WHY THE RAID PYRENEAN?
The Raid Pyrenean is one of the 'must do' rides for any cycling enthusiast
- it is truly an epic!
The route across the Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean was established
in 1950 keeping as close to the Spanish border as possible on
surfaced roads, not surprisingly this takes in most of the big cols en route. Then, as if this was not
hard enough the organizers introduced the rule that the route had
to be completed within 100 hours!
It is a challenge for sure, as any multi-day cycling event is,
however, it is also a chance to ride most of the famous cols in the
Pyrenees, including beasts such as the Tourmalet and Aubisque, and
to cycle the quiet and beautiful back roads and passes of France's
southernmost mountain range. The scenery is stunning, the road
surfaces good, and the occasional car drivers are extremely
courteous and respectful of cyclists. Consequently the Raid is also
a holiday and Marmot Tours takes care of all the logistics for you,
so all you have to do is ride, eat and sleep.
Please feel free to look at and print out our Raid Pyrenean
Itinerary.
Am I fit enough for the Raid Pyrenean?
This is a concern for lots of people who are thinking about the
Raid. Certainly the Raid Pyrenean is a challenge, and you do
need to be a regular road cyclist in order to enjoy and get the most
out of this trip.
The majority of our riders are club cyclists or have done
cyclosportives or some longer distance rides, however by no means
all of them have, and we have had clients who have been very new to
road cycling who have done some training for the trip, and taken
their time, and successfully completed the Raid Pyrenean route in the 100 hours.
The key to success on the Raid Pyrenean is pacing yourself, and we are
very keen to emphasize that you don't need to be cycling fast
in order to manage the daily routes. The absolute worst thing
is to push yourself to cycle beyond your normal pace on the cols, or
early on in the trip, which ends up becoming very tiring and can
cause problems on later days. With our 2 vehicles for support, we
are happy for you to take as long as it takes to do each days route,
and we will give you all the support and encouragement that you
need. All you need to do is eat, drink, cycle and sleep - we
will do the rest!

We do recommend that people coming on Raid Pyrenean train prior to coming out, in order to give themselves the best chance of
completing the challenge in the 100hours, and to make it as
enjoyable as possible en route. It can be difficult finding
extended climbs for the training in the UK, but generally if you can
build up your comfort in doing long daily distances, and your
stamina, then you will really benefit when it comes to the Raid
Pyrenean
itself.
2010 is the 100 years anniversary of the Tour de France coming to
the Pyrenees, so we have put together a special challenge to give
people the opportunity to ride all 4 of the
2010 Pyrenean Tour de France Stages on
consecutive days. This challenge is actually tougher than the Raid
Pyrenean.
If you are looking for more of a cycling 'holiday' rather than a
challenge they please look at our Classic Cols
trip which takes in most of the classic climbs but gives people the
chance to take in optional extras and gruelling stage endings,
making it possible to take on over 3000m of ascent per day.
There are a couple of blogs / articles written by people on our
Raid Pyrenean trips which gives an impartial opinion about what the
raid is all about. Please note these are external websites and we
are not responsible for their content!
SportiveCentral.com ,
Glasgow Nightingale CC and
Foyle Cycling Club.
We
have also put together a
youtube
video! (external website)
Why choose Marmot Tours for your Raid Pyrenean?
There are several companies offering a Raid Pyrenean package so we thought
we would point out the benefits of doing the trip with us.
We are a small company (run by James and Cathy Thompson) focusing
on customer service and the personal touch -
- we help you arrange your travel including any extra nights etc
that you may want to have at the start or end,
- we are always available to answer any queries you may have or
discuss honestly with you, whether this is the trip for you.
Contact us by phone
or email with any questions
- we cater for various dietary requirements and supplement your
breakfasts with wholesome cereals and fruit to give you that kick
start in the morning (continental breakfasts aren't always the
best for cyclists!)
