Pyrenees Coast to Coast Cycling Holiday
French FlagFrance

PYRENEES COAST TO COAST

Guided Cycling Holiday

French FlagFrance

Pyrenees Coast to Coast
Guided Cycling Tour
Length: 9 days
Level: Difficulty Hard
Price: €1,980
This cycling tour crosses the Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, conquering over twenty-five of the most famous passes in the cycling world.

In eight days you will cross the entire mountain range, including climbs such as Col du Tourmalet, Col d'Aubisque, Port de Bales and much more.

This is a really beautiful tour which combines incredible and diverse scenery along the entire route; all while climbing some of the great arenas of professional cycling. Unlike the well known Raid Pyrenees route, the emphasis of this tour is not to get from one coast to the other as quickly as possible, but rather to take our time to fully appreciate the stunning scenery along the way. But don't underestimate it, this is still a very physically demanding challenge with long distances and significant climbing each day.

If you would prefer a more flexible tour to the Pyrenees, you may be interested in our Best of the Pyrenees cycling holiday. Or, to find out more about this tour, click on the tabs to see the itinerary, tour highlights, and all the practical information about the holiday.
Pyrenees Coast to Coast Cycling Map
Click on the map to view in full screen


Tour Availability


J F M A M J J A S O N D

Current Dates




Day 1 - Arrival - St Jean de Luz

We will transfer you from the arrival point to our first hotel, situated in the delightful coastal town of St Jean de Luz.

Here we will fit the bikes, and then you are free to explore the town. You can also visit the city beach near to the hotel and take a dip in the Atlantic. Depending on your arrival time, there is also the opportunity to do short circular ride around the town.

Biarritz Atlantic Coast
France's Atlantic Coast

Day 2 - Basque Pyrenees



The first cycling day is quite long at just over 100km as we quickly leave behind the busier coastal roads, entering the western edge of the Pyrenees range.

The basic route is relatively gentle, with rolling terrain along beautiful country lanes, rather than any steep climbing.

This area of the Pyrenees is not as popular with cyclists as the central part; however, the scenery is stunning, with narrow roads, winding around vibrant green hillsides. The main climb of the day is the very modest Col d'Osquich, which is a nice way to get the legs warmed up for the days to come.

For those looking to start the tour with a real challenge, there is the opportunity to extend the route to climb the formidable slopes of Ahuski towards the end of the day.

Cycle Routes:


The Route: 115km (1,800m Elevation)

With Extension: 145km (2,650m)
Steep slopes of Ahuski
The steep slopes of Ahuski - an optional extension

Day 3 - Marie-Blanque & Aubisque

The shorter route today follows a rolling route through the picturesque Basque Pyrenees, before tackling the great Col d'Aubisque. One of the most used climbs in the Tour de France, the Aubisque has beautiful scenery, on both the climb and the descent. It's a tough climb, but the gradients rarely go above 10%, and so it's possible to get into a nice rhythm and enjoy the spectacular surroundings.

The medium route is the same length as the shorter option, but tackles the Col de Marie-Blanque before the Aubisque. This is another Tour regular, and is a short but tough climb, with gradients consistently above 10% in the final 4km.

Both routes finish in the charming historic town of Argeles Gazost after a long and very fun descent. For cyclists with a lot of energy, there is the chance to extend the route from here to include the hors categorie climb to Hautacam.

Cycle Routes:


Shorter Route: 104km (2,100m)

Medium Route: 105km (2,600m)

Longer Route: 138km (3,750m)
Col d'Aubisque
Col d'Aubisque Balcony Road

Day 4 - Tourmalet, Aspin & Peyresourde

Today is the toughest ride of the holiday, as we tackle three of the most iconic climbs in cycling. First up is the legendary Col du Tourmalet which, at 19km long and 7.4% average gradient, is a real test for any cyclist. Tourmalet is a really beautiful climb, particularly the top half which crosses open scenery with fantastic views looking down the valley. It has featured in the Tour de France more than any other climb, and pretty much every great rider throughout history has suffered on its slopes.

Next up, after the long descent of Tourmalet, comes the fairly gentle Col d'Aspin. We take a break on the top to stop for lunch, before tackling one final climb - the Col de Peyresourde.

Another of the most featured climbs in the Tour de France, the Peyresourde is a reasonable test at the end of the ride, averaging just under 8% for 10km. From the top of the climb it's a really enjoyable downhill all the way in to the charming town of Luchon, where we stay for the evening.

