Routes
Discover the Béarn with us using our way-marked routes
Off or On-Road
Navarrenx is designated a 'Base VTT' which means that it has a number of
sign posted off-road cycle routes that all start from Navarrenx itself.
They are numbered and graded like ski runs: green for very easy, blue for
easy, red for difficult and black, very difficult. There are over 225 kms
of marked tracks around Navarrenx, Méritein and other nearby villages
as well as 100s of kilometres more, mapped by us.
Detailed maps will be given to you when you hire your bikes. We have lots
of other routes cycled by us and our friends that we print out and add to
regularly that you can take with you. Have a look at our blog
where you can read much more about cycling in the area.
Tours
The Béarn is a perfect place for cycling. It is quite hilly and undulating
in places but there are also plenty of flat, straightish roads also. If
you want to follow the Tour de France riders into the mountains, the Pyrénées
are right on our doorstep. You can climb the legendary Col du Tourmalet,
the Col de Marie-Blanque and plenty more across the Pyrénées
chain (see below). If you feel like being accompainied over the Cols by
an experienced road cyclist we can arrange this for you. You can hire a
road bike (or in fact any other sort of bike) from us, so no need to bring
your own. 
Tours and guided rides are all available if you book in advance. We can
offer guided off-road rides, mountain passes, gastronomic based visits such
as tours to vineyards, cheese makers, etc or just simple half-day comfortable
rides with a beer or a meal at the end of it.
The Tour de France passing through Méritein in 2007
For the mountain climbers...
We are very near several Tour de France favourite climbs such as the Col
de Marie Blanque which is only 45 kms away cycling. We are about 120 kms
from the Col du Tourmalet. There are of course other Cols such as the Aubisque
and the Soulor (about 60k). If you're not afraid of steep hills, the Pyrénées
is your oyster!
Click on the image to the left to see a map
You
can download the whole article (5.3mb) as a pdf. Specific pages about the
Béarn and the Pays Basque start from page 10.