Pyrenees gravel cycling: routes + tips to plan your cycling holiday

All photos: credit Pyrenees Cycling Club (except as stated), interview with Chris Bratherton,

Traditionally, cycling holidays in the Pyrenees have focused on the Col du Tourmalet and other legendary Tour de France climbs.

But the Pyrenees are also becoming known as a hotspot for bikepackers and gravel cyclists in search of a Pyrenees cycling tour with a difference. Namely, gravel.

In this article, we speak to Chris Bratherton, who runs Pyrenees Cycling Club. They offer gravel cycling holidays from their 15th Century Catalan farmhouse in the Vallespir Valley, near Céret and the Mediterranean, in the wonderfully rural and little-known Eastern Pyrenees.

In this article, Chris explains that the Pyrenees have all the ingredients to make gravel cyclists swoon: endless fire roads, twisting mountain singletrack, and secret forest trails. Chris shares a few of his favourite gravel cycling routes and tips to help you plan your own Pyrenees gravel cycling adventure. Enjoy!

Part 1: How to plan a gravel cycling tour in the Pyrenees

Where are the Pyrenees ?

The Pyrenees mountain chain is split across five départements (similar to counties), all with a border to Spain. Starting at the Atlantic Coast in the west, there are the Pyrenees-Atlantiques, the Hautes-Pyrenees, Haute Garonne and Ariège in the middle, with the Pyrenees-Orientales on the eastern, Mediterranean side.

Hautes-Pyrenees

The most famous part of the Pyrenees (for road cyclists) is the Hautes-Pyrenees, which is associated with the famous road climbs of the Col d’Aubisque and Tourmalet. It’s known for its high mountains and alpine terrain. Most road cyclists will know the Col du Tourmalet.

Pyrenees-Orientales (or Eastern Pyrenees)

Pyrenees Cycling Club is located in the Pyrenees-Orientales, where the foothills of the Eastern Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean Sea (find Perpignan on the right-hand side of the French-Spanish border as you look at the map – then go down and left a tiny bit!). It is a stunning yet relatively undiscovered region, rich in food, art and outdoor activities. It is where two cultures, Catalan and French, collide – you will see the Catalan flag on your rides just as much as the French ‘tricolore’.

The Raid Pyreneen starts/finishes in Cerbère, which is a coastal town very close to our base at Pyrenees Cycling Club.

Note: we talk about the Pyrenees-Orientales and Eastern Pyrenees interchangeably in this article. The official département is Pyrenees-Orientales, but if you’re not overly familiar with France’s regions, it’s sometimes easier to think of it as the Eastern Pyrenees!

: Spot the Pyrenees in the bottom left hand corner of the map

What makes the Eastern Pyrenees a great cycling destination?

Here are some of the things that made us fall in love with our valley in the Pyrenees; they’re the reasons we think we have the best base for cycling the Pyrenees!

Solitude

The roads are quiet. On some days in the low season, you may well see only a handful of cars on a ride.

Sunshine

It’s common to hear people talking about good weather in relation to cycling tours of France, but in truth, France is a large country and there is a lot of regional differentiation.

The climate in the Pyrenees-Orientales is truly Mediterranean. Despite having the word Pyrenees in it, this is not the high Pyrenees, so you can cycle almost all year round. We ride in shorts from early March to late October.

The region’s 300 days of sun per year really make it pleasant to ride all year round. The locals have never even heard of the term ‘winter bike’!

Close to mountains and sea

Where we’re based in the Pyrenees, you can mix it up. Hit the gravel or why not ride from the mountains to the beach and back in a day; it’s easily do-able.

You don’t come to the Eastern Pyrenees for the “big name” Pyrenees cycling climbs. I like to think of the Eastern Pyrenees as the “connoisseur’s choice”; the place you come for tranquillity, nature and to find awesome gravel and adventure cycling.

Ride in France and Spain

If you want to try cycling the Spanish Pyrenees as well as the French Pyrenees, it’s good to know that rides from our base in France regularly cross the border into Catalunya, towards the Costa Brava. You can have croissants for breakfast, café con leche on your ride and then paella at the beach.

Tons of gravel cycling routes

But enough about the roads, the gravel tracks of the Sud Canigo mountain range and the dry farm tracks of the Roussillon are where true adventure lies. There’s an enormous and intricate network of gravel roads and trails, criss-crossing forests and peaks, often taking you above the roads and offering absolutely breathtaking views.

