05 Sos del Rey Catolico to Pau over the Pyrenees
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert Nick Carthew - (MRA Master)
Last edit: 17-03-2025
Route Summary The mountain scenery, twisty roads and cable car ride earn this route 4 ***** stars.
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Verdict
Duration
6h 27m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
212.05 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review The route heads east and then turns north to cross the Pyrenees and into France to a budget hotel in Pau. An early start is advisable because there are so many beautiful sights and breathtaking vistas that you will want to take your time and stop to take lots of photographs and just take in the magnificent views. Plus, there is a lunch stop at Lac de Fabreges. We took the cable car up and had a nice lunch at 1993m.
After about 9 miles (14 kms) of very rural countryside, you approach some wooded hills, the road from now on is quite uneven for the next 6 miles (10 kms), but the occasional glimpse of the foothills of the Pyrenees and the heavily wooded area, make it all worth it. As you start to descend you will see the ruined castle of Ruesta. There is parking for a photograph and a view of the Yesa Reservoir. The roads from here, then start to even out.
The route then continues on a smoother, straighter section used by trucks and so includes a roadside ‘truck stop’ at Berdun for you to take a break and have a very delicious but very inexpensive coffee. These Spanish truckers enjoy their food and so these truck stops always serve cheap but very good food and drink. From here you ride parallel to the Pyrenees and you feel the anticipation rising for a great ride ahead.
Take the N-260 north to Biescas and Formigal and as you travel closer and closer to the Pyrenees, the beautiful picture in front of you gets bigger and bigger. There are not many places to stop for a picture, so when you see one, stop. You will pass two turquoise coloured reservoirs and a 500m long tunnel before you get to Formigal. Here you can stop for the last Spanish fuel which is normally a little cheaper than French fuel.
Start climbing, bend after bend and take in the magnificence of the mountains. The road has a gradual gradient and isn't too steep, but ‘Wow’ will be your word of the day! Crossing the border into France at Portalet was insignificant really, there are a few shops bars etc but we didn't stop. On the descent and past the ski centre and on the way to Lac de Fabreges, you will pass under several stone verandahs that protect the road by diverting the melt water over the road and into the valley below. At this point it is easy to imagine that you are on the set of a James Bond movie, especially as you are just about to go up a mountain by cable car!
This stop makes a lovely break to catch your breath and have a croque monsieur for lunch at the café at the top.
You can also take the Petit train d'Artouste that departs from the cable car station and although we didn't ride in it, I understand that it is quite spectacular. I have included a link for this below.
The route continues to descend from the mountains along sometimes narrow roads and through pretty villages to an overnight stay at the Ibis budget hotel at Pau. We had a very comfortable night there but be warned, they have no restaurant, we bought essential supplies (wine) at the supermarket just before the hotel. We shared the hotel with some of the teams from the 2015 Tour de France!
Enjoy
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Use of this GPS route is at your own expense and risk. The route has been carefully composed and checked by a MyRoute-app accredited RouteXpert for use on TomTom, Garmin and MyRoute-app Navigation.
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Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Nearby routes 
Aragon
About this region
Aragon ( or , Spanish and Aragonese: Aragón [aɾaˈɣon], Catalan: Aragó [əɾəˈɣo]) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to south): Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza. The current Statute of Autonomy declares Aragon a historic nationality of Spain.
Covering an area of 47720 km2 (18420 sq mi), the region's terrain ranges diversely from permanent glaciers to verdant valleys, rich pasture lands and orchards, through to the arid steppe plains of the central lowlands. Aragon is home to many rivers—most notably, the river Ebro, Spain's largest river in volume, which runs west–east across the entire region through the province of Zaragoza. It is also home to the highest mountains of the Pyrenees.
