Escape into the wilderness

The Pyrenees are typically quieter than the Alps, where mid-summer tourist hordes can see some roads and popular passes, particularly those serving key resorts, clogged with cyclists and traffic.

The Pyrenees have a wild, authentic and raw ‘feel’ that’s hard to match. The mountains are dramatic and lush in equal measure, and if you choose your route carefully, getting off the beaten track and taking in quiet roads like the spectacular rolling route on the D26 from south of Lourdes to Pouzac en-route to the western ascent of the Col du Tourmalet, then you can ride for miles without seeing a car.

Also, if you’re tackling the Col du Solour from the east then consider going via the Col des Bordères, which avoids the main road and rises through a deserted valley in a series of steps, with a handful of steep sections to warm-up the legs.