From Argelès-Gazost to Saint-Jean-de Luz to Tafalla, Spain.
August 3, 2024 – 227 km
Woke up to rain. Given the weather, we took our time and decided to stick to the road to avoid slogging through mud.
We set off at 10:30 a.m. toward the mountain passes. We were told the weather was clear up there.
We set off at 10:30 a.m. toward the mountain passes. We were told the weather was clear up there.
On the way, visibility was barely 10 meters due to thick fog. Still, the landscapes were stunning once we broke through the clouds.
Lunch break (and fuel stop) in Laruns. The sun finally makes a comeback in the valley… we’re optimistic! In the afternoon, we take small roads winding through cows, sheep, and horses. The pastoral areas are gorgeous, and we’re soaking in the views.
But you’ve got to stay focused and not get too distracted by the scenery: the road is narrow, and the turns come one after another. Passing cars becomes a tricky exercise. Coffee and shandy break amidst the sheep—just one hour to go until Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port… which ended up taking us two hours. We got turned away at the municipal campsite, no big deal, so we headed to another one 3 km away… completely empty! Oh well, we set up anyway.
From 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., what was supposed to be a short day turned into quite an adventure.
August 4, 2024 – 234 km
We left the campsite in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port—well, “campsite” is a generous term; it’s more like a vacant lot. But at least there were hot showers!
We needed to do laundry, waited 30 minutes at the laundromat for a spot… oh well we will see later, and headed toward Saint-Jean-de-Luz to see the ocean and mark the western end of the Pyrenees.
We stuck to the road for the route, except for a 1 km stretch of rocky trail with a steep climb. Out of nowhere, a dog darted in front of us, throwing itself under the wheels. Emergency braking to avoid the mutt, but Thomas went down. No injuries, just a few scratches. The crash bars did their job, and we got back on the road.
We treated ourselves to a burger on a terrace with an unbeatable view of the beach and surfers.Then, off to Spain. We made a beeline for Tafalla. The road was pretty dull, but we know the next few days are going to be thrilling!
Damn, the laundry! We’re starting to smell, so we hit a laundromat at 9 p.m. Dinner in the dark again, and bedtime at 11:30 p.m. Tomorrow, we’re up at 6:30 a.m. to tackle the Bardenas desert!
