Pyrenees Fitness Week

The tour is 8 days long with 6 days of cycling.

The tour is for riders with experience, good fitness & a decent level of skill. Some features that may be experienced more frequently in a higher grade tour. Most days include a couple of significant climbs. Some long days & some steep to very steep sections. Not for beginners. 45-60 miles / 70-95 kms per day.

This grade 2-3 Fitness Week is designed for cyclists with a moderate level of fitness and stamina. They are ideal for riders relatively new to the sport who perhaps want to progress to another level and learn new skills and techniques.

Riding in the French Pyrenees is not without its challenges. Depending on group requirements the routes may include a number of significant cols and a fair amount of climbing, with steep and challenging sections. Road surfaces are generally good, however caution should be exercised, especially when descending, as occasional potholes and gravel patches do occur. Descents are as frequent and as long as the ascents and many feature tight bends and switchbacks.

If you don’t own a suitable bike or would prefer to avoid bringing your own there are bikes available to hire. These bikes are typically Giant TCR or equivalent, great bikes with good quality components. If you do decide to hire the tour operator can include a helmet and all necessary spares for the trip. Please request helmets when booking. If you ride with clip-in pedals please do bring your own pedals along with you.

If you are travelling with your bike:
The vast majority of airlines will charge you to transport your bike. This amount varies from carrier to carrier but the tour operator recommend always booking and paying for this in advance which will usually save you money compared to paying at the airport. Please contact your airline for specific details. Most airlines will also require your bike to be properly packaged for transport. Most commonly this will be in a bike bag or box specifically designed for the job.

Equipment
The tour operator provides everything except a bike (unless you have opted to hire), personal equipment and clothing. If you are taking your own bike it should preferably be a road bike. To get the most out of your week they recommend that your bike is equipped with a computer which measures cadence and heart rate.

For this trip, they recommend that your bike is fitted with a compact chainset or a minimum of 28 tooth bottom sprocket to ease the climbing. It is imperative that your bike is in good mechanical order. If you are not mechanically minded, they advise you to take your bike to a local bicycle dealer for a service. The guide(s) will, of course, be taking a full tool kit and a selection of spares, which they will provide should the need arise but please be sure to carry your own basic tool kit, pump, spare tubes, and any specific spare parts you may require for your bike – especially unusual spokes.

You will need to bring your own accessories including, helmet, gloves and hydration pack/bottles for drinking water. It is also a good idea to bring shoes suitable for walking along with your cycling shoes as well as a light but waterproof rain jacket and a fleece / warmer layer for mornings and evenings.

While riding on this tour it is compulsory that you wear a helmet. If you don’t have a helmet or don’t intend to bring your own we may, subject to availability, be able to provide one on request. You will not be permitted to ride unless you wear a helmet.

All of your breakfasts and evening dinners are included in the price of this trip. Breakfasts will generally be continental, consisting of porridge, eggs, breads, cold meats and cheeses, jams, yoghurts etc. All meals will be freshly-prepared from local produce and will cater for the nutritional needs of your fitness training. Fruit and snacks will be available en-route and a plentiful supply of water! Lunch is usually taken in a cafe en-route.

Vegetarians and people with specific dietary requirements can be catered for – please indicate at the time of booking whether you have any dietary requirements.

Generally there will be no support vehicle needed for this trip, however, a vehicle is only a phone call away in case of emergency. On the days you ride up into the high mountains a support vehicle with come along too.

Temperatures in the Pyrenees can range widely between 10-30°C/68-86°F. This region receives a small amount of precipitation, which usually falls outside the timing of the trips.

Whilst the tour operator expects the weather to be mainly pleasant during the scheduled dates please bear in mind that you will be climbing high into the mountains where temperatures can drop considerably. Long descents can be chilly even on warm days, so be sure to bring warm layers including a fleece, windproof/waterproof jacket, hat and lightweight long-fingered gloves.

Book with confidence

With travel restrictions and changing government guidance still present in our lives, the Tour Operator is are committed to doing everything they can to help more of you to enjoy fun on two wheels in the most enjoyable and responsible way possible.

To help you better plan ahead with peace of mind, they want to reassure you that your holiday is financially protected and that you will be well looked after by them, no matter what happens. 

Our promise to you…
- If the Tour Operator has to cancel a tour because of COVID-19, you will have the option of a full refund. They will only run tours in destinations that are safe and will always follow the most up-to-date government guidance. They will cancel any tours where the FCDO advises against all but essential travel.
- Your money is protected by ABTOT, whether as a payment for a specific holiday or as a credit note. This means if you are entitled to a refund this is guaranteed, no matter the circumstances.

