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Google hasn’t provided me with a quick answer to the question of whether it’s legal to cycle a stretch of GR10 in the Pyrenees? I’m near Col Du Tourmalet with my road bike and I’ve noticed about 5km of GR10 connects it with another interesting road. Not sure if the legalities of riding on walking trails here but it won’t be busy midweek. Any useful info? And yes, I’m running 30mm GP5000s so I’ll be fine…
Legally you can ride GR, no problem at all. There might be local restrictions if national park for example. And the path might not be bike friendly, some GR are very technical ( gr 20).
I spent a summer in Bareges and rode the GR 10 loads. Go for it.
Excellent, thanks both. Everything looks rideable from the satellite view so I shall have a crack at it on Wednesday.
I'm intrigued which section of the GR10 you think is rideable from the satelite images. If it's the section from Barèges to Luz make sure you have shoes you can walk 5km in. What you can't see from the satelite is that when cows walk on muddy paths they make bumps that corrspond to their stride that are miserable on a 150mm MTB.
I remember reading some account of someone in the ruff stuff fellowship doing a route with restrictions on it (real extreme hike a bike) and he took his pedals off and the local authorities were fine.... So I think even restricted routes have had a bike on them in someway.
I'm interested too, spend a week in that area most years
@Edukator, no was thinking more of going from Barèges south to Lac de Cap-de-Long or picking up the D177 thereabouts. I can see the trail on Google maps but that's all I have to go on. Either way, worst case is that I walk a bit or turn around.
I've walked that part. I reiterate the bit about having shoes that are comfortable for walking. I'd fit flat pedals and do it in trail shoes. They're good paths without cow bumps but quite stoney and even rocky in parts, and steep up to the col, especially the western variant. If you ride more than 30% on a roadie you're a lot more persistant than me.
I was up there on skis earlier this year, it's red run steep.
Thanks, that's great info. Will bear it in mind and have a look. I'm extremely persistent and not averse to inappropriate tools for the job. But I do only have a carbon road bike with and carbon-soled SPD-R shoes with me.
Well, I looked at the Lac de Cap-de-Long end of the GR and it was far steeper and rockier than I expected so that connection is crossed off now. Definitely doable with a gravel bike and some walking-friendly shoes though.
Coincidentally I was looking at the Lac de Cap de long last night to if you could kayak/swim in it. It always surprises me in the Pyrenees that two palaces can be so close on foot like Bareges and Lac de Cap de Long or Gavine and the Monte Peridido and it takes 4-6 to drive between them.
If that link was possible it would a really great ride. Where you planning to link back via col de aspen and tourmalet or the longer flat way round. I'm staying near Luchon this summer and could recce it it would have to be from Bareges and my kids are always sick in the car depending from Aragnouet.
The Lac de Cap de Long doesn't look very swimmable or suitable for kayaking. It's basically a big reservoir with a dam, rather than a natural lake. There are some prettier lakes just down the valley, which look much more appealing for a swim. My idea for the ride was just what I do in the South Downs, which is connect up bits of road with bits of off-road, which can be steep and rocky, just not as steep or rocky as the GR10 appeared here. I was going via Aspin and Tourmalet first and down Col de Cap de Long. If I'd been on my gravel bike and wearing SPDs I would have been fine pushing up but not in pure roadie gear. Anyway, no big deal - I'll bring a gravel bike next time, I'm sure there are loads of places in Pyrenees where it's possible to piece together great mixed routes.