Riding in the hills around Perpignan. 5 days, 2 massive rides, three smaller ones, bit of uplift but still lots of climbing and - obviously - even more descending. Superb weather and no mud at all. Dust tho, lots of that.
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1515/26349857662_638e1167d4_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1515/26349857662_638e1167d4_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/G9rUEJ ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1614/26349032062_9776c6ddcd_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1614/26349032062_9776c6ddcd_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/G9nFff ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1564/26375929991_772a1f3158_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1564/26375929991_772a1f3158_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/GbKx4D ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1702/26415672686_f0a281c6e1_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1702/26415672686_f0a281c6e1_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Gfgebw ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1623/25838780084_21fdb0c4ef_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1623/25838780084_21fdb0c4ef_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Fnhv7m ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1516/26169448360_5e55b6417e_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1516/26169448360_5e55b6417e_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/FSvggw ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1633/26170435640_c0a81a558e_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1633/26170435640_c0a81a558e_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/FSAjKA ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
The views weren't bad either
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1450/25838563064_00fc730ba3_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1450/25838563064_00fc730ba3_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/FngoAC ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1582/25836537544_3606fe5de5_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1582/25836537544_3606fe5de5_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Fn61tS ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1711/26415463986_1014fa5330_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1711/26415463986_1014fa5330_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Gffa9f ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1496/26349303192_df68f7c856_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1496/26349303192_df68f7c856_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/G9p4QU ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1453/25836803474_d34283ea26_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1453/25836803474_d34283ea26_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Fn7nwS ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
And beer, so much beer 🙂
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1629/26349931422_cb40051d2b_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1629/26349931422_cb40051d2b_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/G9shAs ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
I've been to the area a few times now, but that was the best trip. Si and Jake from http://www.bikevallespir.com are great guides and top blokes. Si's ridden the TP twice so he's pretty handy and they've both got a teaching qualification. I knew Si before he started this venture so I'm biased, but they have a great setup there.
The photos make it look pretty full on. Some of it is. I walked a few bits. They can tailer it tho depending on what a group wants. So many trails there you can ride weeks of whatever you like. We had lots of steep and loose, steppy and techy, woody and loamy and then forest singletrack. All in a day once!
It's a brilliant place to ride.
Full album is [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/sets/72157667109550076/with/26349032062/ ]here on flickr[/url]
Wow. Looks amazing. Bikes look near vertical in some shots. Love photos like that.
I'm not jealous at all Alex 😉
It's certainly pretty steep in places. And unrelenting. It not just that bits of it are right on (or over) the edge I can ride on a good day, but it's so sustained.. goes on for ages. When you're used to 2-3 min descents over here, it's a totally different experience.
I'd quite like to go back and experience it again. Starting tomorrow 🙂
I need to find some riding buddies willing to do foreign biking trips. I am very Jealous 👿
I need to find some riding buddies willing to do foreign biking trips.
I am doing 3 this year on my tod, if its a guided mountain bike week you meet a load of new friends with a common interest, ride bikes, eat food and have a few beers. What could possibly go wrong.
Hey, where's the action shots of me?!
Oh, and tell Matt that purple and green is not a good look
You've been immortalised on face-book 🙂
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1445/26169458430_cbf92d6a0b_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1445/26169458430_cbf92d6a0b_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/FSvjg9 ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1575/25836914194_72e18ce2f8_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1575/25836914194_72e18ce2f8_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Fn7WrQ ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1703/26416432086_b3d1c23ae5_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1703/26416432086_b3d1c23ae5_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Gfk7VC ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1527/26415567986_24d6e57a22_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1527/26415567986_24d6e57a22_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/GffG4m ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
@trusty - to be honest with Matt, no colour combination is going to hide his basic mutant-ness 🙂
Oh and 1 more!
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1551/26168736800_96a4e55f0b_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1551/26168736800_96a4e55f0b_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/FSrBKf ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
MSP - MemberI am doing 3 this year on my tod, if its a guided mountain bike week you meet a load of new friends with a common interest, ride bikes, eat food and have a few beers. What could possibly go wrong.
It might come to that at some point but I'm not overly good at meeting new people!
Sam, you're welcome next time I go abroad fella!.
Thanks al, much better!
After looking at those pics again, there's nothing that's going to get me out riding this weekend!
Looks like some great trails.
What's the accommodation and food like?
Can't find any mention of it on their site?
They use local hotels in Ceret which is a lovely old medieval town. We've stayed in a couple of places. This time it was Hotel des Arcades (good reviews on trip advisor) which was a small family run place. Basic, clean and cheap. Sharing a twin room was 25 Euro a night each.
Food - we sorted ourselves out mostly with recommendations. We used local cafe's for breakfast, bought fantastic baguette's for lunch and ate out either in Ceret or wherever we were riding. Ceret has fantastic restaurants from great pizza place with wood fired oven and complimentary after dinner spirits 🙂 to a superb proper french restaurant with top class food. Pizza was 10 Euro, posh food about 40 euro for three courses.
If you drop Si or Jake a message, they can tell you more. They customise every itinerary so if you wanted half board or something else, they'll find it for you. Si also knows the best bars 😉
Thanks Alex.
Fabulous, thanks for sharing. This is what stw is about !
Van uplifts ? How much climbing ?
Pretty much what you want. We uplifted 4 days out of 5 but that didn't stop us climbing an additional 1000m most days! The two 'big' rides we did start quite high up and it'd be a 2-3 hour climb from the valley floor on tarmac/fireroads. Glad we uplifted as they were pretty big days even without that.
A lot of the climbing is on fire-road so it's pretty easy although we also did two longish (30 min) carries. The descents go on FOR EVER. Even the 'smaller' days have some pretty long descents. There's not much contouring on the trails we rode, you're either climbing or descending.
It's also entirely unspoilt. One trail (where you see the built jumps) near the coast is basically a bit of a bike park but the rest is all hunters/walkers trails. Apart from the bike part bit we didn't see another MTB the rest of the week. It's completely unlike Morzine/Les Gets - I prefer that.
Oh I didn't post any bike park pics
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1621/26349491202_f9cc7bb341_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1621/26349491202_f9cc7bb341_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/G9q2Js ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1660/26375576021_26ecfcd437_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1660/26375576021_26ecfcd437_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/GbHHQH ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
Neither of those are me. Not that brave 😉
And while there isn't any mud, you can have a go at 'leaf roost'!
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1613/25836779444_51f488cf9c_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1613/25836779444_51f488cf9c_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Fn7foy ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
When you are climbing the views aren't bad
[url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1671/26170723230_37591a982c_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1671/26170723230_37591a982c_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/FSBNf3 ]MTB Pyrenees MTB with www.bikevallespir.com- 2016[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexleigh/ ]Alex Leigh[/url], on Flickr
Bah, want to go back now.
Nice pics. Looks like a great trip.
Another strong argument for staying in Europe, eh?
fathomer - Member
I need to find some riding buddies willing to do foreign biking trips. I am very Jealous
Sam, give me some notice. I'll do it! 8)