Situated between northern Spain and France, the Pyrenees mountians form a fence-like barrier between the two countries. Extending more than 430km from West to East there are more than 200 peaks in the Pyrenees, with Aneto reaching 3404m. On the French side there are no foothills, however on the Spanish side there are a complicated system of foothills, called the Pre-Pyrenees which reach up to 2600m tall.
What we call the High Pyrenees region is in the central Pyrenees, where you will find the highest mountains in the range. Mountains like Aneto and Monte Perdido. The mountain biking crosses into both Spain and France, including areas such as Loudenville, Bielsa, Benasque, and Val d´Aran to name a few.
Our High Pyrenees Mountain Bike Holidays
Here are a selection of our mountain bike holidays in the High Pyrenees region.
High Pyrenees
Pyrenees Odyssey
Have A Look At Some Photos From The High Pyrenees Mountains →
What are the best seasons for biking in the Pyrenees?
The High Pyrenees mountains are at their best in Summer and Autumn. In Summer we run our High Pyrenees and Pyrenees Odyssey trips. In Autumn you have our High Pyrenees. Snow doesn’t arrive until late November so we can ride as high as we want. If you are lucky enough to be here the 2 weeks when the leaves change it is positively pyrotechnical.
Typically in June and July the weather is dry on both the French and Spanish sides of the Pyrenees, however in the lower, more southerly areas it can be hot. Heavy thunderstorms can arrive in the late afternoons but with a local guide you should spot them ahead of time.
In August the weather is hot but the area can be very busy with Spanish and French tourists.
September through October the weather is usually stable. The weather is dominated by different systems on the French and Spanish sides of the Pyrenees so a local guide should be able to find the best weather. In September the temperatures can reach 30ºC during the day. By late October the weather should be between 5ºC overnight and 15ºC during the day. Snow is not a factor usually until later in November.
Barcelona: Train or Airport
You can arrive to Barcelona either in plane, or from many places in Europe via train. Feedback from guests is that the train is really easy and that there is no issues with bikes in bags at all. From Barcelona we pick up on our Pyrenees Odyssey, Ainsa Enduro, Backcountry Pyrenees and Tremp vs Ainsa holidays.
If you need to get to the High Pyrenees via public transport from Barcelona, it is really difficult. You are best hiring a car, or a taxi is about €350 each wayIf you fancy an adventure you can get a bus but it takes a full day and you need to go to Barbastro and from there take a local bus company to your destination.
Basque Coast Airports: Bilbao, Biarritz and San Sebastián
You can fly to the Basque Coast and transfer to the High Pyrenees. We organise trasfers from here for our High Pyrenees and Basque Coast holidays. From the airports there are dedicated shuttle busses which take you into central San Sebastián where we pick you up.
If you need to get to the High Pyrenees via public transport from the Basque Coast it is very difficult, you would be better hiring a car.
Driving: Ferry or Direct
From throughout Europe driving is easy and from the UK or Ireland there are ferries to the Basque Coast. For all of our trips we need to meet at a central location so that we can leave your bike bags there, and also so that at the end of your trip we arrive back to your car. It is best to get in touch to talk through the options.
Basque Coast Train Stations: Biarritz, Hendaye and San Sebastián
From Biarritz or Hendaye you have the TGV which links from Paris and takes just over four hours. San Sebastián has great train links from throughout Spain.
Other Airports
From Toulouse, Tarbes, Zaragoza and Madrid you have flights to many places. If these are your only options we can arrange a transfer at an extra cost.
In the French Pyrenees everyone speaks French, the Spanish side they speak Spanish. That is the obvious part! In Val d´Aran they speak Catalan and in the Basque region they speak Euskera, or Basque, however in both these regions they speak Spanish as well. Most places people can speak some level of English.
In the High Pyrenees region there are many places to ride. We love Loudenville and Saint-Lary on the French side of the Pyrenees. On the Spanish side of the Pyrenees Bielsa is an amazing town with an even more amazing history. Then you have Benasque and Viehla. You will visit all these places on our High Pyrenees and Pyrenees Odyssey tours.
