Lourdes to Gavarnie by bike 1

You could join the hordes from Lourdes and take a coach up a beautiful valley to the amazing Cirque de Gavarnie. But would you really want to see such natural beauty from inside a steel box with 50 other people, all eating boiled sweets and complaining about the food? An excellent alternative is to cycle up to Gavarnie. It is not too far, just under 50km, and not that much of a climb. Lourdes is around 400metres above sea level and Gavarnie village is at 1365 metres a.s.l. Less than 1000 metres over 50km - only 2%. That shouldn't trouble the average cyclist.
		Lourdes is in a fantastic location, nestling in between some small hills of the Pyrenees - with a view of some of the more serious Pyrenean mountains behind.
		As in most places around the world, there are too many cars in Lourdes. Wouldn't the whole place be nicer if it were car free? A lot more peaceful - and safer.
		Head south out of Lourdes on the main road and after about 600 metres there is a sign on the right, indicating the start of a cyclepath. Taking the route of the old railway (shame that the railway has gone) it is an excellent route, about 18km long, towards the Pyrenees.
		The path ends in the village of Pierrefitte-Nestalas. From here, the road continues to Luz St Saveur.
		A fairly steady climb and not too much traffic... and some great views of the Pyrenees.
		Not far from Luz, on the road to Gavarnie is Napoleon's Bridge, named after Napoleon III who used to come to Luz St Saveur to 'take the waters'. This is a popular place for bungee jumpers.
		Napoleon clearly didn't take all the waters as it rained gently on me as I headed up the last few kilometres.
		Superb autumnal colours. A large heron was waiting for fish in the river next to the road.
Want to see the rest of Jeremy's cycle trip to Gavarnie?

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Lourdes to Gavarnie - by bike (part 1 of 2)
Lourdes to Gavarnie - by bike (part 1 of 2)