Crossing the Pyrenees

[Amarillo]

We are leaving the Costa Brava at 12 noon tomorrow. Our next scheduled point is Eurotunnel at 09:30 on Sunday, so no particular rush.

We are looking for an interesting way to cross the Pyrenees somewhere between the middle and eastern end of the border. On our way here we stuck to the motorway and the time before we went via Andorra and want to do it differently this time. Perhaps the coast road?

Any suggestions?

 

[Barbara]

Vielha to Saint-Gaudens will take you to south of Toulouse. I also like La Seu d'Urgell, that is south of Andorra but looking at the map you could get from there to Vielha. I have not done the coast road but if you do you could then head to Carcassonne also Béziers for the canal du midi.

 

[Amarillo]

I’ve been looking at this border crossing.
(42.4203596, 2.8018211)

Only 40 minutes longer than the AP7/A6 but undoubtedly more scenic.

I cycled from Cerbere to Cadaques along the coast road about 15 years ago, but Clare hasn’t seen it.

Vielha has its attraction, but it is quite a long detour.

 

[Barbara]

Your route looks interesting although not sure I would like some of the hairpin bends. We have just returned to Portsmouth on the ferry from Bilbao and for the 4th time we were out on the outside deck. Not sure what the odds are as there are only a small number of vehicles out there but we seem to be outside more than in. So today is washing the salt off the van day.

 

[jqp]

In March 2018 I drove from Lloret de Mar via Vic and followed the N260 to the French border at Puigcerda / Bourg-Madame, then over the Col de Puymorens onto the N20 towards Toulouse. Very scenic, if winding, road up into the mountains from Ripoll. The blizzard on the col was 'interesting'. Actually this was a reprise of a trip I did in summer 1968 in a Frogeye Sprite.
The coast road from N of Cadaques to Argeles is a pleasant drive as well, but north from there it gets busy and boring. (IMHO only, of course)

 

[Amarillo]

In March 2018 I drove from Lloret de Mar via Vic and followed the N260 to the French border at Puigcerda / Bourg-Madame, then over the Col de Puymorens onto the N20 towards Toulouse. Very scenic, if winding, road up into the mountains from Ripoll. The blizzard on the col was 'interesting'. Actually this was a reprise of a trip I did in summer 1968 in a Frogeye Sprite.
The coast road from N of Cadaques to Argeles is a pleasant drive as well, but north from there it gets busy and boring. (IMHO only, of course)

The Col De Puymorens looks really interesting. The N20 goes through a tunnel, but the original road over the pass still exists, now the N320 and N22, just skirting Andorra.

We may well take that road.

 

[Amarillo]

The Col De Puymorens looks really interesting. The N20 goes through a tunnel, but the original road over the pass still exists, now the N320 and N22, just skirting Andorra.

We may well take that road.

And we did take that road. Wonderful. The Sat Nav, with its lovely foibles, guided us away from the N20 at one point and up a tiny mountain road over the border into France.

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It was a stunning drive. Thanks so much for the suggestion.

 

[jqp]

Very pleased you enjoyed it; and somewhat relieved. One man's scenic drive can be another man's tedious twisty lane. I assume you bypassed the tunnel and went over the Col.

 

[Amarillo]

Very pleased you enjoyed it; and somewhat relieved. One man's scenic drive can be another man's tedious twisty lane. I assume you bypassed the tunnel and went over the Col.

Oh yes - very nearly twice the height of England’s highest peak. But no snow.

 

[Ting Tong]

The Col De Puymorens looks really interesting. The N20 goes through a tunnel, but the original road over the pass still exists, now the N320 and N22, just skirting Andorra.

We may well take that road.

We just did the Col after reading this thread. Great drive apart from being in the cloud going down on the north side but it cleared as we went over the El Pas de La Casa 2450m into Andorra, which gave a stunning view of the petrol stations at the top! Wish I bought my jeans though, as it’s cold in shorts in Andorra compared with the med!

 

[Barbara]

We just did the Col after reading this thread. Great drive apart from being in the cloud going down on the north side but it cleared as we went over the El Pas de La Casa 2450m into Andorra, which gave a stunning view of the petrol stations at the top! Wish I bought my jeans though, as it’s cold in shorts in Andorra compared with the med!

View attachment 84531

Nice to see what it looks like. I went up there from the French side years ago. Fog on the way up, 3 days of rain when I stayed n Andorra. Stopped by police going into Spain to ask what I had brought in Andorra, answer nothing but explained the car had a Welsh dresser in to that I was taking to Spain from the UK. Not a problem. Who needs a van to carry things, VW sharan works too!