[Switzerland - Spain] Have you always wanted to ride through the Pyrenees like the great cycling stars? Ride your bike from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic without taking the plane? I'll be happy to tell you how!
Start: Geneva to Perpignan (by train)
On our first day we travelled by train from Geneva to Perpignan, which is close to the Mediterranean Sea. As we carried our bikes with us to then cycle through the Pyrenees, we had to conduct quite some research in advance as simply going by TGV would not have been possible given that carrying your bike during holiday season in France is always a bit tricky.
But doing a bit of own research and talking to the kind and knowledgeable people at the SBB counter did the job.
Taking the regional trains in France is a very convenient solution as they always have bike spots which you don't need to book in advance.
In the end, we managed to travel from Zurich via Geneva/ Avignon all the way down to Perpignan. First challenge of the travels handled, yeaiii!
Crossing the Pyrenees Pt. 1: Perpignan - Arreau (by bike)
We then started the actual cycling adventure in Perpignan, which is close to the Mediterranean Sea and the Spanish border (and actually felt like being in Spain already!).
Within 7 days we planned to bike from Perpignan to San Sebastian at the Atlantic coast. The first part of our bike trip was dominated by the Mediterranean landscape and culture: hot temperatures but stunning scenery and cute little villages.
Within four days, we reached Arreau which marked half-time of the trip.
Given our tight schedule, we decided to stay over in little pensions and not to camp as this would have meant a lot of extra baggage. Not optimal when cycling through mountainish areas with such an ambitious schedule!
To make sure you get a bed, booking the pensions in advance obviously can be helpful. And also, it saves you time and intense discussion during the travel when you need to find a place to stay over ;)
Crossing the Pyrenees Pt. 2: Arreau - San Sebastian (by bike)
After we had finished half of our tour, we were ready for the highlight of our trip: crossing the mystic Col de Tourmalet, a famous and very beautiful mountain pass!
In general, the scenery during the second part of our bike trip changed significantly, as we now entered the areas of the Pyrenees where the mountains were much higher and kind of alpine.
As a Swiss, it almost felt a bit like home… However, the closer we got to San Sebastian and the Atlantic, the greener and hillier the scenery became again.
The closer you get to the Atlantic, the more changeable and inconsistent the weather gets. Meaning, it was much more likely to rain than in the Mediterranean part of the Pyrenees.
Staying flexible regarding our route and being open to take multiple breaks in restaurants / cafes during the day is highly recommended. And ifyou get caught by rain: staying over in a warm pension helps to keep up the spirit!
Chilling in San Sebastian
San Sebastian proofed to be the perfect city to relax and recover from our bike trip. Nice weather, two beautiful beaches and amazing food did its job!
San Sebastian has a very laid-back vibe and is a famous surf spot, thus you find plenty of cool bars and cafés there. Also, the surrounding coastal area is fantastic for hiking/ biking and visiting cute fishing villages. And if you feel like going to another city, Bilbao is close by and definitely worth a visit.
San Sebastian is a well know place, if you go there during holiday season better make sure to book far in advance.
Also, level up your food game! There are plenty of fantastic restaurants, better get yourself a guide or a good friend to recommend you the best places to eat the local version of tapas (pintxos!)
Going home: San Sebastian – Paris - Zurich (by train)
Going home from San Sebastian with the bike took us one day. Via the regional train we reached Hendaye at the French border. From there, we took the TGV to get to Paris. As we had to change the train station in Paris, we took the chance to ride on our bikes through Paris. That was a lot of fun. Crossing by the famous Notre-Dame on the same bike that also carried you across the Pyrenees was quite an experience and change of the biking “environment”. Before taking the last train from Paris to Zurich, we enjoyed an Apéro at the Canal St. Martin and reflected on our trip while sipping a beer. Cheers!
Check out the TGV Inoui. It is different type of TGV than the regular TGVs and offers proper bike slots you can book in advance
Whenever you take your bike on a TGV, check out what kind of TGV it is. It is much more chill if you can book your bike a spot and not being dependent on the goodwill of the TGV employees if they allow you to carry our bike in a bike bag or not.
Useful Information
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Till Müller (CH)
Hey! :) If you have any questions regarding the trip do not hesitate to drop me a message on till.mueller@hotmail.com.
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