Retro Etape 1910

Route & Col Profiles

Day 1 – airport transfer and warm-up
We collect you from Toulouse airport and transfer you to our base in Bertren, near to the stage start in Luchon, where you’ll have the chance to build up your bike and head out on a warm-up ride. The real mountain goats may wish to try a local climb and there are plenty to choose from, with the Col de Mente, the Col des Ares and the mighty Port de Bales all within easy range. Others will prefer to take things easier and keep their powder dry for Day 2 and the other challenges which lie ahead.

Day 2 – Luchon to Argeles Gazost (118km; 3150m climbing,  with vehicle back-up)
The climbs rather than the distance make this ride a challenge as you’ll successively tackle the cols of Peyresourde, Aspin and Tourmalet.

Day 3 – Argeles-Gazost to Bayonne (208km; 2350m climbing, with vehicle back-up)
By Day 2’s standards, the climbing today is more modest, albeit with 28km to get from Argeles to the summit of the Aubisque (via the Col de Soulor), it may not initially feel that way. After the Aubisque, the last remaining categorized climb is the Cat 3 Osquich, albeit the finishing kilometers through the Basque Country to Bayonne contain any number of smaller, demanding climbs.

Day 4 – Bayonne to return airport
You may elect to fly home from Biarritz  airport, which is only 10km from Bayonne (e.g. to Bristol or London, Stansted) or from Toulouse airport. For the latter we recommend the outbound flights later in the day as it isn’t practical to provide airport transfers from the Atlantic coast back to Toulouse in time to check in for morning flights.