The Pyrenees: Jaca to Foix

For a journey that began with a vision of a tour through the Pyrenees, we're ending up with a somewhat tame traverse. Most of the really challenging days I'd imagined at first dropped off to make room for visits to other regions instead. Also, it's probably fair to say that we've pared back our alpine ambitions a bit in deference to our advancing age, as we keep trying to find the right balance between challenging ourselves and enjoying what we're doing.

Still, I'm sure it will feel challenging enough by the time we come out the other end. In ten days, we'll cover about 400 miles with 45,000 feet of elevation gain and cross a dozen passes. That should entitle us to some delicious meals and leave us enough energy for a short hike here and there.

Most of this stage of the tour is inspired by a book I've had on my shelf for years now: Cycle Touring in Spain (Cicerone Press). The first six days, from Jaca to Berga, will follow its route through the Pyrenees more or less exactly.

Downloaded from the web: Ainsa. This photo all by itself is enough to excite me about this phase of the tour.

Downloaded from the web: Sant Llorenc de Morunys

From Berga we'll head north and steeply uphill toward Col de Crueta, the highest point we'll see on this tour. Soon after we'll cross the border into France, and after a few days exploring the upper Ariege we'll land in the small regiona capitol of Foix and end our Pyrenean stage.

Our last pass of consequence will be the Col de Pailheres, on the border between the Aude and the Ariege. At 2001 meters, it is the second highest paved pass in the French Pyrenees (after Tourmalet), and will be the high point of our tour. Downloaded from the web

I've just been watching stage 13 of this year's Tour de France, which ended here in Foix. We'll end our Pyrenean stage here as well. Downloaded from the web

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