Cycling in the Pyrenees

Velosud

The Vélosud, or Pyrenean Piedmont Cycle Route, links the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean, running from Anglet in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques to Barcarès in the Pyrénées-Orientales. The Vélosud links six departments and two regions (Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie) over a distance of more than 570 km. Between Lourdes and Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre, the route follows the GR78, well known to pilgrims and walkers on the Way of St James.

The Vélosud, the cycle route through the Pyrenean foothills

But first of all, what exactly is a cycle route?
It is a long-distance cycle route that may alternate between cycle paths dedicated solely to cyclists and roads shared with other road users, often with light or moderate traffic. It is signposted with green and white signs indicating its number and the names of the towns/stages.

Lourdes can be the centre, the start or the finish of two cycle tours:

Lestelle Bétharram / Lourdes > 18 km (the fittest cyclists will push on to Pau, 50 km away, with the option of returning by train!)
Lourdes / Séméac > 31 km

The Vélosud between Bétharram and Lourdes

Between Lestelle-Bétharram, a village on the border between the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and the Hautes-Pyrénées, and Lourdes, the cycle route follows the course of the Gave de Pau and the route of the GR78. It runs alongside the 15th-century Sanctuary of Our Lady of Bétharram, then the thousand-year-old village of Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre, before reaching the outskirts of Lourdes. All along the route, the landscapes and views of the Pyrenees allow you to catch your breath between each pedal stroke. The murmur of the river below also sets the pace as the kilometres roll by beneath your wheels. As for sightseeing, you can stop off when your route takes you past an unmissable geological gem: the Bétharram Caves.
An underground excursion that offers a chance to cool off in summer: the temperature remains constant all year round, at around 13°C.

From Lourdes to Tarbes via the Vélosud

Between Lourdes and Séméac (if you continue the route from west to east), the Vélosud route becomes a little more challenging. As the Pyrenean mountains draw closer, you’ll face a few hills and steeper sections between Lourdes and the villages of Bourréac and Paréac. Fortunately, the flat terrain returns in the following stages, from Orincles, Lanne and Bénac right up to the outskirts of the capital of Bigorre: Tarbes !

📷 © Gaëtan Couffignal Cyclo Voyage avec Gaëtan