Aragon and Catalonia

Experience some amazing roads, rugged wild, remotes landscapes, stunningly beautiful scenery and the fabulous hotels on this Tour to the Spanish Pyrenees!  Whether you want to ride the big French Col’s or hit the trails off-road, where the Trans Euro Trail www.transeurotrail.org/spain/ offers up plenty of tracks, ride endless twisty mountainous routes or visit incredible historical towns, churches and castles,then this trip is for you!

We are now back on board Brittany Ferries Pont Aven for our return overnight crossing from Plymouth to Santander. Departure is on Wednesday 18^th September at 15:45hrs with a Thursday early afternoon arrival in Santander.

Our morning arrival in Spain on Day One allows for a scenic, twisty ride through the Valle de Hecho  onwards to  Canfranc in the heart of the Aragonese Pyrenees. Our quality (half board) Tour hotel for two nights beside the river Aragon is a former nineteenth century customs office and barracks of the Carabineros Corps, on the border with France and the Col de Somport. Once again we will be treated to some wonderful cuisine, whist enjoying views of the Canfranc Valley from the hotels panoramic terrace. Day Two allows for a full ride out day, with a good opportunity to enjoy the amazing roads and mountain passes straddling both sides of the border, including the Col de la Pierre St Martin and the Col du Pourtalet; perfect circular routes in opposing directions from our ideally situated location!

Venture further over the border into France and you are a short ride from the start of the iconic D918 and ‘La Route des Cols’ which will lead you over the incredible Col d’Aubisque to experience some amazing, twisty turns and switchbacks with dramatic mountainous scenery, leading to the summit of the  Col de Soulor and onwards to the iconic Col du Tourmalet, the highest road in the Pyrenees, reaching 2,115 metres.

Day Three and the Tour heads East to Catalonia, with a choice of routes, either over the French Pyrenees and the ‘Big Cols’ finally riding over the incredible Port de la Bonaigua mountain pass. Or take the iconic N-260 which winds itself through the foothills of the Spanish Pyrenees to our 4 star half board spa hotel in a traditional, small mountainous, Catalan town.

Once again we’ll have the opportunity for a full ride out on Day Four to explore the region; with the ability to ride into Andorra or have a ride back over the Port de la Bonaigua, up to the ski station in the opposite direction, then riding south and looping south back to the hotel on some very smooth, flowing roads!

On Day Five we’ll head back west to the Sierra de Guara region of Aragon, towards Huesca We will be at our third hotel for a further two nights, with a full ride out on Day Six. Once again MSL Tours returns here to enjoy the (half board) hospitality of this charming family run, rural hotel. This is a stunning region, dominated by the Sierra de Guarra mountain massif and National Park so expect endless twisty, tight mountainous roads with some wonderful views. Plus we are a short ride from the incredible ‘Badlands’ of the Bardenas Reales a desert region with miles of off-road tracks and trails, just southeast of Navarre, bordering Aragon.

Finally the Tour heads to the outskirts of Pamplona on Day Seven and our quality (half board) four star transit hotel for our final night’s stay in Spain. We’ll be sure to ride past the impressive ‘Los Mallos de Riglos’ rock formations, located near Las Peñas de Riglos to the northwest of Huesca on the amazing A-132. Rising to some 300 metres high, they form part of the foothills of the Pyrenees and make a sensational backdrop whilst riding this stunning road.

Day Eight is a ride back to Santander to re-board Brittany Ferries ship the Pont-Aven leaving Santander on Thursday at 16:00hrs for our overnight crossing back to Plymouth arriving on Friday at 11:00hrs. Plenty of time then to catch up with some banter on-board over a few beers, reflecting on our shared experiences on the highlights of this fabulous trip to the Aragon and Catalonia in the Spanish Pyrenees!