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 separates 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 miniature state of Andorra lies between these two countries.
The Pyrenees are a true paradise for motorcyclists: Beautiful views and magnificent winding roads between imposing mountains. This route covers a part of those roads where enjoyment is of paramount importance. Hence, my rating for this route is 5 stars.

The route starts at Grand Hotel de France in Pierrefitte-Nestalas, located in the French Pyrenees. As soon as we leave this town, you drive on the winding D13 through a beautiful green environment. You will also pass nice villages where it sometimes seems as if time has stood still. And usually they seem deserted, but the cars in front of the houses say something different.

After about 10 kilometers, turn right onto the D103 and head towards Lourdes. Just before you arrive in this (world) famous place you will pass two sights. The first is the Pic du Jer. From this point you can take an ancient train, pulled up on a cable, to a viewpoint at an altitude of 900 meters from where you have a beautiful view over Lourdes.
You can also take a cave walk at this height. 20,000 years ago, at the end of the Ice Age, the water from the melting glaciers infiltrated and the Pic du Jer hollowed out at the top. Rocky debris was deposited and blocked access to the caves, leaving a passage of only a few meters. Work was being done to connect the various natural crevices and hollows beneath the Pic. The corridors have been open to the public since 1958. See the link below for more information.
Back down you can cross the square to visit the 'House of Seismic Knowledge'. In this museum you can learn everything about earthquakes. Not the most enjoyable subject, but in the museum it is explained in words, images and movement. Using the displays where you can press buttons to simulate earthquakes and see their effect on buildings, the seismometer that records the ground movements generated by stamping your feet, not to mention the earthquake simulator that allows you to experience historical earthquakes. Very educational and the staff is super motivated to explain things.
For more information about opening hours and entrance, see the link below.

Once back in the saddle, you will enter Lourdes. If you feel the need to take a look in the center, you can follow the signs 'La Grotte'. A little later, follow the 'P Boissarie' signs to reach one of the nearest parking places. From there it is a short walk towards 'Domaine du sanctuaire de Lourdes', where the 'Grotto of Massabielle' and the 'Basilica of the Immaculate Conception' can be found.
Why is Lourdes so famous? In 1858, Bernadette Soubirous, then a 14-year-old girl, stated that between February 11 and July 16 of that year, she had seen several apparitions of "a white lady" in the cave of Massabielle outside the village. Eighteen apparitions that were not long afterwards regarded by ecclesiastical dignitaries as those of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Bernadette never said that she had seen Maria. She spoke of a beautiful girl, about her own age, about the same height, in white, with whom she spoke face to face as if they were friends. She asked for her name, but then the apparition smiled. It was not until March 25 at the 16th apparition, "Aquero" (that's how she called the apparition) revealed her name (in the local dialect): "I am the Immaculate Conception." In any case, she conveyed this 'name', this phrase, which she did not understand - repeating it all the time - to Father Abbé Peyramale, who was convinced by it of the authenticity of the apparitions. How could such an illiterate poor peasant girl know that term known only to clergy and theologians?
The white young lady asked her to do penance for the sinners, for prayer, and to ask the priests for a chapel. She let Bernadette discover the well and she had to wash herself with that initially muddy water.
In 1864, a statue was erected in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes at the site of the apparitions in the cave. A chapel was built that soon became too small and became the crypt for the first basilica, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Over the years, two more basilicas and several other buildings were added, all of which are now part of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. (source: Wikipedia)

After leaving Lourdes you drive on the Route du Pau / Lourdes (D937) towards the (north) west. After about 14 kilometers you will pass the Caves of Bétharram. According to the website (see link below), the Bétharram caves are the most beautiful in Europe and certainly the most curious to visit: they offer visitors, due to their diversity, the key to the formation of almost all caves that are dead or in full activity .
The visited part of the caves extends for 2.8 km with an impressive drop of 80 meters. The underground course of the river is 3.5 km. You enter the mountain through a natural opening: the upper part contains large chambers rich in deposits. The gorge connects this floor with that of the river. The lower part follows a natural canyon, witness to the action of the water. You exit through an artificial tunnel dug from 1913 to 1924.
The caves of Bétharram are located in two departments: you enter via the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and exit via the Hautes-Pyrénées.
Currently you are welcomed in a large shaded car park with 500 spaces for passenger cars. A shuttle will then take you to the entrance of the caves which is 2 km higher. On completion of the visit, the little train that transports you will stop in front of a beautiful building from 1924. In this hall, souvenirs, minerals, fossils and postcards are offered. The underground circuit ends at the car and bus parking lot.