As of January 2020, the population of Aragon was 1329391, with over half of it living in its capital city, Zaragoza. During the same year, the economy of Aragon generated a GDP of €34687 million, which represents 3.1% of Spain's national GDP, and is currently 6th in per capita production behind Madrid, Basque Country, Navarre, Catalonia and La Rioja.In addition to its three provinces, Aragon is subdivided into 33 comarcas or counties. All comarcas of Aragon have a rich geopolitical and cultural history from its pre-Roman, Celtic and Roman days, four centuries of Islamic rule as Marca Superior of Al-Andalus or kingdom (or taifa) of Saraqusta, as lands that once belonged to the Frankish Marca Hispanica, counties that later formed the Kingdom of Aragon, and eventually the Crown of Aragon.
Read more on Wikipedia
Covering an area of 47720 km2 (18420 sq mi), the region's terrain ranges diversely from permanent glaciers to verdant valleys, rich pasture lands and orchards, through to the arid steppe plains of the central lowlands. Aragon is home to many rivers—most notably, the river Ebro, Spain's largest river in volume, which runs west–east across the entire region through the province of Zaragoza. It is also home to the highest mountains of the Pyrenees.
As of January 2020, the population of Aragon was 1329391, with over half of it living in its capital city, Zaragoza. During the same year, the economy of Aragon generated a GDP of €34687 million, which represents 3.1% of Spain's national GDP, and is currently 6th in per capita production behind Madrid, Basque Country, Navarre, Catalonia and La Rioja.In addition to its three provinces, Aragon is subdivided into 33 comarcas or counties. All comarcas of Aragon have a rich geopolitical and cultural history from its pre-Roman, Celtic and Roman days, four centuries of Islamic rule as Marca Superior of Al-Andalus or kingdom (or taifa) of Saraqusta, as lands that once belonged to the Frankish Marca Hispanica, counties that later formed the Kingdom of Aragon, and eventually the Crown of Aragon.
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Route Collections in this region 7 day roundtrip from Girona to Catalonia Andorra and the Pyrenees
The Pyrenees stretch for more than 450 kilometers from the Bay of Biscay in the west to the Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean. The mountain range, with peaks of more than 3000 meters, forms a natural barrier that cuts off the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of Europe. The main ridge of the mountain range also largely forms the state border between France and Spain, while the microstate Andorra lies between these two countries.
Bordering the Pyrenees is Catalonia, the hinterland of Barcelona. No wonder many new models of motorcycles are introduced to the press in Catalonia. There are many great ways to test the new models there. An additional advantage is that it is very quiet! You would almost say 'too quiet' because there is a danger that at some point you will use the entire width of the road, under the guise of 'you won't see oncoming traffic here'.... But let's keep it safe and stay on the right side of the center line.
These seven routes of this collection pass through these beautiful areas. Each and every one of these routes where especially the sides of the tires have a hard time. Whether on the gentle slopes in Catalonia or on the balcony roads in the Gorges in the French Pyrenees, make sure they're excited, because you can bet it's going to be exciting!
A few sights are discussed in the review for each route. These often tell something about the history of the area in which you drive. Fun facts, quite educational. There are also places where you can refuel and where you can drink coffee and/or have lunch. You are completely free to visit these places, you can of course also determine your own points of interest.
But the main thing you probably traveled to this area for is simply driving. And as mentioned above, you are in a true motorcycle paradise where the steering is fantastic!
Each route ends at a hotel. It is of course not an obligation to use these hotels, you can always find another place to stay in the area, that decision is up to you. My experience, however, is that they are all simple but good hotels for a very reasonable price. They are known and can be booked at booking.com.
The routes of these collections:
R01 - Girona to Sant Julia de Loria, 269km
R02 - Sant Julia de Loria to Pierrefitte Nestalas, 290km
R03 - Pierrefitte Nestalas to Barbastro, 291km
R04 - Barbastro to Puig Reig, 266km
R05 - Puig Reig to Figueres, 268km
R06 - Figueres to Quillan, 243km
R07 - Quillan to Gironam, 286km
Have fun driving these routes!
