The Spanish Pyrenees are Different
When you think of the Pyrenees, you might immediately picture high peaks and inaccessible areas. But that image isn’t entirely accurate. The Pyrenees is actually quite a narrow mountain range, with truly high mountains only in its heart. Moving southward, the landscape quickly becomes friendlier, and you find yourself in the foothills.
The Pyrenees form a magnificent area for cycling. You’ll find a mix of rugged mountain peaks, green valleys, deep gorges, and interesting flora and fauna. But also medieval villages and ancient Romanesque churches. What’s striking is that the landscape and way of life are very different from the French side. The Spanish side is sunnier, drier, less developed for tourism, and much more sparsely populated. Cyclists will notice that the gradient percentages are generally milder than on the French side. The passes between France and Spain are at around 2,000 meters, but from the Spanish side, you climb 30 km at 5% while on the French side, it’s 15 km at 10%.
The Pyrenees are mainly the domain of mountain bikers, road cyclists, and touring cyclists who enjoy climbing.
Pilgrims on the Santiago route cross the Pyrenees via two passes from France.
The Spanish Pyrenees stretch, from east to west, through the regions of Catalonia, Aragon, and Navarra. The highest mountains (over 3,000 meters) are located in the central section. The highest peaks are Aneto at 3,408 meters and the Monte Perdido massif at 3,355 meters. The distance between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean is just over 400 kilometers. There are several national parks in the Pyrenees, with Aiguestortes and Ordesa being the most well-known.
Relief, Routes, and Roads
If you’re used to the Alps, you’ll notice that the Pyrenees cols are more irregular. In the Alps, it’s about finding a climbing rhythm. In the Pyrenees, the gradient percentages vary more. The advantage is that you can recover on the flatter sections. There’s little through traffic on the passes. The road through Andorra, however, is very busy. Interestingly, the major roads in the Pyrenees run from north to south through the valleys, while the small, quiet roads run from east to west, over the mountain ridges. The choice is then between: easier cycling on busier roads or tougher cycling on quiet roads.
True heroes ride the Pyrenees coast to coast. There are travel companies that facilitate this challenging trip by mountain bike or road bike.
The two well-known passes, Ibañeta near Roncesvalles (at 1,057 meters above Pamplona) and Somport (1,632 meters above Jaca), are part of the two Camino de Santiago routes from France. But perhaps the most beautiful section for touring cyclists in the Spanish Pyrenees is the six or seven valleys with small roads between Pamplona and Jaca, just below the Pyrenees. Look on the map and find names like Salazar, Roncal, Ansó, Hecho… with the equally pleasant villages of the same names. The same applies to Isaba and Ochagavía. Peace, beautiful landscapes, and nature dominate the scenery here. You’ll find charming small hostels, B&Bs (casas rurales), and campsites that are still fairly quiet even in summer.
Accessibility
If you choose to fly, you have the option of Barcelona or Girona if you don’t want to make a transfer. Barcelona offers good connecting train and bus services.
The southern French city of Toulouse is also a convenient place to fly into.