In addition, it’s essential that you…
- Have appropriate travel insurance so that if you fall ill and test positive for COVID-19 prior to (or during) your tour (whether in the UK or overseas), you will be financially covered for cancelling your trip or any extra costs you might incur. Please contact our team if you need some advice. In doing so, the Tour Operator can ensure the local communities are impacted as little as possible and can continue to deliver the excellent holidays we know you love. This extended team are predominantly small businesses and the aim is to honour our commitments to them, so we can all rebuild after COVID-19.
- Keep up to date with local requirements in your chosen destination. This might relate to testing or vaccination requirements for entering your destination or using facilities such as hotels and restaurants while you are there. These requirements can change often and the Tour Operator will do their best to keep you up to date, you need to ensure you are aware of, and can comply with, any requirements which might be in place at the time you travel. Depending on the circumstances the Tour Operator may not be able to offer a refund if you can’t comply with these kinds of requirements. For UK based travellers, the best source of information is the Government’s foreign travel advice.

Social distancing, enhanced hygiene and face coverings
For the safety of everyone, the Tour Operator will be ensuring the cycle tours comply with local guidelines. In reality, you’ll be out on your bikes most of the day enjoying the great outdoors, so you’ll have plenty of time to relax and unwind.
- The group tours are limited to small groups – on average 10 people (maximum 16 people) as we believe this is the most responsible – and enjoyable – way to travel.
- Face coverings should be worn in compliance with local guidelines, which in many destinations includes when using public transport, in shops and certain attractions, and whenever social distancing cannot be observed. Please be aware of face covering requirements for travel to your destination and contact us if you have any questions. In the absence of any legal requirements, we ask you to respect the wishes of any private businesses you might visit such as cafes or hotels. Please let us know at the point of booking if you are unable to wear a face covering.
- Our team continues to observe good hygiene practice, including regular handwashing and sanitising, and request that customers do the same. Depending on where you travel, you may not be able to purchase supplies locally, so best to come with adequate supplies of hand sanitiser for use throughout your holiday.

If you display symptoms or test positive
For the benefit of yourself, the people you are travelling with and our team, please let us know as soon as possible if you test positive for COVID-19 or display any symptoms.
- We recommend testing before joining any of our trips.
- It is essential that you are in good health when embarking on your holiday. Under certain circumstances, we may ask you to take a test or provide proof of having had the vaccines. In the rare event you fall ill before or during your tour, it is essential you follow the guidelines provided by us in your pre-departure information.
- If you are symptomatic or if you test positive this is likely to mean you are unable to join your trip.
- If you test positive whilst on the holiday then we will assist you in reporting the illness and making appropriate arrangements, whether that be to quarantine or return home. In most circumstances, this will mean your participation in the tour will have to come to an end.

Vaccination status
In many destinations, you may need to be fully vaccinated to be able to join our trips.
- If you are travelling to another country you may need to be fully vaccinated to enter, or to use facilities such as cafes or hotels. Some destinations may allow testing in place of vaccination, but the nature of our trips means this often isn’t a practical option.
- There may be some situations where social distancing isn’t possible or where you will come in contact with people who aren’t part of our group or team, such as hotel and restaurant staff. Because of this, we recommend being fully vaccinated to make sure you are as safe as possible.
- Some destinations we visit have less developed public health facilities which can impact local residents’ ability to access the same protections we might enjoy. In such cases, we strive to weigh up entry requirements and recommendations from our local partners to establish a responsible company policy on vaccinations that protects our customers, local teams and the communities we visit as much as possible.
- Please let us know as early as possible if you aren’t fully vaccinated so we can discuss any implications, including if you are able to join the trip.

Bikes, vehicles and equipment
We know you love the extra support we offer on tour and so we’ve made sure you continue to have access to all these essential holiday components.
- Our team will guide you through any relevant protocols when using bikes, equipment and vehicles on your trip.
- All transfer staff will be adhering to recognised local hygiene guidelines and these vehicles will be regularly deep cleaned, with extra attention paid to regular touchpoints.

Food and accommodation
Amazing food and lovely places to stay are a big part of the tour experience. All accommodation providers are following relevant local guidelines relating to COVID-19. The impact of new measures should be minimal and may vary from place to place, however, these will always be clearly communicated to you by our team on the ground.
- You may notice increased and enhanced cleaning and hygiene practices, in guest rooms and communal areas.
- In some places, temperature checks will be conducted upon entering.
- Measures promoting social distancing may be in place and you may be asked to avoid communal areas and touchpoints.
- We will offer our usual high-quality lunches and snacks but you may notice a few changes to how these are delivered to allow for any local guidance.

Updated: 27 Jan 2023