This is already a tough day, but if you're a real glutton for punishment, there is also the option to extend the route and climb the spectacular hairpin bends of Luz Ardiden .

Cycle Routes:


The Route: 113km (3,100m)

With Extension: 141km (4,150m)

Col du Tourmalet
Col du Tourmalet

Day 5 - Port de Bales & Portet d'Aspet

The shorter route today begins with a pleasant ride through the valley from Luchon. After this warm up you will enter the Ariege Pyrenees and tackle three fun climbs in quick succession. None of them are overly long or challenging, and together they make for a fun day in the saddle.

First up are the famous hairpin bends of the Col de Menté, which is followed by the short and steep Col de Portet d'Aspet. The day then ends with the scenic and mostly gently Col de la Core, another regular in the Tour de France.

The day finishes in the small town of Seix, nestled in the heart of the Ariege Pyrenees and surrounded by excellent climbs.

The longer route begins the day by tackling an additional long and scenic climb to Port de Bales. From here you get some great views across to Aneto - the highest peak in the Pyrenees range. It's a recommended extension, but there is also the option to ride this on the rest day (Day 5) in Luchon if you don't want to make this ride too challenging.

For very strong riders, there is also the possibility to climb the steep Col de Menté as an alternative to the gentle Col des Ares on this day. We will explain all of the various options in full, so you can choose the ride most suited to how you feel on the day!

Cycle Routes:


The Route: 98km (2,500m)

With Extension: 127km (3,100m)
Col de Menté
The rolling hills of the Ariege

Day 6 - Col de Port & Pas de Soulombrie

The famous cols keep coming today as we begin by heading South out of Seix on a flat route alongside the river. The first significant climb is the ascent to the Col de Port. This is a really enjoyable one to ride with gradients hovering around a steady 5%, allowing you to comfortably spin and enjoy the views.

We descend down to the historic town of Tarascon. Then, after lunch, we join a stunning balcony road over the Pas de Soulombrie. It is a route with rolling climbs, that offers incredible views for much of its length. At the end of the day we ride part of the Col de Marmare and then descend down towards the town of Ax-les-Thermes.

Another spa town, Ax-les-Thermes is great for relaxing underneath the towering peaks that form the nearby borders with Spain and Andorra.

The extension route today is not much longer, but has quite a bit of extra climbing. The main difference is that it replaces the Col de Port with the more challenging Col d'Agnes a very enjoyable climb which has featured regularly in the Tour de France. This route descends via Port de Lers to Tarascon, where it rejoins the main route for the final 40km over the Pas de Soulombrie.

On this ride there is also the option to do the out and back climb to Plateau de Beille. Averaging 8% for nearly 16km, this is a very tough climb and is not the most scenic, so we don't overly recommend it! But it has been a key battleground in recent editions of the Tour de France and so has its fair share of cycling history!

Cycle Routes:


The route: 94km (1,900m)

With Extension: 112km (2,700m)
Pas de Soulombrie Balcony Road
Pas de Soulombrie Balcony Road

Day 7 - Port de Pailheres & Col de Jau

At just over 90km long this is one of the shorter routes on the cycling tour, but it still has a fair amount of climbing. The day begins by ascending to Port de Pailhères. This is one of the few passes in the Pyrenees with an altitude of more than 2,000m and has stunning views in the final kilometres, and throughout the entire descent.

From here we enter the Catalan Pyrenees, and the scenery starts to take on more of a Mediterranean look and feel. We follow rolling roads before tackling the picturesque Col de Jau, a pleasant climb through pine forests. The day ends with a long winding descent down to the charming Catalan town of Prades.

The longer route today climbs to the ski resort of Ax-3 Domaines at the start of the day. This climb hosted a memorable stage finish in the 2013 Tour de France, when Chris Froome emerged victorious.

Cycle Routes:


The route: 93km (2,500m)

With Extension: 108km (3,200m)
Port de Pailheres
Port de Pailheres

Day 8 - The Mediterranean Coast

The final day of the cycling tour sees us reach the Mediterranean coast. At 90km and with no Hors Categorie climbs (just the gentle Col de Fontcouverte), this is a really enjoyable day to end the tour and is by far the easiest ride.

As you get nearer to the coast, the mountains gradually give way to rolling foothills, but the scenery remains really impressive. We ride through the vineyards of the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region, before enjoying a long descent down towards the coast.

The cycling comes to an end in Argeles-sur-Mer, a lively town close to the Spanish border. Argeles-sur-Mer has the longest and largest beach in the region, where you can enjoy a celebratory swim in the warm waters of the Mediterranean.

