allandaviscycling.com We here at Allan Davis Cycling are delighted to present your custom premium tour, the incredible French Pyrenees-Basque-Rioja regions. You will be treated like a pro both on and off the bike. No cycling holiday would be complete without spending plenty of time riding on magical, quiet back roads or conquering iconic climbs, and this tour is no exception. Off the bike we will explore plenty of quaint, ancient villages, be immersed in the local market culture and visit many breathtaking areas off the beaten tourist route. This tour has been carefully designed to showcase some of our most favorite regions and towns in the majestic Pyrenees-Basque-Rioja terrain. And remember, any requests you may have while on tour, just let us know. We hope you enjoy this itinerary, which covers in more detail the information we spoke about previously. Well known for our hotels and food on tour, we have carefully selected some of our most favorite places to stay and dine, all of the highest quality. This fully supported holiday has been tailor made to suit, DATES: 24TH JULY – 4TH AUGUST, 12 DAYS. START: WE CAN ARRANGE PICK FROM YOUR HOTEL NEAR SAN SEBASTIAN/BIARRITZ FINISH: BILBAO CONTACT: +34 659788936 (Email) [email protected] PYRENEES-BASQUE-RIOJA DAY 1: Sauveterre de Bearn DAY 2: Col Du Tourmalet We will arrange pick up options with you and travel to Today we tackle the mighty Col Du Tourmalet Climb. Sauveterre de Bearn in the heart of the Pyrenees, we will organize Col du Tourmalet is the highest paved mountain pass our bikes and maybe go for a 2hr ride to clear the legs from in the French Pyrenees, located in the department of the travelling. Sauveterre de Bearn appeared in the Trevanian Hautes-Pyrénées. Sainte-Marie-de-Campan is at the (aka Rod Whitaker) novel The Summer of Katya under the name Alos. foot on the eastern side and the ski station La Mongie In the book, it is where the Festival of the Drowned Virgin takes place. two-thirds of the way up. The Col du Tourmalet made Sauveterre-de-Béarn is a pretty medieval village perched above the its first appearance in 1910. Octave Lapize was the first Gave d'Oloron and facing the Pyrennes in south-western France. rider to cross the Col du Tourmalet in the 1910 Tour de France, It is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department. having to walk much of the dirt road ascent. Lapize would win the stage and later the overall GC, the Frenchman's Tonight we will provide a delightful welcome dinner in the heart of only Tour de France triumph. Lapize is noted for calling The village Sauveterre de Bearn. Tour officials "assassins" during the stage after tackling the Tourmalet. RIDE: OPTION 2HRS UNDULATING TERRIAN STAY: Sauveterre de Bearn RIDE: 4+HRS / UP TO 2000m DINNER: WELCOME DINNER PROVIDED STAY: Sauveterre de Bearn DINNER: AT YOUR OWN LEISURE DAY 3: Col de Bargargui - Hondarribia DAY 4: Coastal ride, Spain & France Today we conquer the Col de Bargargui, one of the TDF great Today we will ride the coastal road to the beautiful quite village climbs, after we transfer to Hondarribia, this town situated on the Saint Jean De Luz, before heading back over the boarder west shore of Bidasoa river's mouth, in Gipuzkoa, in Basque Country, into Spain covering two countries in one ride. Saint-Jean-de-Luz Spain. The border town is sited on a little promontory bay is situated to the east of the Bay of Biscay. It is the only facing Hendaye over the Txingudi bay. A service boat sheltered bay between Arcachon and Spain. Thanks to its makes the trip between the two cities across the river boarder strong sea walls or dykes that protect the town from the full between two countries Spain & France. The town holds an savagery of the Atlantic Ocean, it has become a favorite ancient old quarter with walls and a castle. In addition, for bathers across the Basque Coast. Today you will have time Hondarribia features a beach across the Bidasoa from To discover the village of Hondarribia in detail and also enjoy the touristy housing estate Sokoburu in Hendaye, alongside some well earned beach time. a mountain called Jaizkibel providing a hilly backdrop to the town. RIDE: 2hrs Tonight we will provide a delightful dinner in the heart of Hondarribia STAY: Hondarribia DINNER: AT YOUR OWN LEISURE RIDE: 4+hrs / up to 2000m STAY: Hondarribia DINNER: DINNER PROVIDED DAY 5: Col de JAIZKIBEL – San Sebastian DAY 6: Classica San Sebastian World tour race Today we take on the Jaikibel climb, Jaizkibel is a Today we will leave the bike´s at home, and enjoy a days mountain range of the Basque Country located