Traverse France’s Untamed Frontier from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Ride from the sunny shores of the Mediterranean to the lush hills of the Atlantic Ocean across the breadth of the untamed Pyrenees. Experience local culture and cuisine—refueling with plenty of beer—as you make your way through the wildly gorgeous Pyrenean Range. Traverse dramatically distinct landscapes and diverse climatic conditions, from the French countryside to the hills bordering Basque country. Ride world-class Colnago V4 road bikes with Dura-Ace Di2 shifting and Vision carbon wheels and kit up in custom Rapha x DuVine jersey and bibs. Nourishing and satisfying Pyrenean fare to fuel our epic rides, including Roquefort and Rocamadour cheeses, rustic pain de campagne, Piment d’Espelette, and Spanish ham. Fine French wines from Bordeaux to Cahors, chestnut liqueur, and mountain varietals like Madiran, Irouléguy, and Jurançon. Ride across the Pyrenees: you’ll have a chance to dip your wheel in the Mediterranean, or sacrifice a white bull to the gods before we climb 991 meters above sea level to the Col d’Aussières. Enjoy the tranquility of the French countryside. We still haven’t hit the big mountains just yet, and there probably aren’t a lot of 20-kilometer climbs like the one up to Col du Portet in your backyard. Enjoying the scenic castles, mountain villages, and 12,000-year-old cave paintings in Tarascon along the way is permitted. Add three major climbs to your col-lection. Today, the elevation profile says it all: three big climbs followed by a long descent to Saint Lary. First up is the Col de Port (16 kilometers at a respectable 5%), then Col du Saraillé (9 kilometers at 3.8%). These roads are unreal, and you’ll have plenty of time to reflect on why you never want to go home on the epic descent to our bed and breakfast. For the 2007 TDF, the tour organizers paved the last five kilometers of an old trail on the south side of Port de Balès to create this HC (beyond category) climb. Don’t let the easier grades at the beginning lull you into a false sense of security; this climb is 19 kilometers at an average grade of 6%, but the 12% ramps near the top are the real kicker. Be sure to refuel here because we still have the Col de Peyresourde to tackle. Tonight we’ll stay in Arreau, a quintessential French mountain town on the banks of the Louron, where you can spend your free night exploring both the medieval streets and the local dining scene. The Tourmalet needs no introduction. Both feared and loved by cyclists, it’s the most frequented climb in TDF history. First up is the Col d’Aspin before hitting the approaches to the Tourmalet. If this isn’t enough, from Argelès-Gazost, at the bottom of the descent, you can add on the Hautacam, another HC climb, considered by many to be the toughest in the Pyrenees. Or you can drink a beer in town and rest your legs. Our last day cycling across the Pyrenees begins with the Col d’Aubisque. The Aubisque was part of the famous 1910 stage where Octav Lapize called the race organizers “assassins”. The Aubisque has been featured in the Tour de France 70 times since. It’s not exactly all downhill from here; the last two days of riding are tough (tougher than the first two). Rest up and enjoy some country hospitality in preparation for the final ride to the sea. The nice thing about leaving the High Pyrenees is that there are no more famous climbs, so you may have a chance to rule the Strava segments here. Here we’ll ride on narrow farm tracks through the green hills of Basque country, reminiscent of the rolling hills of Ireland or France. We’ll make our re-acquaintance with sea level in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a French fishing village on the Atlantic Coast. If you brought your own bike, you can throw it in the sea to celebrate. Congratulations, your cycling friends have all stopped following your updates. But beer tastes better than jealousy, so enjoy it. You’ve earned it.
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