You follow the Route du Pau / Lourdes again and not much later you drive south via the D35 and D126. In this part of the route you drive through the regional nature reserve of the Pibeste-Aoulhet massif. This is a regional nature reserve in the Pyrenees Mountains in the Occitanie region. It has had this status since 2012, occupies an area of 5,110 hectares and since its classification is the largest regional nature reserve in France.
The reserve includes summer pastures, wooded and rocky environments. The forest covers more than 50% of the territory. In any case, it is a great area to drive through!

At about 15 kilometers before the Spanish border you drive along the Lac de Fabréges. First you see the gigantic dam, one big bucket of concrete. When you stand under it and look at it, you feel very small. Nice place for a photo.
A little further on you can turn left to visit the Artouste Train. That is, according to the website, the highest train in Europe, not counting the various funicular trains. The track was built in 1924 for the construction of a dam, but has been used for tourism purposes since the 1930s. He will take you from the Pic de la Sagette (accessible by gondola from the village of Fabrèges) to Lake Artouste and the dam.
The ride takes an hour, through the green valley of Soussouéou and then over the mountain flank above the impressive precipices. At the end station there is a beautiful view over the valley of Soussouéou, the peaks of Cézy or Amoulat, and the Arcizette. A special journey of 10 km through the high mountains: landscapes, flora and fauna ... you can't believe!

At the top of the Col du Portalet you cross the border with Spain. The A-136, a beautifully landscaped road with breathtaking views, meanders through this Spanish part of the Pyrenees. This party lasts almost 30 kilometers, certainly no punishment!
At Biescas you leave the A-136 and exchange it for the N260-a. Driving on this road is just as fantastic as on the A-136. One bend after the other provides a view, beautiful views along the way make the enjoyment complete.

Along this road you will also find the ghost village of Jonovas. Actually a sad story ....
Since the 1950s, engineers had planned to build a dam here. Residents of Javonas and nearby villages were warned that they would have to leave their homes in a few years. In the 1960s, the company took it more seriously and urged the locals to leave. Yet many continued to live in their beautiful village. After all, it was their home.
This drove the company crazy. They started damaging abandoned houses in the village with dynamite. Children around or not, that didn't bother them.
The school board refused to close the school as long as there were still students present. On February 4, 1966, the company came to the school, the teacher dragged her hair out in front of the children. The school was closed, they burned the crops, cut down fruit trees and everything else so that the villagers would leave. Still, a few families were left in this hostile atmosphere, but eventually they too left the village in 1984.
A few years later, the company ceased construction on the dam, probably due to changes in plans or lack of funding. In Jonovas, after so many years, most of the houses had been terribly damaged. Some houses were empty, there were no roads. In 2005 the dam was officially closed, but still no one was allowed to return to Javonas. A number of houses have now been renovated. Money is needed to make this village livable again. But whether that will ever work ...
If you want to visit Jonova, please note. From the tightly asphalted road N-260 you drive on a gravel road for about 600 meters. So be careful!

Further south, you have already been driving on the A-138 for a few kilometers, you will come to the exit to the A2210. Well what can I say ... A great road, send 22 kilometers, send and send again. Almost every bend provides you with a beautiful view of the beautiful surroundings, consisting of hills, rocks and low bushes. About halfway you also pass the Puerto del Pino with a pass height of 1018 meters.
A smile on your face shows up here anyway. It will come as no surprise to me that at the end of the 22 great kilometers, there are motorcyclists who say 'we will do that again!'
After this 'steering violence' you may have to recover, which is why an extra pause is included in the route.

After this possible extra break, the route gently winds its way to the final destination from there, hotel San Ramón del Somontano in Barbastro. A nice hotel in the center where life is good.

Have fun driving this route!