Bordering the Pyrenees is Catalonia, the hinterland of Barcelona. No wonder many new models of motorcycles are introduced to the press in Catalonia. There are many great ways to test the new models there. An additional advantage is that it is very quiet! You would almost say 'too quiet' because there is a danger that at some point you will use the entire width of the road, under the guise of 'you won't see oncoming traffic here'.... But let's keep it safe and stay on the right side of the center line.
These seven routes of this collection pass through these beautiful areas. Each and every one of these routes where especially the sides of the tires have a hard time. Whether on the gentle slopes in Catalonia or on the balcony roads in the Gorges in the French Pyrenees, make sure they're excited, because you can bet it's going to be exciting!
A few sights are discussed in the review for each route. These often tell something about the history of the area in which you drive. Fun facts, quite educational. There are also places where you can refuel and where you can drink coffee and/or have lunch. You are completely free to visit these places, you can of course also determine your own points of interest.
But the main thing you probably traveled to this area for is simply driving. And as mentioned above, you are in a true motorcycle paradise where the steering is fantastic!
Each route ends at a hotel. It is of course not an obligation to use these hotels, you can always find another place to stay in the area, that decision is up to you. My experience, however, is that they are all simple but good hotels for a very reasonable price. They are known and can be booked at booking.com.
The routes of these collections:
R01 - Girona to Sant Julia de Loria, 269km
R02 - Sant Julia de Loria to Pierrefitte Nestalas, 290km
R03 - Pierrefitte Nestalas to Barbastro, 291km
R04 - Barbastro to Puig Reig, 266km
R05 - Puig Reig to Figueres, 268km
R06 - Figueres to Quillan, 243km
R07 - Quillan to Gironam, 286km
Have fun driving these routes!
View Route Collection
Ten Day Roadtrip from Spain to Portugal
This route collection describes a 10-day Road trip in the north of Spain and Portugal, a true paradise for motorcycling.
You drive over beautiful mountain ridges and through beautiful valleys. Along the way you drive through beautiful villages and countless nature reserves, great passes with countless curves, tunnels cut out of the mountains and azure blue reservoirs. The roads are fair to good, sometimes unpaved.
What you get to see along the way;
Spanish Pyrenees
Parc Naturel del Cadi-Moixero
Serra del Cadí
Serra de Moixeró
Pedraforca
Serra del Monsec
Collada de Clarà
Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido
Collados del Asón Natural Park.
Parque natural Saja-Besaya
Parque natural de Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre
Parque natural de la Montana de Riano y Mampodre
Picos de Europa
El Parque regional Montaña de Riaño y Mampodre
El Parque natural de Redes
The Sierra de la Culebra
Parque natural Montesinho
Along the routes there are more than enough nice places to stop for a short or longer period, these are described in the review and with a waypoint and POI included in the routes.
Have fun reading and planning your next motorcycle vacation.
If you have ridden these routes I would like to hear your feedback.
You drive over beautiful mountain ridges and through beautiful valleys. Along the way you drive through beautiful villages and countless nature reserves, great passes with countless curves, tunnels cut out of the mountains and azure blue reservoirs. The roads are fair to good, sometimes unpaved.
What you get to see along the way;
Spanish Pyrenees
Parc Naturel del Cadi-Moixero
Serra del Cadí
Serra de Moixeró
Pedraforca
Serra del Monsec
Collada de Clarà
Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido
Collados del Asón Natural Park.
Parque natural Saja-Besaya
Parque natural de Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre
Parque natural de la Montana de Riano y Mampodre
Picos de Europa
El Parque regional Montaña de Riaño y Mampodre
El Parque natural de Redes
The Sierra de la Culebra
Parque natural Montesinho
Along the routes there are more than enough nice places to stop for a short or longer period, these are described in the review and with a waypoint and POI included in the routes.
Have fun reading and planning your next motorcycle vacation.
If you have ridden these routes I would like to hear your feedback.
View Route Collection