average speed through Pyrenees ?

[jackal]

hi chaps, currenty planning a trip around europe. Days 1 and 2 will be bilbao and then crossing the border over on the east. I am trying to ascertain exactly how long the driving will take so we know where to stop. We will be driving spiritedly so need to know roughly how long it will take (rather than using google's miles/time as a guide).

here is the route for day 1:

http://goo.gl/maps/tQT3m

Would that honestly take 9 hours ?

[Ekona]

I always knock 10mins per hour off Google's times, usually works out about right especially over longer distances. That said, it only takes getting stuck behind one slow coach and you're stuffed.

[dcb]

jackal said:

here is the route for day 1:

http://goo.gl/maps/tQT3m

Would that honestly take 9 hours ?

400 miles through the mountains and you are budgeting only one day ?

Very much a "blink and you'll miss it" drive, I think.

Suggest 100 - 200 miles per day in the mountains would give spare time
for food, pit stops, photos etc.

I assume you want a holiday, not an endurance.

[jackal]

dcb said:

jackal said:

here is the route for day 1:

http://goo.gl/maps/tQT3m

Would that honestly take 9 hours ?

400 miles through the mountains and you are budgeting only one day ?

Very much a "blink and you'll miss it" drive, I think.

Suggest 100 - 200 miles per day in the mountains would give spare time
for food, pit stops, photos etc.

I assume you want a holiday, not an endurance.

day 1 is driving ... at least 4 hours morning and 4 hours afternoon

plenty of days free later on loafing around venice and florence

[A4069]

i think google is right. driving hundreds of miles on the continent always takes longer than i calculate. the second half will be much slower than the first half.

i wouldn't call it a drive through the pyrenees though, you won't see any of the big mountains and all the stunning scenery is in the french pyrenees. in fact, i disliked the spanish side of the pyrenees. but the weather is spot on :]

[jackal]

What route would you suggest then ? has to be incredible roads to drive on.

[Chris_]

I have been looking at this site for ideas for a route across the Pyrenees

Best biker routes

[jackal]

Chris_ said:

I have been looking at this site for ideas for a route across the Pyrenees

Best biker routes

yes, so have I and funnily enough that produced the route I posted above, everyone RAVES about the N260 as they do Camprodon to Argles sur Mer.


As for the French side, there isn't even one decent road there according to that and other sites. I'll stick to the route I have.

[G Man]

I did that route last year on my bike 300 miles is a full day

[redback911]

Awesome route, the N260 is one of my favourite roads in Europe. The time is also dependent on the time of year you are travelling. We had snow in early April last year in that area. In April we did the following route in 9hrs:



Here is some video footage we took of the N260: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTx7u0XCcMc

We loved it so much we plan to do the same trip in April again this year. If you are looking for hotel recommendations, I can really recommend a hotel in Pamplona:

http://www.almapamplona.com/



Really good/secure parking:



Awesome food, breakfast was amazing:



Here is the full blog of the trip including roads/hotels:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Have fun!

[jackal]

thanks Red, will take a look

[redback911]

Jackal, you may also want to stop for lunch at Fonda Farre:

http://www.fondafarre.com/restaueng.htm

It is on the N260 and about 4-5hrs from Pamplona. The food is excellent! It also looks like a nice place to stay as well.

[Hooli]

That's an excellent road, I've done it a few times on a bike.

[stefan740]

I've looked back at videos some time ago and I noticed that when im really on it i can take 30% off the Google Maps time. Taking in account u don't leave at 11 but 9'ish and knowing you won't get any diner before 8pm in that area I would say you're fine.

[A4069]

jackal said:

What route would you suggest then ? has to be incredible roads to drive on.

in 9 hours i wouldn't suggest an alternative. i was just saying that it's not really a pyrenean route as you won't see the high climbs and the big hairpin bends on 90% of that route.

roads in the french pyrenees are on bestbiking, like roads around the tourmalet, aubisque, souron, aspin, aragnouet, laruns, which are all high mountain climbs with the classic pyreneean scenery.

[Wozy68]

jackal said:

dcb said:

jackal said:

here is the route for day 1:

http://goo.gl/maps/tQT3m

Would that honestly take 9 hours ?

400 miles through the mountains and you are budgeting only one day ?

Very much a "blink and you'll miss it" drive, I think.

Suggest 100 - 200 miles per day in the mountains would give spare time
for food, pit stops, photos etc.

