Complete one of cycling's must-do trips for anyone passionate about climbing: the stunning 720km coast to coast ride traversing the French Pyrenees taking in many of the famous cols of the Tour!

We are offering two Raid Pyrenees trips in 2025:

• 31 May – 7 June 2025
• 31 August – 7 September 2025

 
During these trips, you’ll complete the route in six days of riding with an average of 120km a day and roughly 2,500m of climbing per day.

For those looking to do this iconic trip but with slightly easier days, we an also offer an option of completing it in eight days of riding rather than six. Please contact us if you’re interested in this option.

The Raid Pyrenees follows a classic 740km route traversing the Pyrenees from Hendaye on the Atlantic coast to Cerbère on the Mediterranean just north of the Spanish border. En route, riders experience breath-taking vistas, exhilarating descents and, of course, the epic cols of the Pyrenees that have seen many of the greatest battles of the Tour de France, including the famous Tourmalet, Aspin, Marie-Blanque, Aubisque and Peyresourde.

For those who’ve been to Mallorca with us, you’ll know that we like nothing more than the local lanes with no traffic. We approach the Raid Pyrenees with the same ethos. Over the entire six days of riding you’ll hardly see a main road. The result is a truly memorable experience of the Pyrenees on two-wheels: the challenging giants of the Tour linked together by stunning routes along lanes with minimal traffic, but plenty of leg-testing climbs, little-known cols and fantastic views. The price-tag: a few more kms, and a bit more climbing than the standard Raid route.

Price

The Raid Pyrenees costs £1445 per person in June, £1495 in September, based on sharing a twin room in the hotels. Single occupancy is available for an additional £350, subject to availability.

What’s included

• Return airport transfers, including bike transfer – see below for details of required flight times
• 7 nights half-board accommodation – bed, breakfast and evening meal
• Support vehicle throughout the trip
• Support cyclist on the road with you
• Luggage transfer between hotels
• Picnic lunches on riding days
• Full information pack and gpx files

 

Itinerary

Our first Raid runs from 31 May – 7 June, with everyone arriving on the 31st May to stay in Hendaye that night. There are then six days of riding, arriving on the Med on the 6th June, with return airport transfers on the 7th June.

The second Raid runs from 31 August – 7 September. Everyone arrives on 31st August to stay overnight in Hendaye, rides for six days, arriving on the Med on the 6th September, with transfers to the airport on 7th September.

We break the route down as follows:

• 31 May or 31 Aug: Arrival, transfer to Hendaye, build bikes, pre-ride briefing
• Ride day 1: Hendaye to Montory, including Col Saint Ignace, Col d’Ispeguy
• Ride day 2: Montory to Luz St Sauveur, including Col de Marie-Blanque, Col d’Aubisque, Col de Soulor
• Ride day 3: Luz St Sauveur to Bagneres-de-Luchon, including Col du Tourmalet, Col d’Aspin, Col de Peyresourde
• Ride day 4: Bagneres-de-Luchon to Tarascon, including Col des Ares, Col de Portet d’Aspet, Col de Port
• Ride day 5: Tarascon to Prades, including Col de Pailhères
• Ride day 6: Prades to Llanca via Cerbère
• 7 Jun or 7 Sept: Return transfer to airport

 
We finish our Raid Pyrenees route a little south of the classical finish in Cerbère, at a lovely hotel in Llanca just over the border in Spain. The food there is excellent, and it provides the perfect setting to celebrate.

Bike hire

We offer full-carbon hire bikes for an additional charge of £180 for the week if you prefer not to fly with your bike. The hire bikes we use as standard for our trips are Moda Vivo disc brake bikes:

Moda Vivo disc 12/34 cassette, 34/50 compact chainsets 12-speed Shimano 105 gears Hydraulic disc brakes Weight ~8.5kg

 
These bikes proved very popular during our summer trips in 2024 for their performance, comfort and reliability.

If you prefer to bring your own bike, we will transfer your bike box from the start to finish for you. Please ensure if you do bring your own bike that it is suitable for riding multiple days in the mountains and that you have suitable spares. Over the last couple of years, an increasing number of customers have unfortunately experienced failures in their bike equipment which risks curtailing their holiday. If you aren’t sure whether your bike is suitable, please ask us!

Flights and airport transfers

Please contact us with your flight options before booking any flights so that we can ensure we can cater for the transfers.

Arrivals:

You can fly into Biarritz, Lourdes or Toulouse airports. Arrivals into Toulouse must be before mid-morning, although we can organise a hotel if you prefer to fly in the day before. Arrivals into Lourdes or Biarritz should be in the afternoon.

Departures:

We will arrange return transfers to Girona and Barcelona airports. Flights from Girona should be after 11:00, flights from Barcelona after 13:00.

Here’s what a couple of our customers have written after completing the Raid:

I just completed the Raid Pyrenees with Stuart Hall Cycling. This was Epic, with a capital ‘E’. Yes, no doubt, other tour companies can get you from Hendaye to Cerbere but not likely on the secondary roads, by-ways, lanes, and obscure Cols that only Stuart manages to discover. If you want a memorable adventure and an experience of a life-time, then, Stuart Hall’s Raid Pyrenees will deliver in spades. This is no easy ride; and requires one to be in peak aerobic condition, with legs of steel, a resolute mind, and a willing spirit. It’s just fabulous, and a worthy goal for any serious cyclist. It’s six days of concentrated effort; you’ll be tired, yes, but you won’t stop smiling. Harold

Hi Stuart great trip with the right level of difficulty, hotels and food good. Ian David and Ed were superb leaders along with Ivan they went that extra mile to make it a most memorable week, having done this raid before the route ridden by us far exceeded my last experience so once again thanks and we’ll done to all. Steve

Please see our Testimonials for more customer feedback, and photos from our 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023 trips.

What should I expect… and am I fit enough?

The route we use covers 740km of stunning terrain, with around 15,000m of climbing encompassing many famous climbs from the Tour. While your legs may ache from time to time, we’re sure the scenery and descents will more than make up for it!

The photos from our 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023 trips should give you a good flavour of what the trip is like. Our aim is to deliver a high quality riding experience which stretches you physically, but in a fun, relaxed and sociable environment. After a good day out on the bike, there is nothing better than sharing stories over a few drinks in the evening with like-minded cyclists!

The Raid Pyrenees is a supported ride, and there will be a support vehicle and a support rider at all times to guide you through the route. We stop every day for a picnic lunch, and on some days an additional stop at a café may be possible for a coffee, crepes etc. During the ride, the support vehicle will leapfrog the group throughout the day, providing support. Every rider will have the gpx files of the route, and we recommend that the group rides together for the bulk of the flat/rolling terrain. It’s more sociable and enjoyable to ride with other people, and then everyone rides at their own pace on the climbs, regrouping at the top/bottom depending on the weather and temperature. Clothing, snacks, gels etc. can be left in the support vehicle and collected as needed throughout the day.

The route is designed to be challenging but very doable for a reasonably experienced cyclist. If you are a club or sportive rider and you put in the training, you will be fit enough. Stamina and determination are more important than speed because they are long days with lots of climbing, and you ride for six days consecutively. You don’t need to have prior experience riding in the mountains, but you have to be a competent descender and strong enough to climb for a couple of hours at a time.

The support vehicle is also always there, and so if you’re having an off-day or there is just one climb too many, you can always climb in the van.

If you have any questions about the recommended level of fitness or would like advice on a training plan, then please contact us and we will be happy to provide you with guidance.