Cycle Routes:


The route: 94km (1,000m)
The final climb of the holiday
The final climb of the holiday

Day 9 - Departure

After breakfast we will transfer you to the departure point so that you can continue your journey home - hopefully tired but fulfilled.

If you would like to continue your holiday, we would be happy to arrange for you to spend time in a city or coastal town nearby. Popular options include Barcelona, Girona and the Costa Brava.

To find out more information about this holiday; including practical information, prices, dates and more tour highlights; return to the top of the page and click on the various tabs.

Costa Brava
The Costa Brava - One possibility to extend the tour

This cycling holiday crosses the entirety of the French Pyrenees range. Starting on the Atlantic and finishing on the Mediterranean you will climb many of the great cols in cycling, and several spectacular lesser known ones.

On the way you will see the landscape change from rolling hills, to high mountains, to Mediterranean vineyards. The rides are demanding, but also rewarding. And you will be burning a lot of calories, so its also a great excuse to enjoy the excellent French cuisine of the region!

Check out just a few of the many tour highlights in our photo album below:

Included
  • Eight Nights Accommodation (see the Hotels section for more details)
  • Transfer to and from the arrival/departure point (see below)
  • Continental breakfast every day
  • Lunch and refreshments every day. Lunch is sometimes taken in a restaurant, and sometimes a picnic.
  • Luggage transferred between hotels
  • Support vehicle along the route
  • Detailed maps and route information for each day, with clearly marked points of interest.
  • Route extensions every day for those of you who wish to cycle
Not Included:
  • Flights
  • Tour Extensions
  • Travel Insurance
  • Carbon Road Bike Hire (Optinal extra - see below for details)

Bicycles
Bicycle hire is included in the cost of the holiday. We can provide 11 speed lightweight carbon road bikes, with compact chainsets and a large cassette (11-32 / 11-34 tooth), to make the climbs as comfortable as possible! Our Cube models come equipped with disc brakes, while Rose and Canyon are with rim brakes.

More details about our bikes can be found on our bicycles page. The exact model depends on availability, so please get in touch if you would like more information.

All of our bikes come with helmets and handlebar bags if required, as well as a Cycle Fiesta water bottle.
Road Bicycle Our full carbon road bikes

Difficulty Level & Roads
We rate this tour as 'hard' difficulty level. It's a demanding tour with rides averaging around 100km, and with more than 2,000m of climbing on most days.

It's advisable to have done a considerable amount of preparation in the months before the trip, if you want to get the most out of the holiday.

If you are concerned about the distances and the amount of climbing on this tour, you may prefer our Best of the Pyrenees tour, which has more flexibility and the option to do shorter rides on some days.

The roads in the Pyrenees are generally in excellent condition and the routes we use have little traffic throughout the year.

Find out more about our tour difficulty levels here.

Arrival and Departure
The arrival point is Biarritz or Bayonne. Biarritz has an international airport flying to a range of international destinations, as well as regular flights to Paris. It is also easily reached by rail from Paris.

We are also able to transfer from San Sebastian if required. San Sebastian has an airport, although it currently only serves domestic flights from Madrid and Barcelona. However, it is well served by train, with regular services from Bilbao, Madrid and Barcelona.

The departure point is either Perpignan or Girona. Perpignan has an international airport, with flights to the UK, Ireland and Netherlands. It is also on the rail network, with high speed trains to Paris, Toulouse and Marseille.

Girona (Spain) has a reasonably sized airport with international flights to a wide range of European destinations. It is a major hub of Ryanair, who offer low cost flights throughout the continent.

Girona is also just a short distance by train from Barcelona.

In all cases we will transfer you to/from the airport or rail station as is required.
Pyrenees Coast Arrivals and Departure Map

Frequently Asked Questions


Please browse through some of the frequently asked questions about this cycling tour. If you have any further questions, or would like any more information, please contact us and we will answer by email.


When can I do this tour?

We run this tour in summer each year when all of the passes are open.

The weather is generally warm, sunny and dry. But this is high mountains, so it is also unpredictable. We strongly advise that you bring appropriate clothing for all conditions.



Groups of more than eight people please contact us to arrange the dates for a private tour starting on any date from late May to the end of September.

How big are the groups on your tour?

We usually limit the groups to a maximum of 10 people. We find that if there are many more than that, it can become a bit unwieldly. We think that smaller groups also provide for a more personal experience, as well as enabling to book more easily in some of our favourite restaurants.

