Hi all, only just sorted my log on out after the big forum crash, so here’s my 1st question!

At the end of the month I’m going to Spain with some mates, to get some biking in around the Pyrenees. We’re staying in Empuriabrava. We’ve being riding in the area before, but I think only scratched the surface of what’s available on a mountain bike – i.e. joined a lot of sections with road or fire road.

Apparently there are marked routes throughout Catalonia, but online maps seem hard to come by. We’re looking for exciting xc routes mainly, happy with between 40 and 60 km.

Has anyone been there, or know of where to find more info?

We also wouldn’t mind a downhill day or two, maybe in a bike park within driving distance. Grandvalira in Andorra looks interesting, but I don’t think it’s open, as does La Molina, but it isn’t open either. If anyone knows the names of other parks in the area I can contact that would be great too!

Cheers,
Geoff

Over the border in France there are parks at les Angles + another just up the road I forget the name) and Font Romeau. I suspect these will also be closed as there has been a lot of snow this year.

There are a few centres listed on the FFC site (one near Gerona)

Catalunian marked routes…

http://www.turismedecatalunya.com/btt/index.asp

Thanks Mackem, that’s the site I found. Useful to know where the official centres are, but there are no actual route maps to be found (as far as I can see).

The nearest centre isn’t far by car, but I have a suspicion that we could join enough routes that pass closer to Empuria without driving, if only I could find maps…

Otherwise I guess we’ll make a trip to one of the centres early in the week.

Sadly Les Angles ony seems to open in July. I’ve mailed Font Romeu, but not hoping for much really.

La Molina and Grand Valira (Andorra) seem to only open in June/July too, so running out of options in the region unfortunately.

Anyone else know of anywhere please?

Did manage to find some maps of trails in Catalonia though, so if anyone would like copies…

6 inches of snow forecast for Andorra this weekend for the world cup!

It might be an idea keeping away from the big mountains! The French side inland from Perpignan (Prades, Rodez and Isle sur Tet) has some great riding and you can find maps and GPS tracks on Ugawavtt.com

thanks Ian. Have you got a link to the ugawavtt site? that address won’t work for me…

http://www.utagawavtt.com/randonnee-vtt-gps

Search under dept. Pyranees Orientale

http://biking66.com/les.circuits.vtt-140.php

Also here