June 26, 2025 to June 27, 2025
In Sainte-Marie de Campan
June 26
My lodging in Sainte-Marie de Campan was ski chalet/hotel-restaurant just north of the village, a simple but comfortable venue with welcoming and helpful staff. I’d booked three nights, thinking I’d have one rest day and another day to test myself against Col du Tourmalet, “the highest paved mountain pass in the French Pyrenees.” But Col de Hourquette had taken a big toll and my thoughts going to bed last night were on rest, not climbing.
When I awakened, I was still set on taking a rest day, even though the temperatures had dropped into the 70s and clouds were lessening the intensity of the sun. And so I rested, doing nothing more than catching up a bit on the blog, making plans for the next few days, and talking with friends and family.
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June 27
The weather today was inching back into unbearable territory, but it wasn’t there yet – mostly sunny skies with highs in the low to mid-80s. I felt rested and so wanted an outdoor challenge for the day. I wasn’t quite ready to try Tourmalet and so looked for a nice hike or alternate ride in the area. I settled on a 20 mile OAB up the Lesponne valley for lunch at the small hotel/restaurant Ô Chiroulet.
The ride started with a two mile gentle downhill on newly surfaced tarmac – if it wasn’t for a bit of headwind I could have coasted all the way to Campan. I was welcomed to town by one of many a smiling mounaques displayed about the village. What are mounaques? – you know who to ask. “Mounaques are life-size dolls, made like old-fashioned scarecrows, made from old stuffed clothes. They are traditionally made during the summer months in Campan and placed along the roadsides to give the illusion of a presence”. I’m not sure why Campan needs a “presence” as the town seemed pretty lively to me.
Just past Campan I turned southwest and headed up the narrow Lesponne valley. The small road climbed through several hamlets at the lower end of the valley, with the number of dwellings markedly diminishing as the road neared its terminus. The valley is replete with hiking trails –I spotted a few hikers as well as vehicles parked along the many trailheads. It was about 1 pm when I reached Ô Chiroulet – the restaurant wasn’t open but signage indicated they were serving food out of the snack bar. I went round back to a large shaded grassy area populated with picnic tables and a few sling back chairs. Parking myself at a spot in the shade, I ordered a burger and Schweppes, and caught up on the news. I took my expresso in the sun and then headed back down the hill.
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It was a leisurely ride back down to Campan, stopping for pictures and to watch a couple of young foals – one nursing and the other just lazing in the sun. There was a light tailwind pushing me back up the incline from Campan to the chalet lodge, where I capped my ride with an cold Organgina.
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Today's ride: 21 miles (34 km)
Total: 969 miles (1,559 km)
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20 hours ago