Who is leading the tour?

All of our guided tours are led personally by the founders of Cycle Fiesta - Ian & Lucia.

See our about us page for more information.

What is a single supplement?

Our prices are based on two people sharing a hotel room (in a double or twin room). For cyclists that wish to stay in their own room, the single supplement is payable.

Can I make any changes to the itinerary?

If you are booking a private tour as part of a group, the itinerary is entirely flexible. Feel free, for example, to change the number of days, the difficulty of the routes, to add longer transfers or to include evening meals. Please contact us and we would be happy to discuss all the options with you.

On the 'public' tour, there is still some flexibility in the itinerary, with different route options each day and the possibility of being transferred at times. We can also add extra nights at the start or end of the trip if you wish to spend longer in St Jean de Luz or Argeles-sur-Mer.

What is your cancellation policy?

The full cancellation policy can be found in out terms and conditions.

Why book with us?

We are a small and independent company who are locally based, which offers several advantages:

- We have a lot personal experience of all of our tours, which have been refined over many years. We believe we are genuine experts in the regions where we run tours, and we are also close at hand to offer support and a personalized service.

- We are flexible and can tailor our itineraries to suit your requirements.

- We have low overheads. We don't spend money on advertising and don't use third party agents. We only sell our tours through this website.

By cutting out the middle man, you can be sure that more of what you pay is being spent on the important things: like hotels, equipment and other services.

- We are a registered and fully bonded tour operator in accordance with EU regulations.

Where can I find more information about the region?

You can check out our guides to cycling in the Pyrenees:

Pyrenees Cycling Guide Pyrenees Top 20 Climbs

And we also have information about most of the climbs that you will tackle on this route in our Pyrenees Climbs section.

The following are among the most well known, as well as a couple of our lesser known favourites:

  • Col du Tourmalet
  • Col d'Aubisque
  • Port de Bales
  • Port de Pailheres
  • Ahuski
  • Superbagneres


  • Hotel de Paris
    Hotel de Paris
    A charming small hotel situated in the historic center of St Jean de Luz, where you can experience a traditional Basque atmosphere. The hotel has very comfortable rooms and is a just short walk from the town's large Atlantic beach.
    Auberge de l'Etable
    Hotel Montory
    This 3-star hotel is situated in the small village of Montory. The rooms are comfortable and the swimming pool and gardens are great for relaxing at the end of the ride. The hotel also has an excellent restaurant, and is just a short walk from the village center.
    Hotel Le Soleil Levant
    Hotel Soleil Levant
    This charming hotel is situated just a short walk from the historic center of Argèles-Gazost. It has comfortable large rooms and an excellent on site restaurant.
    Hotel Panoramic
    Hotel Panoramic
    An exceptional *** hotel in the center of Luchon. Surrounded by good restaurants, this is well located and an enjoyable place to stay. One of the best patisserie in the Pyrenees is situated just across the square in case you want to treat yourself!
    Haut Salat
    Haut Salat
    This charming mountain style hotel is located right in the heart of Seix, at the foot of several great climbs. The rooms are comfortable and well equipped, and the hotel also has an excellent restaurant.
    Hotel Grand Cordee
    Hotel Grand Cordee
    This pleasant hotel has very comfortable rooms and is situated close to the historic center of Ax-les-Thermes. It is just a few minutes walk from the town's thermal baths, historic monuments and also the lively tapas bars that signify how close we are to Spain!
    Hotel Le Vauban
    Hotel Le Vauban Prades
    An excellent 4-star hotel situated on the edge of Prades, a short walk from the center. The hotel has an excellent swimming pool area and comfortable, stylish rooms.
    Hotel Le Maritime
    Hotel Le Maritime
    A charming hotel, situated just 150m from the Argeles beautiful sandy beach. If you don't want to swim in the sea, you can use the swimming pool here, and it is also well located in the town if you wish to explore the surroundings by foot.
    To find out more about how we select our hotels, please see our accommodation page.


    Starting Date Price (per person)¹ Single Supplement Bike Hire
    Other Dates² €1,890 EUR €460 EUR Included


    ¹Price is based on two people sharing a double or twin room. If you would prefer to stay in a single room, the single supplement is applicable.

    To reserve a place on the tour, click the button above and complete the reservation form. We will then get back to you within 24 hours to confirm the reservation, and to arrange for payment of the deposit.

    For more details on the booking process, please check out our Reservations page.


    ²Other Dates
    Groups of eight people or more contact us to arrange a private guided tour starting on any date.



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