- we use small friendly and family run hotels that know our
company and
our needs (particularly regarding cyclists), and who make every
effort to make your trip comfortable and easy
- we even provide you with home made snacks en route - our
banana and walnut bread (the walnuts are from our garden!) and
flapjacks have a very good reputation!
- we limit our group sizes to 20 so you get the benefits of
being with enough other cyclists to find others who cycle at your
pace and to have a good laugh en route, but also so that you are
not just 'one' in a sea of faces who never get to know anyone else
in the group, or your leaders.
- we always have 2 support vehicles driven by experienced Marmot
Tours staff. The front van offers support to the speedier
cyclists in the group, plus makes sure that everyone's bags are at
the hotel before they arrive. The back van stays on the road
with the second half of the group ensuring that they have support
for as long as it takes for them to complete the days ride.
This means that we can have a group with mixed cycling experience
and different paces, and still offer everyone the same, high level
of support. It also means that in the case of any
emergencies or mechanicals, a van is never far away.
- We provide comprehensive route cards with colour maps, altitude
profiles, detailed directions, information of places to stop for food and
the odd bit of local / historical information.
- our leaders
know the cycle routes from the Atlantic to the Med very well and
so you can be sure that the information we give you on the routes
is up do date and accurate, as well as easy to follow. They also
speak French
- our leaders our cyclists themselves (varying levels of
seriousness!), who have cycled most of the cols en
route, we know what it is you are going through on the climbs, and
when you are most likely to need support, snacks, water, or a wave
from Margo (our marmot mascot!)
- An excellent bike mechanic wil always be available to
give you a hand with any problems en route (though it is helpful
if you are independent as regards punctures).
- our Raid Pyrenean trips start on a Monday, so we are able to
sort out any bike problems that have occurred in transit (shops
are open until 1930).
- On specific departures where Cathy is one of the leaders, as
she is aa qualified Swedish massage therapist she will be on hand to offer
cyclist specific massage at the end of your hard days riding (if
this is important to you, please make sure at the time of booking
that Cathy will be a leader on the trip you are booking).
- we know that annual leave is like gold dust, and that you may
have family commitments that can make taking a trip like the Raid
difficult. We therefore make our Raid trip as short as
possible, starting on a Monday and finishing on the Saturday so
that you only use up 5 days of your holiday entitlement.
However, for those that want to extend their trip for extra nights
at the start or finish, we will be able to give you advice on
where to stay etc.
We also understand the need to follow the exact route of the
original Raid Pyrenean, to keep the ride official. This profile map
gives you a bit of a taster.. don't let it put you off
though!
Marmot Tours has been running road cycling holidays since its
conception in 2003. James has been in the leisure
industry for even longer and so you can be sure that we will not
overlook any aspect of your trip, from the riding, to the travel
arrangements, to the accommodation.
Lastly, we would ask you to have a quick look at what some of our
Raiders from the past couple of years have said, as it will help
give you an idea of how we run our trips...
client comments
RAID PYRENEAN DATES
We only run the Raid Pyrenean in June and September as it can get too hot
during July and August (making the ride much harder), and some of the cols are not open before June
due to snow cover.
