Foothills

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Ayzac-Ost, Midi-Pyrénées, FR

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Vélo Peloton Pyrénées

Cyclist accommodation and bike rental.

58 km

819 m

A ride in the foothills of the Pyrénées. The Pyrénées may be famous for the epic HC cols like Tourmalet and Aubisque, but there are many beautiful less traveled roads. This route will take you on some of them, offering beautiful views and enough climbing for a good workout without feeling too much pain.

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# Foothills

This route starts on the Voie-Verte (Green-Way) just outside Argeles-Gazost. You'll get a good warmup as the first 7.5km are flat. You leave the Green-Way by the cafe at Lugagnan, approx 3km from Lourdes. The Voie Verte is fantastic, an old tramway which has been tarmaced over for use by cyclists, rollerbladers and pedestrians. The speed limit is 30kmph. If you’re a speed freak it’s best to take the road. @poi[Exit the Voie Verte at the cafe](1107385), there is a carpark, village hall and a hotel. You turn left onto road D13 direction Lourdes. After 100 metres you will see the road turning left and another small road straight ahead. The road straight ahead is the D26 which is the way you need to go.

## Vallée de Castelloubon

@photo[Vallée de Castelloubon, half way up.](822271)

This is where the climb starts. It is 13km to the summit. The first 8km take you to Col de Lingous at 575m. Mostly it is 3% or 4% but there is one section of 200 metres at 8%. At Col de Lingous there is a 4 crossroads. Take the right turn to continue on D26, direction Neuilh.  Very shortly there is another junction. Continue straight for the easy route or take the right turn for the hard way. Either way is just over 5km. I continued on the easy way. It gets a little steeper here and perhaps even a little more beautiful. It is a very narrow road, not much wider than a car.

## Col de la croix Blanche

@photo[Col de la croix Blanche with Tarbes in the distance.](822253)

With 2 km remaining there is another right turn leaving the D26. It is sign posted for Col de La Croix Blanche. Here the road kicks up sharply to over 8 %. It undulates the rest of the way and even stretches to 12% for a short section. You will roll down hill to the col. There is no sigh to indicate that you have arrived at the col. However you should see an iron cross painted white on the right hand side of the road. The view is spectacular on a clear day. If you take the hard way you will arrive downhill from the other direction on road D99.

@photo[Col de la Croix Blanche.](822257)

My schoolboy sense of humour cracks up every time I see this. It’s not as painful as it sounds. “Ball Trap” is the French term for Clay Pigeon.

It is not a spectacular climb like the HC monsters to the south, but is highly recommended for the quiet roads and beautiful bucolic scenery. If you are going to ride the eastern side of Col du Tourmalet continue on D26 to Pouzac just north of Bagneres. It is a great alternative route to the Main road between Lourdes and Bagneres, D937.

There is a shore steep descent to the village of Neuilh. Just as you enter the village there is a very sharp hairpin to the left, you won't see it until you are right on it so be very careful. If you need water there is a tap with very good water here. After 1km of additional descending you turn left onto road D18 direction Loucrup. It's 4.3km to Loucrup and the views are spectatular.

At Loucrup you @poi[cross the main road](947933) between Lourdes and Bagnéres de Bigorre. Shortly after you take a left turn leaving D18 onto a road which is unnumbered as far as I know but it is signposted for Layrisse. It is 4km to Layrisse, a dropdead georgous little village. As you approach the village keep an eye out behind you for a magnificent view of Pic de Midi de Bigorre.

In Layrisse you take a left turn onto road D203 for a short, twisty and very steep descent to the village of Orincles. At the stop sign turn righ onto road D7. The D7 is flat running through meadows with cattle and horses grazing, very bucolic. You will only be on it for 2km before a left on to road D507A at Barry, from where you start climb to Bois de Mouret. The road is signed for Averan.

## Bois de Mouret

Once more this ia a very small and very quiet road. The climb is 4km @7% but it will have sections uo to 13%. It is worth the effort for the fantastic rural enviroment and views. It has one of the best views of the Pyrénées from the summit. It’s a short descent into Lourdes and back up the valley on the Voie Verte.

@photo[View of the Pyrenees from Bois de Mouret](822260)

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Foothills

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