I share some of our favourite Pyrenees gravel cycle routes below, but one in particular is worth mentioning from the start: the Pirinexus. The Pirinexus is a circular cycling route that takes in road and gravel tracks, follows a 350km route that includes the Vallespir in France (home to Pyrenees Cycling Club), heading east to the Mediterranean coast and then heads south into Spain along the Costa Brava before cutting inland to Girona and then west and north through the Alta-Garrotxa volcanic region of Catalunya before entering back into France over the Col d’Ares at 1500 metres. We run tours, including an option for self-guided with luggage transfer, on the Pirinexus route which allows you to explore both sides of the border in 4-7 days. More below!

Exploring the gravel cycling trails in the French Pyrenees — On our way an overnight at the Sant Guillem mountain refuge

Bikepacking with a view down to the Mediterranean — Above Collioure, looking down at the Mediterranean

Group of cyclists on a gravel cycling holiday in France — On the doorstep of Pyrenees CC, Falgas hill farm

Gravel cycling in the French Pyrenees — Riding through corn fields on the Pirinexus route

Cyclists enjoying the gravel roads of the French Pyrenees — The Emporda region’s apple farms are a peaceful place to ride

Tell us about the rise of gravel cycling in the Pyrenees

I think the growth in gravel riding in the Pyrenees is due to two key factors.

The first is that road cycling’s boom period for new joiners was back with the 2012 Olympics at the time of Rapha’s world domination. I think many of these are now experienced cyclists, looking for new adventures. Adding in some unsurfaced routes is a great development for those looking for something more from the sport.

The second factor is probably technical. Disc brakes allow bikes to have larger tyre clearance. Bike manufacturers took their knowledge from cyclocross, mixed it with modern tyre and frame technology and we now have these capable bikes that are both comfortable and fast on most surfaces.

I’m not 100% sold on the ‘gravel’ word though! People have been riding off road for decades on bikes with all kinds of handlebars. Can we call it ‘adventure’ cycling?

How long has the gravel cycling trend been growing?

We have seen a growth in interest for gravel riding and bikepacking in the Pyrenees over the last five years. I think the measure of success for any market is adoption by the masses and not just the die-hards.

Here in the Eastern Pyrenees (close to the Mediterranean), we have seen more and more people taking their first off-road Pyrenees cycling trip during the last few years. It’s a trend we’re really excited about because our area is so fantastic for gravel and bikepacking adventures.

How popular is gravel cycling in the Pyrenees now?

Gravel cycling is really popular as our roads have a wide mix of surfaces, and in a rural area we are not short of unpaved roads!

The base of Pyrenees gravel fans is growing and for good reason: the Eastern Pyrenees has lots of gravel roads; farm tracks, fire roads, and railroad bike paths so you can roll through vineyards, around lakes, climb through forests or up to peaks with beautiful views – all in one ride.

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Which is better, road or gravel riding in the Pyrenees?

I have a particular soft spot for gravel cycling, as you can see more of the region, but the truth is that both gravel and road cycling are amazing in our corner of the Pyrenees. The Ironman Men’s World Champion lives in this valley and the year-around riding climate is perfect for high level athletes and amateurs alike.

Road cycling in the Eastern Pyrenees

Road cyclists from North America and the UK usually find the roads are much quieter in the Eastern Pyrenees than at home. There are quiet roads and car drivers tend to be very respectful of cyclists. The road surfaces are smooth and you can take in formidable climbs that achieve the same elevation gain as you might in the Haute Pyrenees, only crossing a few vehicles on the minor roads.

In the remote valley we’re based in (the most southerly valley in France), your road rides will probably take in parts of the valley bottom road then off onto the smaller rural roads up the valley sides.

This means you can climb on the north facing valley side in summer, keeping cool in the morning shade. In the winter months we tend to climb the south facing side, staying in the sun.

Gravel cycling in the Eastern Pyrenees

Gravel or adventure riding in the Eastern Pyrenees opens many more doors to beautiful sights, sounds and smells in the forests and fields to help you get back to nature and feel the earth beneath your tyres.

Your average speeds and distances covered will be lower than for your road rides and it’s important to bear this in mind. Those new to gravel trails might feel disappointed that they’ve ‘only’ ridden 40-50km, but when you consider that your elevation gain can often be above 1,000m, along with the additional physicality that the technical aspect of gravel riding brings (on the rougher surfaces the downs could be just as physical as the ups) the extra effort means you’ll truly earn your post-ride apéro!

But gravel riding doesn’t have to mean rocks and MTB trails – in the Pyrenees there are all kinds of tracks and unsurfaced roads. Lots of our fire roads, for example, are of very smooth compacted sand and a great place to try your first adventure off the asphalt.