2010 Dates:
Mon 7th June - Sat 12th June 2010 (trip code RFR J24)
Sun 13th June - Fri 18th June 2010 (trip code RFR J25S)
Mon 14th June - Sat 19th June 2010 (trip code RFR J25)
Mon 21st June - Sat 26th June 2010 (trip code RFR J26)
Mon 28th June - Sat 3rd July 2010 (trip code RFR J27)
Mon 6th Sept - Sat 11th Sept 2010 (trip code RFR J37)
Mon 13th Sept - Sat 18th Sept 2010 (trip code RFR J38)
Mon 20th Sept - Sat 25th Sept 2010 (trip code RFR J39)
2011 Dates:
Mon 6th June - Sat 11th June 2011 (trip code RFR K24)
Mon 13th June - Sat 18th June 2011 (trip code RFR K25)
Mon 20th June - Sat 25th June 2011 (trip code RFR K26)
Mon 27th June - Sat 2nd July 2011 (trip code RFR K27)
Mon 5th Sept - Sat 10th Sept 2011 (trip code RFR K37)
Mon 12th Sept - Sat 17th Sept 2011 (trip code RFR K38)
Mon 19th Sept - Sat 24th Sept 2011 (trip code RFR K39)
For all 2010 Raid Pyrenean challenges there is the option of staying in a
hotel in Cerbere on the Saturday night for an afternoon on the beach,
celebration and seafood dinner (not included). We will then transfer you to
Carcassonne airport on the Sunday morning. The cost of the extra
night, breakfast and transfer is £60 (twin share) or £85 (single
room). There are a limited number of places available for the extra
night, so please enquire before booking.
HOW MUCH DOES THE RAID PYRENEAN PACKAGE COST?
In 2010 the Raid Pyrenean costs £620, starting at Biarritz Airport and ending at
either Girona Barcelona or Carcassonne Airports. Flights are not included but can be picked up very cheaply
if
booked in advance. Allow about £60 for lunches and daytime drinks that are not included (outlined below).
There is a supplement
of £125 if you would like to have your own room for the trip,
(please let us know on booking as there is limited availability). There are no other local payments or hidden costs.
Please note that we offer a 5% discount if you book more than 3
months before the departure date. We also offer
group and loyalty
discounts. Please contact us for 2011 prices.
This price includes:
| 5 days supported rides. Route notes
and colour maps. Entrance to the official "Raid Pyrenean".
Airport Transfers (at specified times). 'Marmot-tours'
cycling top. Medical and Mechanical support from 2
vehicles. 5 nights
accommodation. 5 evening meals with table wine. 5 substantial breakfasts. Cycling
snacks and fruit during the ride. Certificate
and badge on successful completion of the challenge. |
 |
WHERE DO WE STAY?
During the Raid Pyrenean we stay in a range of 2 star hotels with ensuite facilities
except in Campan where we stay in a 1 star hotel. The hotels
have been selected for their location and for their attitude to
cyclists (and their stomachs!)
Accommodation will be allocated on a twin share basic unless you
book a single room (supplement of £125). There is a garage / locked room
where we can store the bikes every night.
FOOD
Breakfast: Continental style breakfasts are provided by the
hotels. We supplement these with cereals and fruit.
Lunches: These are not included so you can choose your own
diet while cycling. We recommend suitable places en route depending
on individuals pace.
Dinner: The 5 evenings meals will be taken together either at the hotel or a
suitable restaurant in town. All the 3 or 4 course meals will be
tailored to the requirement of cyclists and the portions are very
generous. Table wine and after dinner teas
and coffees are also included.
Snacks: Cereal bars, cakes, banana's and other snacks for
during the day are included in our Raid Pyrenean price and will be
distributed by the 2 support vans. However we suggest you
bring your own favourite energy powders/gels/bars with you as these
will not be easily available en route.
Special diets: The hotels are very used to providing
excellent meals for vegetarians and celiacs. Please
contact us if you have any other special dietary requirements.
GUIDING AND INSTRUCTION
You are accompanied by a 2 experienced tour leaders,
with mechanical
and first-aid training. It is not expected that the group will
stay together, so you will be given comprehensive notes, with directions,
altitude profiles and details of the night's hotel. One tour leader will be driving
the support vehicle near the rear of the group, offering support and
lifts up (or down) the hills as needed, and the other will be at the
front of the group and will ensure that all luggage is at the hotels
before you arrive. You can expect to see a support vehicle between 5 and
10 times per day, so you do not need to carry much on your bike.
OUR RAID PYRENEAN GROUPS
There is a maximum of 20 people plus two support drivers / leaders on our Raid
Pyrenean. People booking alone will be paired
up with someone of the same gender unless you opt for a single room (see above).
