Tour de France 2010

Nous sommes complet du 20-23 juillet 2010 pour le deux stages du Tour qui passe le Tourmalet.  Mais plein de place pour le moment au tour du 18 juillet pour l'Etape du Tour.  Difficile de dire ou vous pouvez trouver de la place.  Sûrement quelle que places reste à Luz mais si non essayer plus bas à Pierrefitte/Argeles/Lourdes ou dans le Val d'Azun.  Si non, de l'autre côté du Tourmalet l'Auberge "La Bergerie" à La Seoube est tenue par ma belle soeur Marie-Laure et mon beau-frère Matthieu (http://www.labergeriecampan.fr/).  Ils vous accueilleron avec plaisir.

We are full from the 20-23rd July 2010, i.e., when the two stages that go over the Col du Tourmalet pass through Luz.  For the moment we have plenty of space for the rest of summer, including the 18th July when the Monovélo Etape du Tour does the Pau-Tourmalet stage.  It is difficult to say where rooms are still available.  Of course if you are looking for the week 17-24th there are plenty of apartments still available for rent so feel free to contact us.  If you are looking for hotel rooms try Pierrefitte/Argeles/Lourdes or on the other side of the Tourmalet.  My sister and brother in law run a B&B in La Séoube (between the Col d'Aspin and the Tourmalet) and they have 5 rooms + a restaurant and bar.  Their website is: http://www.labergeriecampan.fr/.

Up the Tourmalet on a Brompton

A friend of a friend recently came to stay and carried his Brompton bike with him from London.  His stated aim was to ride up the Col du Tourmalet.  Not really knowing what a Brompton bike actually was, and not having seen the bike when he arrived we thought nothing of this.  When the morning came and he was kitted out in his serious cycling gear we watched intrigued as the bike was unfolded. 

The first picture is the Luz Ardiden "hill" and the second shows the man, and his bike, as he sets off on a cloudy day at the end of September, up the famous Col du Tourmalet.  The camera batteries ran out so there is no picture from the top.

All we can say is well done, but that this has probably contributed to the myth in France that Englishmen really are crazy...

Tourmalet Ouvert / Tourmalet Open

Le col du Tourmalet n'est pas officiellement ouvert, mais les cyclsites peuvent passer. C'est pas vraiment légal, c'est à vos risques et périls, mais depuis trois jours plusieurs clients de l'hotel on passé le col en vélo. (Un Irlandais, un Anglais et deux Basques espagnols).  Pour les voitures il faudra encore attendre quelques jours, les engins de déneigement travaillent encore du coté Barèges.

The  Tourmalet is not officialy opened, but cyclists may go through. Not really legal, the crossing is done at your own risks. However, in the past few days, severals hotel guests have been riding their bikes over the mighty Tourmalet.  Driving over the "col" is not yet possible, but should be permitted soon. Snow engines are working on the western side of the col.

Ouverture de l'hotel / Hotel Open

We’re back from our holidays in Australia and the hotel is open.  The mountains look fabulous – white tops from all the spring snow with beautiful green pastures and flowers in the valleys.  The rivers are full of rain and snowmelt.  It is definitely one of the most beautiful times of the year and provides a lovely welcome back.

Note that the Col du Tourmalet isn’t open yet (it is always open by the 10th June and sometimes slightly before).  The best way to get to us if you are coming from the east and want to go over the mountains is via Bagnere de Bigorre and then the very pretty road between Montgaillard and Lourdes.  It has great views of the Pyrenees and the Pic du Midi de Bigorre.  The Col d’Aubisque and the Aspin are open however the road between the Aubisque and the Soulor is apparently not yet open.  Two cyclists staying for a couple of days went through on their bikes but don’t try in the car.

If you are coming from Toulouse we highly recommend stopping off at St Bertrand de Comminges.  Roman ruins, huge cathedral on the path to Santiago de Compostella, fortified village, very pretty foothill valley.  Its well worth it.  For excellent views of the Pyrenees get off the motorway and onto the D938 which goes through Capvern, the Abbey of Escaladieu and the Fort of Gaston Febus to Bagnere de Bigorre.  Its a bit windy but the views are great, particularly from the Gaston Febus fort which is also worth a stop.

 

Nous sommes rentré d’Australie en plein de forme (sauf un peut de décalaghoraire).  L’hôtel est ouvert.  Premier jours de beau apparement pour le printemps.  Les montagnes sont superbe avec de la neige en haut et les fleurs en bas.

A noter : le Col du Tourmalet n’est pas encore ouvert.  Il y a toujours plein de neige.  Comme chaque année il sera ouvert vers le 10 juin.  Alors il faut faire le tour par Bagnere de Bigorre et le tres jolie route entre Montgaillard et Lourdes.  Vue superbe sur les Pyrénées et le Pic du Midi.  Deux cyclists qui reste a l’hôtel en se moment nous dit que l’Aubisque est ouvert mais la route entre Aubisque et Soulor n’est pas encore (possible en vélo mais peut-etre pas en voiture).