I assume you want a holiday, not an endurance.

day 1 is driving ... at least 4 hours morning and 4 hours afternoon

plenty of days free later on loafing around venice and florence

Jackal are you mad? You could spend a month in the Pyrenees and not drive half the decent roads. I'm a bit gobsmacked you are doing a Euro trip and only giving the Pyrenees a day.

As a quick guide to distance. Santander leaving the ferry port at around 4PM we get to Jaca around around 9.30PM (If memory serves)Lots of stops though for biker fill-ups.

Also do not miss the actual start to the N260 in Biescas ...... fantastic part of the route and better than going just east from Jaca.

[jackal]

Wozy68 said:

jackal said:

dcb said:

jackal said:

here is the route for day 1:

http://goo.gl/maps/tQT3m

Would that honestly take 9 hours ?

400 miles through the mountains and you are budgeting only one day ?

Very much a "blink and you'll miss it" drive, I think.

Suggest 100 - 200 miles per day in the mountains would give spare time
for food, pit stops, photos etc.

I assume you want a holiday, not an endurance.

day 1 is driving ... at least 4 hours morning and 4 hours afternoon

plenty of days free later on loafing around venice and florence

Jackal are you mad? You could spend a month in the Pyrenees and not drive half the decent roads. I'm a bit gobsmacked you are doing a Euro trip and only giving the Pyrenees a day.

As a quick guide to distance. Santander leaving the ferry port at around 4PM we get to Jaca around around 9.30PM (If memory serves)Lots of stops though for biker fill-ups.

Also do not miss the actual start to the N260 in Biescas ...... fantastic part of the route and better than going just east from Jaca.

thanks mate ...


you could say the same for everywhere ... folk can only dedicate 10 days to the trip

hell, you could spend 2 weeks just in florence and venice (which id much rather do that the pyrenees if we did have unlimited time)

[Wozy68]

jackal said:

thanks mate ...


you could say the same for everywhere ... folk can only dedicate 10 days to the trip

hell, you could spend 2 weeks just in florence and venice (which id much rather do that the pyrenees if we did have unlimited time)

Fair enough

Just remember in Florence that you need to inform the hotel that you are going to park (if its in the centre of the city) in advance so they can inform the police.

Biggo fine for driving within the city centre at certain times.

Have a great trip. What's the schedule then?

[jackal]

Wozy68 said:

Fair enough

Just remember in Florence that you need to inform the hotel that you are going to park (if its in the centre of the city) in advance so they can inform the police.

Biggo fine for driving within the city centre at certain times.

Have a great trip. What's the schedule then?

yep thanks, trip is something like this:




Wed 5: Home -> Portsmouth -> Bilbao overnight
Thur 6: Bilbao to Sort (Pyrenees)
Fri 7: Sort to Villefort (Miliau Viaduct & Gorges du Tarn)
Sat 8: Villefort to Vence (route Napolean)
Sun 9: Vence to Florence and the flowing roads around Tuscany
Mon 10: Florence to Jesolo (afternoon in venice via the Vaporetti)
Tues 11: Jesolo to Brunico (the Dolomites)
Wed 12: Brunico to Bramburg (Nockalmstrasse & Grossglocknerstrasse)
Thurs 13: Bramburg to Baden Baden (The Black forest)
Fri 14: Baden Baden -> calais -> Home


x8 911's and one Lotus

Edited by jackal on Friday 8th February 10:15

[Wozy68]

jackal said:

yep thanks, trip is something like this:




Wed 5: Home -> Portsmouth -> Bilbao overnight
Thur 6: Bilbao to Sort (Pyrenees)
Fri 7: Sort to Villefort (Miliau Viaduct & Gorges du Tarn)
Sat 8: Villefort to Vence (route Napolean)
Sun 9: Vence to Florence and the flowing roads around Tuscany
Mon 10: Florence to Jesolo (afternoon in venice via the Vaporetti)
Tues 11: Jesolo to Brunico (the Dolomites)
Wed 12: Brunico to Bramburg (Nockalmstrasse & Grossglocknerstrasse)
Thurs 13: Bramburg to Baden Baden (The Black forest)
Fri 14: Baden Baden -> calais -> Home


x8 911's and one Lotus

Edited by jackal on Friday 8th February 10:15

Blimey ....... nice.

I doubt women are going on this trip then? Serious mileage.

Been to the Millau Bridge before? There's a great viewing area on the north side of the bridge. That's if you've time traveling at warp factor 10.
Heading south over the bridge from there I touched 1.5 leptons going over and after it for a short spell in a MINI GP no less, some years back. (nowhere for Gendarmes on the bridge)