Picos, Pyrenees, Dordogne & Loire
Portsmouth to Spain by ferry, seven riding days on the great roads of the Pyrenees, the Dordogne and the Loire, and the overnight boat home from Caen. No motorways, either way.
Thursday sailing · seven Pyrenean cols · a night in Blois
Off the Thursday evening boat at Bilbao on Saturday morning, straight into Navarre and the Foz de Arbayún. Two days on the big cols — Pierre Saint-Martin, Marie-Blanque, Aubisque, Soulor, Tourmalet, Aspin and the Hourquette d’Ancizan. Then down into Gascony, along the Dordogne past Beynac and La Roque-Gageac, across the Millevaches plateau to Blois on the Loire, and up through the Perche to the Caen boat. Home on Saturday morning. 1,033 miles, no motorways, chosen for the riding.
The seven riding days
Off the ferry, round Bilbao and south over the Puerto de Barazar, then east across Navarre by Vitoria, Estella and Sangüesa. At Lumbier the road turns into the mountains for the Foz de Arbayún — a limestone canyon with griffon vultures circling — then up the Roncal valley to Isaba, right under the frontier.
The shortest day — four cols with time to stop on every one. Over the Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin into France, the Marie-Blanque to the Ossau, then the Tour de France ground of the Aubisque, the Cirque du Litor and the Soulor, down to Argelès-Gazost.
Up the gorge to Luz-Saint-Sauveur and over the Col du Tourmalet at 2,115 m — the highest road pass in the French Pyrenees — then the Col d’Aspin to Arreau, back west over the quiet Hourquette d’Ancizan, and out of the mountains by Bagnères, Lourdes and the Gave de Pau.
Rolling farmland and vineyards all day on empty roads: Lembeye, Aire-sur-l’Adour, the Armagnac country round Éauze, Nérac with its château of Henri IV. Across the Garonne at Aiguillon, up the Lot valley by Monflanquin and Issigeac into Bergerac on the Dordogne.
A short day, built for stopping. The river road through Lalinde and the Cingle de Trémolat, then the D703 past Beynac and La Roque-Gageac, lunch in medieval Sarlat, Lascaux in the afternoon, then north through Uzerche to Treignac on the edge of the Millevaches plateau.
The long one, and the emptiest roads of the trip. Across the Plateau de Millevaches — granite, forest, lakes, almost no cars — then north into the Brenne, the land of a thousand lakes. Loches and its royal citadel, then the Loire at Chaumont-sur-Loire and along the river into Blois.
Up through Vendôme into the Perche — Mondoubleau, Bellême, Mortagne — hilly, wooded, forgotten. Sées, Argentan, then Falaise and the castle where William the Conqueror was born, across the Caen plain to the Ouistreham terminal. Dinner in Caen before the boat.
Portsmouth → Bilbao
Brittany Ferries · Thursday 19:00 sailing · two nights aboard, cabin included · roll off at Bilbao 07:00 Saturday morning and straight onto Day 1.
Ouistreham → Portsmouth
Brittany Ferries · overnight · boards 23:30 Friday, docks Portsmouth 06:15 Saturday morning · cabin compulsory.
Good to know — Option A
- Riding times are time in the saddle at normal road speed. Add your own stops.
- No motorways, anywhere. Every road was chosen for the riding.
- Seven Pyrenean cols on Days 2 and 3. The Tourmalet tops out at 2,115 m — carry a layer even in summer.
- One border crossing on Day 2, Spain into France — just a sign.
- The high cols are closed by snow from November to late May. The tour runs in the open months.
- Fuel is in the valley towns, not on the cols. Fill up before the climbs on Days 2 and 3.
- Day 1 starts straight off the ferry — allow 30–45 minutes to disembark.
- Hotels and sailing dates are confirmed with your quote.
Friday sailing · the Picos de Europa · Brantôme and Saumur
Off the Friday evening boat at Santander on Sunday morning, straight into the Desfiladero de la Hermida. Two Picos days on the biggest limestone in Europe, then east through the Rioja, over the Col du Pourtalet and the full length of the Vallée d’Ossau. Down into Gascony, up the Dronne valley to Brantôme, along the Vienne by Chauvigny to Saumur on the Loire, and across the Alpes Mancelles and the Suisse Normande to the Caen boat. Home on Sunday morning. 1,153 miles, no motorways.
The seven riding days
Off the ferry and into the mountains. Past Comillas and inland at Unquera into the Desfiladero de la Hermida — twenty kilometres of limestone gorge. Through Potes, up over the Puerto de San Glorio at 1,609 m, down to Riaño, then back north over the Pontón and down the Desfiladero de los Beyos to Cangas de Onís.
East along the north face of the Picos through Arenas de Cabrales — cheese country, and the Mirador del Pozo de la Oración looks straight at the Naranjo de Bulnes. Up the Hermida gorge a second time with morning light in it, then south-east over the Puerto de Piedrasluengas and across the Palencia plain to Burgos.
Out through the Pancorbo gorge, along the Rioja Alavesa vineyards to the walled hilltop town of Laguardia, then up to the Balcón de la Rioja with the Ebro valley laid out below. Along the Sierra de Cantabria ridge through Bernedo and Campezo to Estella, then Pamplona.
Along the old road on the north shore of the Yesa reservoir to Jaca, then up the Tena valley through Biescas and Sallent to the Col du Pourtalet at 1,794 m — the frontier, with the Pic du Midi d’Ossau straight ahead. Down the whole length of the Vallée d’Ossau into Pau.
North through the Landes edge, across the Garonne at Marmande, through the vineyards of Duras and over the Dordogne at Sainte-Foy-la-Grande. The last hour is the best: the Dronne valley through Tocane and Lisle to the château of Bourdeilles, then into Brantôme, the abbey town built on an island in the Dronne.
Up through the Périgord-Limousin park by Nontron, Rochechouart and Bellac, then the quiet D54 to Le Dorat and down to Montmorillon on the Gartempe. Along the Vienne to Chauvigny — five medieval castles on one ridge — through Richelieu, then along the Loire bank by Candes-Saint-Martin and Montsoreau into Saumur.
North from the Loire through Baugé and Sablé-sur-Sarthe into the Alpes Mancelles — the road drops into the wooded gorge of the Sarthe at Saint-Léonard-des-Bois — then through the Normandie-Maine park to the Suisse Normande, the green valley of the Orne at Clécy, across the Caen plain to Ouistreham.
Portsmouth → Santander
Brittany Ferries · Friday evening sailing · about 32–33 hours, two nights aboard, cabin included · roll off at Santander on Sunday morning and straight onto Day 1.
Ouistreham → Portsmouth
Brittany Ferries · overnight · boards 23:30 Saturday, docks Portsmouth 06:15 Sunday morning · cabin compulsory.
Good to know — Option B
- Riding times are time in the saddle at normal road speed. Add your own stops.
- No motorways, anywhere. Every road was chosen for the riding.
- You ride the Hermida gorge both ways — in the afternoon on Day 1 and in morning light on Day 2.
- One border crossing on Day 4, Spain into France over the Pourtalet.
- The Pourtalet is 1,794 m and San Glorio is 1,609 m. Carry a layer even in summer.
- Day 1 starts straight off the ferry — allow 30–45 minutes to disembark.
- Day 7 ends at the Ouistreham terminal for the 23:30 sailing, with time for dinner.
- Hotels and sailing dates are confirmed with your quote.
Like the look of either option?
Hotels, sailing dates and the price depend on when you want to ride and which option you pick. Send your preferred week and group size — a full quote comes back within a day or two.
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