viewing of the ¨La Classica¨ one of the best one day east of Pasaia, north of Lezo and west of Hondarribia, World tour races on the UCI calenda. San Sebastián is a resort in Spain, with 547 m at the highest point. This climb is an town on the Bay of Biscay in Spain’s mountainous Basque Iconic climb in the history of cycling, with races such as Country. It’s known for Playa de la Concha and Playa de the TDF, Classica San Sebastian having battled on the slopes Ondarreta, beaches framed by a picturesque bayfront many times before. We also will climb the Castillo de Ingles promenade, and world-renowned restaurants helmed by on our way the the final climb up Jaizkibel, giving a nice mountains innovative chefs. In its cobblestoned old town (Parte Vieja), loop back to our hotel in Hondarribia. After lunch we will make a upscale shops neighbor vibrant pintxo bars pairing local wines small transfer to the happening city of San Sebastian. with bite-size regional specialties. Tonight we will provide a divine dinner in a Michelin star restaurant RIDE: 0 STAY: San Sebastian RIDE: 4+hrs / up to 2000m DINNER: AT YOUR OWN LEISURE, PERFECT FOR PINTXO´S STAY: San Sebastian DINNER: DINNER PROVIDED DAY 7: San Sebastian – Igueldo – Orio DAY 8: Rioja Today we will ride to the majestic fishing town of Orio via Today we leave Donostia – San Sebastian in our wakes and The Igueldo climb, taking us along the Basque coatline travel to one of the best wine regions on the Globe ¨La Rioja¨. one of the most picturesque rides you could ever imagine. La Rioja is a province and autonomous community in northern Orio is a fishing town located in the province of Gipuzkoa Spain with a renowned local wine industry. Below the in the Basque Autonomous Community, northern Spain, Cantabrian Mountains, vineyards occupy the Ebro valley and with the town nucleus lying on the river Oria, roughly one surround the old town of Haro. There, the summer festival mile away from its mouth by the Bay of Biscay. features the messy Batalla de Vino (wine battle), and the Museo del Vino showcases the history of wine. Local wineries Tonight we will dine in another one of Donostia´s Michelin range from small, traditional cellars to major commercial star restaurants with one of the best wine cellars in the world! producers. After checking into our Hotel we will do a 2hrs ride to help indulge La Rioja. RIDE: 4+hrs / up to 1500m STAY: San Sebastian RIDE: 2hrs DINNER: DINNER PROVIDED STAY: Eskuernaga/Villabuena de Álava DINNER: AT YOUR OWN LEISURE DAY 9: Wine region ride, Rioja baja DAY 10: Wine region ride, Rioja alta Today we will depart from the hotel and ride up and Today we will depart the hotel on the bikes and ride down through the stunning vineyards of the Rioja baja. through the majestic Rioja alta region. Most Rioja, Rioja wine is made from grapes grown in the though rarely labeled as such, is sub-region specific autonomous communities of La Rioja and Navarre, What does this mean? There are three sub-regions in and the Basque province of Álava. Rioja is further Rioja: Rioja Alta (western section, higher elevation, subdivided into three zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and often seen as highest quality area with great verve Rioja Alavesa. Many wines have traditionally blended and balance), Rioja Alavesa (northern section, poor fruit from all three regions, though there is a slow soils to help keep yields down, high elevation, full growth in single-zone wines. bodied and high acid wines), and Rioja Baja (southeast, drier and warmer and more RIDE: 3hrs / up to 1000m Mediterranean, producing wines of ripeness and STAY: Eskuernaga/Villabuena de Álava power). DINNER: DINNER PROVIDED RIDE: 3hrs / up to 1000m STAY: Eskuernaga/Villabuena de Álava DINNER: AT YOUR OWN LEISURE DAY 11: Vitoria – Gasteiz ride DAY 12: Bilbao Today we ride north to the capital of the Basque country Today we sleep in and tour the Guggenheim Musium. After Vitoria – Gasteiz, after lunch in Vitoria we will transfer to Bilbao. we say our Adios´s/ Agur´s and sit back and reminisce after It is the first Spanish municipality to be awarded the title what has been a magical premium cycling holiday of European Green Capital (in 2012) and it is consistently extravaganza! We will provide assistance in transferring you ranked as one of the 5 best places to live in Spain. The to the Bilbao airport for further travels. old town holds some of the best preserved medieval streets and plazas in the region and it is one of very few cities to hold We look forward to inviting you along another Allan Davis two Cathedrals.