Trans-Pyrenees 2024 – Chapter 1

The Big Preparation

The summer of 2024 gave us the opportunity to ride over 3,500 km across the Pyrenees and the Spanish deserts.

The trip had a double purpose:

• Test all the gear we'll be taking to the Americas
• Put our off-road skills to the test for the very first time

Adventure guaranteed!

We'll come back in a future article with a full gear list, which has evolved a bit since this trip. We'll also talk about the motorcycle change for Thomas after his Ténéré was stolen — a bike that had proven itself brilliantly on this summer adventure.

Day 1 – 31/07/2024

From Nantes to Saint-Palais-de-Blaye – 320 km

Departure from Nantes in good weather, not too early in the morning (a recurring theme on our trips!).

We cruise along the national road to Rochefort, where we stop for a quick sandwich. Stomachs and fuel tanks topped up, we join the TET (Trans European Trails) toward Saint-Genis-de-Saintonge.

This first stretch of the TET offers a lovely ride through coastal marshes, woodland, and rolling countryside — nothing too challenging, with the occasional tarmac section.

Adeline does manage a small spill after a poorly-judged stop in a dip — it has to be said that Thomas had positioned himself slightly awkwardly right after the obstacle… We'll need to work on our spacing!

We then leave the TET for a country ride that leads us to our destination for the day: Camping Chez Gendron in Saint-Palais-de-Blaye.

Tent up, a dip in the pool, and the traditional end-of-day beer!

Day total: 320 km, around a hundred of them on the TET.

Day 2 – 02/08/2024

From Saint-Palais-de-Blaye to Condom – 230 km

We leave Camping Chez Gendron around 10:30 (we're clearly not morning people, and besides — it's the holidays!).

Two hours along back roads, with the Garmin Zumo XT GPS set to "Adventurous routing" at full tilt, which takes us through the magnificent Saint-Émilion vineyards.

Lunch break in a Super U car park in Langon. Not exactly glamorous, but we were too hungry to look for better!

From Langon, we pick up the TET again heading toward Condom. The tracks are fairly easy-going for around a hundred kilometres, though some impressive ruts lurk beneath a thick carpet of grass.

The first wooded descents and climbs give us a few moments of tension. Looking back, it wasn't much — but everyone starts somewhere!

Then the bad luck strikes: a sizeable fallen tree across the trail forces us to turn back. Since the afternoon was already well advanced, we rode straight to Condom.

We arrive around 7 PM and pitch our tent at Ferme de Bourdéneuve, with a spectacular view.

First camp meal on the petrol stove. Thomas is unfazed by the size of the flame at start-up, but Adeline will need to get used to it… it's going to be a journey!

Day total: 230 km, around a hundred of them on the TET.