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Grande_Traversee_Pyrenees_VTT_Sud_N3_5_f1c35d2551
  • Pyrénées 
  • Spain 

Great crossing of the Pyrenees by MTB (South side)

Crossing of the Catalonia

From
780€/person

Presentation of your trip

From the Mediterranean Sea in Banuyls, ride your MTB towards West and go across the Catalonia, until Baga in the Sierra de Cadi massif. A superb journey across the mountains of Albères, the Alta Garrotxa, and the Sierra of Montgrony and of Cadi-Moixero… and still under the Mediterranean sun. 
We stay close to the highest peaks of the Pyrenees, to find our trails, rolling to very technical but always in beautiful landscapes. Every night, our accommodation is selected to have a nice rest in a typical Catalan accommodation. 
The goal is not to reach the Sierra de Cadi as fast as possible, but by the most beautiful trails! A whole crossing without car transfer, only real MTB and a new playground at each stage. Sun, change of scenery, technique and beautiful landscapes are the ingredients to make this trip unique!

  • DestinationPyrénées, Spain
  • TypeFree
  • Length of trip6 days and 5 nights
  • ActivitiesMountain Biking
  • Physical level
  • Technical level

Possible periods for this trip

  • Jan.
  • Feb.
  • March
  • Apr.
  • May
  • June
  • Jul.
  • August
  • Sep.
  • Oct.
  • Nov.
  • Dec.
Description of the tripProgramTravel conditionsDates and price

Trip details

Highlights

  • A beautiful crossing of the South side of Pyrenees
  • A unique and magical MTB trip
  • The Mediterranean sun
  • A night in a 4* hotel

Complementary informations

  • 6 days, 5 nights, 6 days of MTB

Program

  • Day 1

    Banyuls - Massif des Albères

    • Distance : 63 km
    • Elevation gain : 1380 m
    • Negative gradient : 1210 m
    • Type of accommodation : Hotel

    Departure from Banyuls-sur-Mer, home of the famous seaside aperitif. The route begins with a gradual climb up a track lined with cork oaks to a ridge, the highest point of the day. The final 12km descent is on a shady, rolling, sometimes technical trail, ideal for finishing the day in style. Then a link via the pretty tracks of the hinterland to arrive in a pretty Catalan village. Overnight in a magnificent hotel**** surrounded by olive trees in a typical Catalan village.

  • Day 2

    Natural Reserve of Muga

    • Distance : 54 km
    • Elevation gain : 1450 m
    • Negative gradient : 1400 m
    • Type of accommodation : Hostal

    In the morning, you ride in the shade of the holm oaks and enter a wild world.  This is the pampas and it's beautiful. A rolling stage on ochre earth amidst dolmens and vestiges of Roman times. Overnight in a hostal in a beautiful historic village.

  • Day 3

    Alta Garrotxa EAST

    • Distance : 47 km
    • Elevation gain : 1605 m
    • Negative gradient : 945 m

    A rolling start before the Bassegoda mountains quickly come into view. It's a route off the beaten track, in a scenery that's more than just a change of scenery. In the afternoon, after a few sweats, a well-deserved descent of 700m negative on an unusual single. Night in a hostal.

  • Day 4

    Alta Garrotxa WEST

    • Distance : 48 km
    • Elevation gain : 1630 m
    • Negative gradient : 1180 m
    • Type of accommodation : Hotel

    Admire the wealth of Romanesque art on the way up to the first pass, with a technical finish and a few trial sections. Short, steep, technical descent... Unleash your riding genius. Climb a technical track to reach a ridge where it becomes difficult to look ahead, torn between the high border peaks to the right and to the left the flight of birds of prey against the limestone cliffs. Finally comes the descent, the one that leaves you with the best memories and which we'll talk about over a good "cerveza" in the village. Night in a hotel.

  • Day 5

    Sierra Cavallera y Castellar de N’Hug

    • Distance : 56 km
    • Elevation gain : 2200 m
    • Negative gradient : 2295 m
    • Type of accommodation : Hostal

    Follow the course: due east! We're leaving the Girona region to tackle the Ripollés mountains. Higher and more open, the landscape changes and so does the mountain bike profile.  You'll soon reach the crests of the Sierra de Cavallera and Sierra de Montgrony. The mountain pastures are yours to explore, descending on single-track and playful trails between box trees and thorn bushes, and making your mark on the ochre earth of the mountains. You'll reach a village perched at the foot of the cliffs. Overnight in Castellar.

  • Day 6

    Sierra de Moixero

    • Distance : 54 km
    • Elevation gain : 1300 m
    • Negative gradient : 2060 m

    A multicoloured landscape surrounds you, and it's at the second pass that the view completely opens up: the Sierra de Cadi and the famous Pedraforca rise proudly in the distance. A beautiful, technical and fun descent, followed by an exceptional single track, brings this tour to a close.
    Transfer back to Banyuls and end of the tour.

  • End of trip

Travel conditions

  • Luggage

    You only carry the business of the day and the picnic. Luggage is carried by vehicle (or assistance vehicle). 1 piece/person and limited to 15kg/piece.

