Classic Cols itinerary

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

Day 1 (Sunday)

Studying the route ahead.

Transfer from Pau airport or TGV station to our hotel in Orthez with its 13th Century bridge and Chateau Moncade, set in the foothills of the mountains. Depending on time of arrival there will be a short, guided ride to take in the scenery and loosen the legs after the journey. Earlier arrivals will be able to take on the reasonably modest Col d'Osquitch, featuring in the 2006 tour stage from Cambo-les-Bains.

Before dinner there will be an introductory briefing from the guides to run through the schedule and options for the week, as well as a chance to meet the other riders.

Day 2 (Monday)

Our week begins in earnest with a guided ride warm up ride which should shake the cobwebs out as we pedal through rolling foothills to the walled medieval town of Navarrenx for lunch, before stretching our climbing legs on the Cote de Barcus. Riders who have got plenty of miles in their legs already might want to take on a much harder 120 km alternative covering the cols of Bagargui and Burdincurucheta, but bear in mind that Tuesday will be much harder - it might be better to keep your powder dry! Our hotel for the evening is in the historic town of Oloron-Sainte-Marie, with a cathedral that is a UNESCO world heritage monument.

Day 3 (Tuesday)

Today we tackle the route of the 2005 Etape du Tour. Our itinerary cuts off the flatter sections at the start and finish, but we will happily transfer riders wishing to complete the full stage to the start in Mourenx and pick them up from the finish in Pau.

The day's first challenge is the Col D'Ichere, an amuse-bouche which will fire your appetite for the first course proper, the Col de Marie-Blanque. Described as 'a killer in disguise' by Graeme Fife in his authoritative book Tour de France, this category 1 climb makes up for its lack of absolute height (just over 1000m) with steepness. After refuelling, the cycling main course is the Col D'Aubisque, a hors categorie climb at 1,709m; compared to the Marie-Blanque, however, the gradient is manageable (except for a couple of short stretches!), and steady pedalling should see you comfortably cresting the summit. Desert today is a 4km climb to the summit of the Col du Soulor, which will seem like a molehill after the previous two monsters!

Take care on the descent which can catch out the best riders if they are incautious - a crash on the Soulor ended Chris Boardman's Tour in 1997, and in 1951 Wim van Est went over the edge and had to be rescued by his team who tied their spare tyres together to reach him on a ledge 20 metres down!

We arrive at the hotel in St-Savin which will be home for the next couple of days, where a memorable gourmet dinner awaits as a reward for your efforts.

Approximate distance 110km (177km if full etape route taken)

Day 4 (Wednesday)

The Cirque de Gavarnie

There will be the option to do as much or as little as you wish today and many may want to take it easy and enjoy the countryside in anticipation of one the week's most challenging rides tomorrow. Options include a climb up to the ski station of Luz-Ardiden, scene of stage victories by Miguel Indurain in 1990, Richard Virenque in '94, Roberto Laiseka in 2001, and memorably as a key win on his 5th tour, Lance Armstrong in 2003, or perhaps you might like to try the Hautacam, scene in 2000 of Armstrong's imperious disposal of Marco Pantani.

Alternatively, take a gentle ride to the stunning natural amphitheatre of the Cirque de Gavarnie, one of the most glorious views in the Pyrenees with spectacular waterfalls cascading down immense rock faces.

Or you could just stay in the village bar with a book and a well deseved beer!

Approximate distance: 50 to 70 kilometres

Day 5 (Thursday)

Col du Tourmalet

Today we ride the most legendary of the Pyreneen climbs, and one of the true giants of the Tour, the mighty Col du Tourmalet. Climbing 1,404 metres to its summit at 2,115 metres, over a distance of 19 kilometres, this is not a col to be taken lightly. The scene of some of the Tour's fiercest mountain battles, you will be glad to see the statue to Jacques Goddet as you crest the pass, and you will feel immense satisfaction at having conquered this beast of a climb.

Speeding downhill into Ste-Marie-de-Campan, spare a thought for Eugene Christophe, who in the early days of the Tour broke his forks halfway down., and had to shoulder his bike to run 10k into the village (in those days no outside assistance was allowed). There, he visits the blacksmith and uses the forge to repair his forks, which takes two hours. Finally getting under way again, he finds his path blocked by a Tour official who demands a 10 minute penalty for outside assistance - the blacksmith's lad had been pumping the bellows!

After lunch in Ste-Marie, there is one more climb, the most beautiful in the Pyrenees, the Col d'Aspin. After a steady to pass the summit at 1,489m, a fantastic descent to our overnight stop in the charming village of Arreau

Approximate distance 80km.

Day 6 (Friday)

Our last day of riding is a slightly more relaxed affair as we tackle the Col de Peyresourde, climbing 650m to 1,569m over 10 kilometres. This will 'complete the set' of the 4 great Pyreneen cols - the Aubisque, Tourmalet and Aspin being the other 3 - which are the most regularly featured in the Tour. After lunch in the spa town of Bagneres de Luchon, we will cross briefly into Spain via the Col de Portillon.

Then it's downhill all the way (nearly - those determined to bag another col or two could try on the Col d'Ares and the Col de Mente for size) to St-Bertrand-de-Comminges to see the stunning 11th C Cathedral, then a short spin to our final hotel in Sauveterre de Comminges, for a final celebratory dinner and a chance to over-indulge without worrying about another mountain in the morning. Raise a glass to a tough but immensely satisfying week of cycling, and new friends made.

Day 7 (Saturday)

After breakfast, transfer to airport or railway station for homeward or onward journey.

2008 Dates & Prices

Tour comprises seven days and six nights beginning on Sunday and finishing on Saturday.

Start Date	Price* **
22 Jun	£985
7 Sep	£985

* Single room supplement

Prices are per person based on 2 sharing. The single room supplement for this tour is £175.

** Group bookings

A 5% discount will apply to all bookings of 6 persons or more.

What’s included

• Coach transfer to and from the local airport or major train / TGV station.
• 6 nights 3star character hotel accommodation.
• 6 buffet breakfasts.
• 6 gourmet dinners with half-bottle of wine per guest per night.
• Experienced bi-lingual guides.
• Welcome pack with full information, route guides, advice and a water bottle and French Cycling Holidays t-shirt.
• Luggage transfer. When we move hotels your baggage will be waiting for you in your room when you arrive.
• Full minibus back-up and mechanical support, including inner tubes.

What’s not included

• Travel to pick-up points
• Bicycle (you will probably want your own best bike; we do have a limited number of race bikes in a few sizes — please phone or e-mail to discuss)
• Lunches, although we will recommend good spots for lunch. For those who don't want to stop for lunch and would prefer to eat on the road, Tour de France-style, we will, for a very reasonable supplement, provide food suitable to be carried in your jersey pockets.
• Additional drinks or minibar costs (including beers, soft drinks and coffees).

Downloads

• Classic Cols Tour (PDF 510kB)
• Entire brochure (PDF 7.5MB)

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