Monday 10th July: Weather 18°C to 24°C: cool morning warm, misty rain midday, sunny afternoon
Loudenvielle: 18.0k walk: 6hrs 15mins: 9.00am to 3.15pm
Altitude Gain and Loss: Total Ascent 984m: Total Descent 984m
Accommodation: BnB Les Noisetiers
Roses in the garden of Noisetiers
Highlight today was firstly hiking up to Peyragudes, where Le Tour finishes on Thursday 13th July, then across to the Col de Peyresourde where it crosses 3k from the end. We sussed out a good spot to squat near the top of the col on Thursday when we walk up the other side from Bagneres de Luchon.
A lazy start to the day with a few phone calls home before breakfast at 8am. Jean Marc has just returned with fresh baguettes, and the breakfast table has a spread of home made jams, yoghurt, cereal, fresh fruit and a heavy nutty cinnamon cake. There’s a French couple sitting opposite who seem to be either friends or rellies of Laurence and Jean Marc as they’re chatting away like they’ve known each other for years. After breakfast, Ian packs his backpack with lunch of yesterdays baguette, butter, 2 cheeses, and picnic plates with his Jetboil and at 9am we set off up the GR10 towards Germ.
Campervans rolling in for Le Tour
Chalets of Peyragudes above
Road to Peyragudes
16% tarmac Aeroporte
Finish of Le Tour at Peyragudes
Le Tour in town Thursday 13th July
Pick the Patou - sheep dog
Col de Peyresourde 1569m
Old sign at Col de Peyresourde
Lunch with view of hairpin bend
Camper vams rolling in
Start of climb up to Peyragudes
Home via forest from Loudervielle to Loudenvielle
It’s a 1hr steep climb along a well graded forested track to the pretty village of Germ sitting on a plateau above Loudenvielle. From there we follow the track labelled 6A, a local yellow track up to Peyragudes, a ski resort where the Tour de France will finish on Thursday. When we emerge from the forest, we can see the ski chalets of Peyragudes perched high above us and it’s an easy walk up a track and then a road to the Aeroporte, the only airport in the High Pyrenees. The bitumen tarmac is 30 metre wide by about 200 metres long with a steep 16% down hill run. Presumably planes whiz down and float off over the valley, and on landing, the steep uphill angle slows them down. While having a cup of hot powdered milk (I forgot the coffee), we watch the tourists and a team of guys writing signs with paper cut outs in the grass in readiness for Le Tour.
We’re not sure if Le Tour finishes exactly here and walk 500 metres to the next set of chalets where we’re told for sure “le tour fini a l’aeroporte” and when we return we see a sign indicating the end of a climb to Peryagudes at 1620m. There’s a few touristy shops open, some of them with signs that they are only open for teh 5 days this week - for Le Tour - usually these ski towns are dead all summer. So we buy a fresh baguette and toss yesterdays in the bin. Then follow an old road for about 3k to the Col de Peyresourde (1659m) , closely watched by a sheep dog guarding his flock on the hills above. We move quickly to the col, past hundreds of camper vans already parked by the side of the road in very precarious positions. Then over the other side of the col to see the winding road looping and zig zagging up the valley from Bagneres du Luchon.
The mist has rolled in and it’s a bit cool as we climb over the road rail to sit on a ledge for lunch, with a view of cyclists, camper vans, cattle and sheep on the green mountains above. The fresh baguette is too nice and with our butter, cheese and tomato, it’s almost finished. There’s a spot down in the valley, about 3k from the col, that looks like a good possie for Thursday. It will mean a 12k walk up from Luchon and a late 12k walk back after Le Tour passes through at about 5.15pm. The sun comes out just as we leave to walk back to the col and down to Loudenvielle. Now we can see the full layout of the route for Le Tour. The cyclists come up to the Col de Peyresourde from Luchon, then down to a turn off on the other side, and back up to the finish at Peyregudes, the last part of the climb on the Aeroporte tarmac at 16%.
It’s turned into a beautiful day as we stroll down the road with cars, vans and cyclists whizzing by in both directions. At Loudervielle (very confusing, a different village to Loudenvielle spelt with an “r” not an “n”), there’s a track down to Loudenvielle through the forest and we elect to get off the main road and take this track back. It’s a beautiful walk and brings us back to our BnB at Noisetiers at 3.15pm.
Time to have a shower and wash the usual shirts, socks and undies. Time for a bit of blogging while Ian trots off to the Carrefour Montagne for a beer, red wine (it’s a bit cooler today so I don’t need a cold rose), capsicum, olives and tomato. An early dinner at 6pm in the beautiful rose garden sitting at the 5m slab table. A light casual dinner of cheese, capsicum, bread and butter with a red wine. We’re still full after demolishing a whole baguette at lunchtime. It’s a little cooler today, so we don’t last long and soon retire to our attic for an early night.