Pays Basque 2007 Itinerary
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Pays Basque 2007 This is a new tour for us in the sparsely populated Soule region of Basque country, located between Bayonne and Pau in the Western Pyrenees foothills. This is not a tour for cyclists that dislike climbing. We will cycle rolling hills with good climbs everyday, including some Tour de France passes. The payoff will be magnificent views and the sense of triumph that comes from getting to the top. The average daily mileage of 40 km (25 miles) is less than other tours. The Soule region lies off the beaten path in the heart of Basque country. It is a marvelous province where shepards tend sheep by the seasons, taking them to high pastures in the spring and low pastures in the fall. Locals take pride in preserving the verdant natural setting, their language and culture. The tranquility, occasional solitude and charm of this peaceful and wild land will impress you. We will cycle quiet back roads (unpaved for a few km on 1 or 2 occasions), passing into Spain on our longest ride (76 km). We will stay in small country inns and one B&B. Come and discover this authentic region with us. Add in a bit of sun and we have the recipe for a funtastic cycling vacation. Itinerary Day 1 – Arrival in Mauléon (8 kms / 5 miles) Day 5 – Larrau to Tardets (19 kms / 12 miles) We will meet the 13:31 SNCF (French train) bus in Mauléon (from We can sleep in today before leisurely descending (mostly the Dax train station). The 7:25 train from Paris connects in Dax freewheeling) into Tardets on a tranquil secondary road along the with this bus.* After settling into the Hotel Bidegain (a former postal "Saison" mountain stream. As we start out, we can park our bikes relay station), we will have a brief orientation meeting and in Laugibar and hike up to the Holzarté footbridge, suspended introduction to recumbents before taking a short ride through the 200 m above the stream below (1! hours round trip). Short 3-5 town and surrounding countryside. Mauléon, the capital of the Soule km side trips are also available for those who want a few more province, is a town of 4000 inhabitants dominated by its 12th km. There will also be an opportunity to try "Basque pelote," a century feudal château d’Andurain. Dinner is at the hotel. popular local game where one throws baseball-size steel balls as close to a small stone as possible. We can picnic or lunch at a * There are also SNCF buses from the Puyoo and Pau train stations in case you are in the area early or come from elsewhere than Paris. cafe in Licq, before joining our hotel in Tardets, the Piellenia. Day 2 – Mauléon to Barcus (30 kms / 19 miles) Day 6 – Tardets to Aussurucq (45 kms / 28 miles) Today we cycle gentle rolling hills discovering the verdant Basque Today we discover the tiny Ibareskun valley and Soule's wildest countryside and ancient routes pilgrims have followed for centuries recesses along the edges of the mythical Arbailles forest. Part of on their way to St. Jacques de Compostelle. On the way we can the route will be on unpaved roads as we explore the Laminak visit a deer farm on ancient sheep grazing grounds and a splendid spring, visit a cheese farm and follow a succession of “false flats” Roman church in Hôpital St. Blaise. A sound and light show (French cyclists' nickname for tiny hills). We can lunch in Camou highlights the church's multitude of Spanish-Moorish influenced (picnic or auberge) before heading on to Aussurucq and our styles and baroque ornamentation. We can picnic or lunch at one of hotel, the Eppherre, a splendid traditional lodging. two auberges in Hôpital St. Blaise. Then three short, steep climbs to Day 7 – Aussurucq to Mauléon (36 kms / 22 miles) Barcus, where we will settle into the Hotel du Fronton. Today we cycle the route of the wood pigeons as we cross the Day 3 – Barcus to Ste. Engrace (35 kms / 22 miles) colorful lower Navarre valley of Ostibarre on our way back to We start on quiet back roads in the Haux and Montory valleys: a Mauléon. We will cycle over the "low" Osquich pass (392 m) and mixture of green pastures, farms and large ferns. We can visit an via Ordiarp where we can visit the St. Jacques de Compostelle Angora goat farm and a traditional duck farm where we see how center and learn about the history of this ancient pilgrimage and foie gras is made. If the group is bold, we can climb to the top of its many routes all over Europe. We can also visit the Garaibie Madeleine summit (795 m) or continue on to the Sustary pass (444 baths (excellent for recuperating from the week's efforts), the m), both offering splendid views of the Soule countryside. Either "filets de Napal" (traditional hunting zone managed by the village) way, we will have a rather steep 3 km climb over the Basagaits or the Bidouze springs (3 hour round trip). We can lunch at the ("wild savage" in Basque) pass on our way to Haux. After lunch in top of the Osquich pass (picnic or 2 restaurants) before ending Licq Athérey (picnic or cafe), we will gradually climb along the up in Mauléon and our hotel from the first night, the Bidegain. Saison and Uhaitxa mountain streams surrounded by gorges and Day 8 – Au Revoir canyons. In St. Engrace we will stay in the Burguburu bed & After breakfast say good-bye to your newfound friends before breakfast where our hostess will serve a traditional Basque dinner. catching the bus to the Dax station and your return trip home. Day 4 – Ste. Engrace to Larrau (76 kms / 48 miles) Days / Nights 8 / 7 / 6 This is our big day as we cycle over Tour de France passes and Price per person US $ Euros across the Navarre region of Spain and its flowery stone villages ! double occupancy 2,025 1,520 (an easier route is possible). We will cross the Suscousse (1216 m), ! single occupancy 2,230 1,675 Soudet (1540 m) and Pierre St. Martin (1760 m) passes in France Terrain challenging - rolling foothills with some good (average grades of 10% with some at 13%) before descending into climbs Spain’s Belagua valley with its panoramic views. After visiting Isaba, Distance (avg./day) 40 km (25 miles) where we can picnic or lunch in a cafe (if we arrive in time), we cross the Alto de Laza pass (1129 m - 7% average grade) on our Distance (total) 241 km (150 miles) way back to France and Port de Larrau. Then we will climb to the Meals all breakfasts and all dinners top of the Erroymendi pass (1362 m) before following a steep windy Luggage Transfer included (max 2 bags / 10 kg. / 22 lbs.) descent into Larrau and our hotel for the night, the Etchemaité. On Bicycles recumbent or hybrid included in price the way can visit a Roman chapel. Tour Dates refer to tour calendar on website Happy Riders, 66 rue Mattéoti, 10100 Romilly-sur-Seine, France ! Tel: 011-33-(0)3-25-24-86-71 Email: [email protected] ! Web: http://pro.wanadoo.fr/happyriders/ .