Gravel cycling trails in the Pyrenees through forest — Chestnut forests of the Haut Vallespir

Cyclist in Pyrenees above Mediterranean — Climbing up to the Tour de Madeloc , overlooking Collioure

Cycling through vineyards in the Pyrenees — In the vineyards of Banyuls, a fortified wine

Enjoying the view after a long ride in the Pyrenees — Relax! At the border crossing from France to Spain

Two cyclists riding in the Pyrenees — Vicky and Chris, your hosts at Pyrenees Cycling Club

A typical village by the sea in the Pyrenees that you might visit on a Pyrenees cycling tour — Port Vendres harbour

Gravel routes in the Pyrenees

There are so many routes to choose from within the vast network of trails and gravel routes in our area, it’s tricky. But here are a few of my favourite gravel route suggestions:

Pirinexus route

A gravel rider in the Pyrenees in France — Highest point of the Pirinexus route – Espinavell, Catalunya

Gravel bike on the beach in the Pyrenees — Coastal path at Sant Marti d’Empuries

Two gravel riders in the Pyrenees in France — Setcases, Catalunya – heading for the French border

Support vehicle for gravel riders in the Pyrenees in France — Van support delivering picnic lunch at 2000 metres altitude

Gravel riders in a valley in the Pyrenees in France — Old railroad trail into Olot, Spain

Overview

The Pirinexus loop is unmissable for gravel cyclists seeking lots of variety in a week’s tour. It’s a cross-border, 340km loop taking in car-free gravel roads, bike paths and quiet country roads. The route shown here includes a few of our own modifications and secret detours.

Variety is the right word to describe this ride: France and Spain , mountain and beach, countryside and town. You will ride through national parks, volcanos, vineyards and the Costa Brava coastline.

It’s suitable for all abilities; the few sections of technical difficulty can be easily bypassed depending on your bike, what you’re carrying or the group’s level.

For the leisure cyclo tourist, it can take around ten days if you ride in the mornings and use the afternoons to explore this region, which is rich in culture from Roman ruins to vineyard tours.
At the other end of the intensity scale the Pirinexus Challenge race takes in the whole loop in a day!
Most Pirinexus tours take between 4 and 6 days; the beauty of this tour is you choose the pace.

Route notes

Starting from Pyrenees Cycling Club it’s a leisurely 30km descent down the valley on the car-free bike path. The first climb of the tour takes us up to the Spanish border with spectacular views at the Col de Panissars where you can visit both the Roman temple site and the 18th century Fort Bellegarde. This is the point at which the Roman highways of the Via Augusta and the Via Domitia crossed the Pyrenees – here you are standing at one of the most strategic points of the Roman expansion and you can still see the cart tracks in the rock.

You descend into the Emporda wine region, where the next 50km is spent meandering through farms on smooth gravel roads. The middle section of the route is mostly flat as you follow the Mediterranean coast- think coffee stops on the beach, the smell of pine trees and a cooling sea breeze. Make the most of the sites and sounds of this easy terrain before we head inland for Girona, the European mecca of gravel riding.

The contrast in a single day from remote farms to Girona’s vibrant old town keeps the cyclist wondering “what’s next?”. The ‘via verde del Carrilet’ (the greenway of the little train) is a 55km section of repurposed railway trail running from Girona to Olot, in the heart of the Garrotxa volcanic region. The surface is a compacted sand, smooth enough to allow you to cover large distances on car-free trails that glide over viaducts and through old tunnels. It’s a pleasure to stop at one of the old railway stations that now serve as cafés where you can also charge your ebike.

By the time you leave Olot, you and your legs will be accustomed to spending consecutive days on the bike. This is a very good thing as the real mountains start here! Quiet tarmac roads take you over the Col de Santigosa before a beautifully winding descent into Sant Joan de les Abadesses with its Romanesque arched bridge.

Our next major checkpoint is the Col d’Ares, where you cross back into France at 1500 metres. You will see vultures, wild horses and maybe even a European wildcat at the highest point of the tour. What a contrast to sipping flat whites at a bike shop in Girona 100km ago! The descent back into France can be savoured on gravel or tarmac, it’s 30km all downhill back to Pyrenees Cycling Club to complete the full loop.

Final thoughts

Pirinexus is our favourite gravel tour as it can be divided up according to your level and incorporates a huge variety of roads, landscapes and cultures. Put the Pirinexus on your bucket list!

More info

Find out more about Pyrenees.cc’s Pirinexus gravel tour.