THE ETCHE ONE

Departing from Camping Pyrénées Nature in Oloron Sainte-Marie, a fairly easy route to get back on your feet after a day in the car or breathe the air of the nearby mountain after work. Departure on the flat to the Agnos sports hall, from where we will spin quietly through the forest before the climb to Termy which, depending on the condition of the path, is done on the bike or next to it. At the 10th kilometer, the Col d'Etche offers an exceptional landscape, a Basco-Béarnaise mountain setting at the gates of Oloron. We arrive at Ance, then we go back into the woods via a 2 kilometer hill with sometimes steep slopes - up to 14%... The long descent towards Saint-Pée will be good for both the legs and the head, the tranquility of the forest being only interrupted depending on the season by loggers or mushroom hunters. A final effort at km20, then the return to the campsite via Colinette and its view of Sainte-Croix...

LA DIRTY GRAPES

Between the Jurançon vineyard and the Gave d'Oloron, a route made of intertwined loops which allow you to go from one environment to another, from one landscape to another, in just a few pedal strokes. Departure/arrival at the fronton of Lucq-de-Béarn, a Béarnais village located about ten kilometers northwest of Oloron Sainte-Marie and whose territory is the largest in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. We leave quietly in the hollow of a valley with a bucolic landscape, with the Pierre Saint-Martin massif on the horizon, then we climb for the first time through the vineyards before going to find the river, the famous Gave d' Oloron and its salmon, via more or less rapid tracks - and full of holes. We leave again at the foot of the vineyard, still via the rutted forest roads, then we speed off at full speed on the bitumen along the Gave... Crossing the superb village of Préchacq-Navarrenx at the 30th kilometer, another crossing at the 40th before a passage in forest on a nice single. Challenging zigzags between Lucq-de-Béarn and Saucède for unique landscapes with a view of the Pyrenees from the Basque Country to the west to the Pic du Midi de Bigorre to the east, with a very steep climb at the exit from Lucq for the wow effect at the top of the bump, before a last little ride on the path to Saucède again for the wow effect...

BUGANGUES EN FOLIE

Departing from our favorite base camp, Camping Pyrénées Nature in Oloron Sainte-Marie, here is an ideal route to discover the Pyrenees mountain without actually going up there. First kilometers on the flat and the bitumen, just to get in shape before the famous Agnos aeromodelling field and the entry into the Bugangues massif. The serious things begin there, with as an appetizer the climb to the magical Col d'Etche, whose summit is at km 12... only! We'll head towards Ance to immediately go back into the forest, and we'll catch up on the long descent towards St-Pée. Be careful of road traffic on the Barétous road, the first of the 2 “left turns” on the route. We will turn right at the car garage to quietly reach the small road to Féas, left bank of the Gave, before going up to the right towards the Littos valley... On the road to Narbé, we will turn right at the crossroads with the Accrobranche d'Aramits route to attack the main course of this route: The climb of Cambilhou and its 550 m. altitude. Return to Oloron via the chasms and the famous Point Noir above the Vert, before a final “ass kick” at the end of the fitness course.

THE GRAVEL OF THE MUSKETEERS

Welcome to Barétous, the valley of the Musketeers! A real journey for Gascons, 74 kilometers on a roller coaster with a view of the Pyrenees mountain, departing from Arette. We warm up via the small Tremeil pass, 450 meters above sea level from the 5th kilometer, then we zigzag for fun down towards Aramits before going back up to more than 500 meters at Soum de Labays. We will pass right next to Montory to return to Lanne-en-Barétous, where we will continue on the 4 kilometers of ascent towards the Bugalaran pass and the Aramits Accrobranche... We will take advantage of the descent towards Ance to get back in shape, because then, head to the Col d'Etche via the Chicorp farm, then we will continue - on the bike or next to it - on the Col d'Urdach. We will oscillate between 300 and 650 meters of altitude as we head back towards the Col d'Etche which we will therefore cross a second time at km 58. Before that, be careful at km 54, we may have to walk... New passage at Aramits, then climb towards the Soum d'Unars where we will turn right for the Soum de Casteigt, after already 68 kilometers. Last summit at 570 meters above sea level, and we will go back down to Arette for a well-deserved beer!

CONDITION OF ROADS AND PATHS

Regarding routes using mountain roads and forest or agricultural paths, it is necessary to take maximum precautions before setting out on a route, both regarding weather conditions and the state of the roads and paths.

It is strongly recommended to respect the routes proposed here, by following the routes in the directions indicated.

This information is given for information purposes only. Royal Asport cannot be held responsible for any possible consequences linked to the use made of it. For your safety, we invite you to contact the local authorities if you have any doubts about the passability of the roads.