, according to VeloPeloton). The first Saturday of June the statue re-emerges from it's winter hibernation and is ceremoniously accompanied by a legion of nearly 1000 cyclists back to it's glorious place on the peak. On it's journey back to the top, the statue and participants make stops in the towns along the route including Sainte-Marie de Campan, Gripp, Caderolles, and La Mongie. Locals mark the procession with events and celebrate with local foods of black Bigorre pork, AOC Madiran wine, Tarb beans, local cheeses and more. I think it would be exciting to join in the fun of accompanying the statue back to the top of the Col du Tourmalet, 2012 will mark the 13ème édition de la Montée du Géant du Tourmalet.

The Tourmalet is the most frequented climb in the Tour de France. Read a related post by VeloPeloton Montée du Géant du Tourmalet and Laurent Fignon, Salut au Champion! or more Pedal Dancer posts: Pedal Dancer: Today I saw the Tourmalet bring a man to tears or Pedal Dancer: More Pictures from the Tourmalet

#2 Jardins du château de Versailles

The Gardens of Versailles cover 800 hectares (324 acres) of land on the west side of the Palace of Versailles. Late in the 1630's Claude Mollet and Hilaire Masson designed the initial gardens for King Louis XIII. The Gardens of Versailles were further developed in the 1660's by King Louis XIV in the French Garden style and were refined and mostly designed by André Le Nôtre (between 1661 and 1700),. The gardens are most notable for their overwhelming size, broad expanses, and numerous thirsty fountains.

The gardens suffered damage from the 1999 winter storm but have mostly been replanted. You may take a train from Paris to Chateau Versailles using the RER C "yellow" line, 6,80€ for a return trip. See more images of the gardens. The Gardens might be a welcome reprieve from the internal glitz of the palace.

#3 Cormet de Roseland

The Cormet de Roseland is a somewhat obscure climb in the Rhones-Alps region of France. It is one of those climbs that is sometimes included in the Tour de France (the last time was in 2007), but I never knew where this climb was, until I made a point to locate it on a map and go out of our way and climb it in 2007. Cormet de Roseland is a 20.23km steady winding climb to a beautiful lake and mountain pass with little else except for the lovely town of Beaufort at the base of the climb, where cyclists gather in cafes. The descent is screaming fast with recorded speeds of 62mph for riders during the Tour de France. The climb is located east of Albertville, France, the start city of Stage 11 of the 2012 Tour de France. If you are in the area, put it on your "to do" list of climbs.