Our groups are made up with a mix of club cyclists, people training
from other events, people raising money for charity, ex-pro cyclists
and people who are relatively new to cycling who like to challenge
themselves on holiday!
BIKE INFO
If you are bringing your own bike, then we have the facility to
transport your bike boxes from the start to the finish of the trip,
regardless of if it is a soft bag, a cardboard box or a hard box.
If however, you do not want to have the hassle / expense of bringing your own bike or need
more gears; you can
hire a bike from Marmot Tours. We have the following bikes
available: Specialized
Allez Sport (£100) and Carbon Time bikes (£180). This must be arranged in advance as there are limited bikes
(and sizes) available. For more information on hiring or packing up
your own bike for travel please see the Bike
Hire section.If you are bringing your own bike, you may have
some questions regarding gear ratios. One of our experienced
clients who has cycled the Raid suggested the following:
"The only really important thing to worry about is the lowest
gear: - all of our group had a lowest gear of 34" and they all
reckoned it worked perfectly given the gradients and length of time
going uphill. This can be obtained with the following combinations:
a) Small ring at front 34 tooth, large ring at rear 27 tooth
b) Small ring at front 36 tooth, large ring at rear 29 tooth
OR
If using a triple chainset then small ring at front 30 tooth,
large ring at rear 25 tooth."
He did also add that there was no substitute for training!
In June 2009 Phil Corley (one time British National Professional
Road Race Champion and manager of
Corley Cycles in Milton Keynes) came on our Raid. He is happy to
offer advice and naturally sell you the relevant components to get
your bike 'Raidworthy'.
BIKE TRANSPORTATION
The airlines are constantly changing their policies on the
carriage of bikes, so it is best to check the policy before booking
your flights. Ryan Air changed their policy in Nov 09 and now charge
£40 (each way) and have a rather mean allowance of 20kg, with every
Kg over that charged at £20! You can check in up to 2 hold bags for
£15 each (max 15kg per bag). You are however allowed 10kg of
hand baggage). However Ryan Air are the only airline that actually
limits the number of bikes at the booking stage, so it is impossible
for there to be more than 15 bikes on the flight. Also with their
ridiculous charges for hold baggage, most people just fly with hand
luggage meaning that their hold is actually fairly empty. In terms
of how bikes are handled, it actually has nothing to do with the
Airline but the Airport ground staff (which are the same for BA, EJ,
KLM, Ryan Air etc. ). If you not sure how to pack your bike,
or do not have a bike box, then check out
Bike Box
Online for hire of boxes and professional bike packing.
HOW DO I GET THERE?
We get people coming on our holidays from all over the world, so
it is impossible to include all the information on our website. The
notes below is tailored to travellers from the UK. People from other
countries please
contact us for advice.
We offer airport transfers to tie in with the most appropriately
timed flights in and out of London Stansted. However, we appreciate
that there are other flights from regional UK airports which may be
more more convenient for you, so will endeavour to advise you on the
best ways of getting to and from the Raid. For all the details on
transfers and flights, please follow this link to the
Raid Transport section. Both Hendaye and Cerbere
are served by very good rail links, so it may be possible to use the
regional UK flights and transfer to the start / end hotels
independently.
Some people prefer to arrive a few days before and stay in vibrant
seaside town of Biarritz. In this case we may be able to meet you at
your hotel on the Monday morning and transfer you (or if you are
cycling, then your bags) to Hendaye.
At the end of the Raid we offer transfers on the Saturday afternoon
to Girona Barcelona Airport. However we also offer people the opportunity to
spend an extra night in Cerbere and transfer to Carcassonne Airport
on the Sunday.
Please see the Raid Transport section
for more information on airlines, airport transfers, driving to the
start or taking the train from the UK. If you want advice of packing
/ transporting your own bike then see our bike
hire section.
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