  • Formalities

    • Passport or ID is compulsory
    • We recommend getting a European Health Insurance card (check with the NHS) 
    • Repatriation insurance is compulsory
  • DEPARTURE AND MEETING POINT

    Departure from Banyuls-sur-Mer (66)

    How to get there:
    By car: from Perpignan take the N114 to Banyuls.
    By train: Banyuls train station.
    By plane: Perpignan or Toulouse airport, then by train to Banyuls.

  • Accommodation

    5 nights full board.

    You stay in hotels, hostels, apartments or hostels. All offer a good level of comfort. You sleep in double or triple rooms, most with individual bathrooms. Sheets and towels are provided.

  • Food

    Your trip might not be the best time to diet, as it's an occasion to taste the local cuisine. We assign great importance to the quality of the food we provide: well-balanced and nutritious and providing ample energy, the specialties of the region are incorporated into each meal.

    The picnics are included in the price, made by cookers of you hotel. To avoid the production of unnecessary waste, we ask you to bring a plastic box that we could fill everyday of delights. 
     

  • Attendees

    • Departure from 2 people for the freedom formula with luggage carrying by taxi.
    • Departure from 6 people for the formula freedom with assistance vehicle.
    • Departure from 6 people for the formula with mountain bike instructor with luggage carrying by taxi.
    • Departure from 8 people for the formula with ATV instructor and assistance vehicle.
  • Difficulty level

    Niveau physique : 3/3
    Vous êtes endurant et avez une très bonne condition physique. Vous pratiquez régulièrement le VTT tout au long de l’année. De 33.5 à 66 kms par jour avec des dénivelés positifs maximum de 2200m.

    Niveau technique : 2.5/3
    Vous savez piloter avec précision, franchir des passages raides avec obstacles, et maîtriser parfaitement le freinage et la trajectoire du vélo à très faible vitesse. Vous roulerez sur des chemins ou sentiers parfois roulants, parfois étroits et très techniques.

     

  • Options

    • Formula 3 or 4 days: tailor-made program from the 3 or 4 steps you choose yourself. Free departure: the conditions are the same as for the 6-day tour.
    • Extra night accommodation before or after the stay.
    • Single room supplement.
    • Free GPS loan and GPS carrier on request and subject to availability,
  • Accompanying

    Four formulas to choose from:

    Mountain bike in freedom with carrying luggage by taxi: From 2 people.

    Equipped with the orientation material we give you: digital topo-guide and GPX tracks, you go alone to discover circuits designed by our team. You are guided by carefully prepared directions, for maximum precision.

    ATV with assistance vehicle (from 6 people):
    The assistance vehicle joins you at different times during the day’s stage, and transports your picnic, water, extra clothes and a complete toolbox in case of mechanical problems. Enjoy your day with a light bag. The driver of the vehicle also gives you advice for each step, helps you manage your effort, and can most of the time answer your questions about the region visited.

    Mountain bike with state certified instructor with luggage carrying by taxi (from 6 people):
    Accompanied by a professional mountain bike certificate, you ride without worrying about the route to follow. Our instructor, specialist of the region, guides you and gives you, if you wish, the right advice to make you outstanding mountain bikers. Thanks to his knowledge of the route, he adapts to your group to manage schedules and effort throughout the day. Freed from group management, your only concern is to please you on your mountain bike.

    ATV with state certified instructor and assistance vehicle (from 8 people).

Dates and price

Information

Free departure dates: you choose your own departure dates according to your availability.
For constituted groups, we adapt the level, duration, price and program on demand.

Free departure from

Price TTC per person

Freedom package with luggage transport by cab
Registration at 2 people1080
Registration at 3 people960
Registration at 4 people875
Registration at 6 people780
Formula with assistance vehicle and luggage carrying
Registration at 6 people1240
Registration at 8 people1080
Formula with qualified instructor and luggage carrying by taxi
Registration at 6 people1180
Registration at 8 people990
Formula with qualified state instructor and assistance vehicle
Registration at 8 people1350

Options

Single room supplement: +130€/pers

The price includes

  • The reservation of accommodation in full board, from the dinner of the J1 in the evening and until the picnic of the J6,
  • Maps, map holder, topo-guide and GPS tracks,
  • Free GPS loan and GPS carrier on request and subject to availability.
  • The transport of luggage,
  • Transfer back of the group, bicycles and luggage to Banyuls-sur-Mer,
  • For the formula with assistance vehicle: 1 vehicle 9 places follows the group throughout the stay.
  • For the formula with guide: no more orientation, the qualified guide takes care of everything during the entire stay.

The price does not include

  • Accommodation the day before departure,
  • Drinks and personal expenses,
  • The picnic of the J1,
  • Mountain bikes and personal mountain bike equipment (helmets, gloves),
  • The visit of the monuments,
  • Transportation to the meeting point and insurance.

The destination

  • Pyrénées

    The Pyrenees! To summarize their beauty and diversity in a few lines would be vain ... From the green mountains of the Basque Country, to the wild lands of Ariège to the Catalan mountains with the scent of the Mediterranean, the Pyrenees are an invitation to travel.

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