The House

The Bertren house from which our fixed-base trips run is named ‘Maison Garrigou’ in honour of Gustave Garrigou, winner of the 1911 Tour de France, 5-time podium finisher and 8-time stage winner. Most importantly of all, in 1910 Garrigou became the first man ever to successfully summit the Col du Tourmalet without having to get off at some point and walk. Chapeau, Gustave! 100 years on, it’s still no cake walk.

The property is a restored French farmhouse dating back to 1877. With five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a dining hall, separate guest kitchen/sitting room, TV lounge, free wi-fi access, a bike workshop, generous patio area, boules courtyard, table tennis area and bike washing deck, it provides you with a stay that combines comfort, practicality and rustic charm in equal measure.

The property provides single, twin, double and triple rooms; you won't be expected to share 'dormitory-style' lodgings with 6-8 people queuing for a single shower after a ride!

The TV lounge sits 9-10 people in comfort, benefits from a characterful log-burning stove in the cooler months and provides access to a range of UK TV channels, plus a selection of cycling orientated DVDs.

There is plenty of space at the dinner tables, so mealtimes are usually a great social occasion where tall tales of riding heroism get exchanged over a good meal and a beer or glass of wine!

If you’d prefer a self-catering arrangement, or if you’d simply like to be able to boil a kettle or make a sandwich after a ride, then the self-contained guest kitchen provides a 4-ring gas hob and oven, two refrigerators, tea & coffee making facilities and plenty of cutlery and crockery. Plus a farmhouse dining table for four and comfy chairs for another four people who might just be chewing over the adventures of the day rather than using the TV lounge.

The rear garden is a great place to relax after a day's riding