Ainsa to Andorra
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RouteXpert Paul Hedges - Adv RouteXpert
Last edit: 03-01-2020
Route Summary
A days riding that is full of many turns, constantly changing landscapes through 3 countries. A tough day that is not for the light hearted, but well worth the effort
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Verdict
Duration
7h 35m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
393.85 km
Countries
View from RP15
RouteXpert Review
Leaving Ainsa on the N-260 it is a perfect start to days riding. It is a smooth easy rind that seem to bring the mountains closer on each long curve. There are lots of wide-open spaces which reveals long vistas as you move through the countryside passing Spanish villages sat on top of the hills around you.AS you pass through Foradada del Toscar (RP2) the sign says 1020m but with all the mountains around you it does not feel that high. But as the road slopes downwards and as you approach Navarri (RP3) you realise how high you have been.
On leaving Campo the N-260 changes to be the A-136, it gets much narrower and the rock face seems to be right to the side of the road. As you exit the tunnel (RP5) the scenery changes as the walls have come close together and the road seems to sit at the base of a crack in the cliffs. The road is very narrow with no real place to stop, RP6 might be your only chance to pull over and take some pictures.
The N-260 returns and you are back to a 2-lane road, but the curves and corners do not stop, the long hairpin bends and soft slopes hide the fact that you are once again gaining altitude.
As you reach Coll de Espina (RP9) the view is spectacular, and the road keeps delivering view after view followed by long curve after curve.
A quick stop for coffee as you join the N-230 and then it is north through the valley connecting Aragon and Catalonia. This is a perfect riding road for those that like to just sit there and move from corner to corner while enjoying what nature has to offer. Once again it is another tunnel that delivers a different view from when you entered as the reservoir of Embalse de Baserca is suddenly up to the side of the road. This is one of those picturesque mountain views that just appears while you are riding (RP12)
Turning left onto the N-141 the hairpin turns start again as you move upwards as you approach Mirador de Bossòst and the chance to pull over and take some pictures (RP15)
The road changes to the D618A as you enter France as you ride through the forest, the road continues to deliver great riding as the hairpins head down the mountainside until you reach the town of Bagnères-de-Luchon, where it is time to take a fuel break(RP18) Continuing up the D125 the road is much faster than before and soon you take a right towards Saint Beat on the D44 and then the twists and turns are all you get for the next 30 minutes, each corner seems to lead to the next all the way to the D88, and the road just keeps going around corners. The D618 is less twisty but at the same time there are as many curves to enjoy. The steep road heads and turns and turns until you arrive at Illartein (RP29) Time for some lunch at Café Grand Prix.
Follow the D618 and then take a right onto the D4 before turning off again onto the D17, the road it narrow twisty and slow. But the riding is amazing, all the way to Col de la Core (RP33) where it is a chance to take some more pictures of great views.
Riding through some of the small villages the roads are very narrow, just enough for one car so care needs to be taken. Turning left onto the D3 the road has small villages along the way which gives a change to the trees that have been visible for so long. A left turn and join the D618 to wind through more forests on a very narrow road. A coffee break in Esquen (RP38) and then it is back to riding the many curves in front of you. This continues until Tarascon-sur-Ariège and the N20, after the small roads of most of the day 2 lanes each way feels very wide and very fast. And for the next 30 minutes the landscapes changes as fast as you are riding. Trees disappear as wide-open fields are on either side of the road. As the road changes to the N22 and you near the France/Andorra border it almost seems barren after all the forest roads throughout the day. There are 2 choices when arriving in Andorra, a long tunnel through the mountain or more high roads with lots of hairpins, simple choice!
One final stop for some tax-free fuel and fight your way through the oppressing traffic and it is a welcoming sight to see our hotel for the night
This route got 4 1/2 stars, it was a tough day's ride as some of the mountain roads are tight and twisty and a slow average speed. But the scenery makes up for it. Three countries in a day and not a bad road
View from RP9
Riding through RP5
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Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Occitanie
About this region
Occitanie (French pronunciation: [ɔksitani] (listen); Occitan: Occitània [utsiˈtanjɔ]; Catalan: Occitània [uksiˈtaniə]), Occitany or Occitania (), is the southernmost administrative region of metropolitan France excluding Corsica, created on 1 January 2016 from the former regions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées. The Council of State approved Occitanie as the new name of the region on 28 September 2016, coming into effect on 30 September 2016.The modern administrative region is named after the larger cultural and historical region of Occitania, which corresponds with the southern third of France. The region Occitanie as it is today covers a territory similar to that ruled by the Counts of Toulouse in the 12th and 13th centuries. The banner of arms of the Counts of Toulouse, known colloquially as the Occitan cross, is used by the modern region and is also a popular cultural symbol. In 2015, Occitanie had a population of 5,839,867.
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The routes have been carefully created by Bert Loorbach, who is an enthusiastic motorcyclist himself. He lived in France for a year and a half, during which time he devoted himself to mapping the unknown and beautiful back roads of France especially for motorcyclists.
The routes are bundled in the Motortourgids France part 1 of Kosmos publishing house and now also available in MyRouteApp.
I have taken over the routes in MRA and sometimes adjusted them slightly to make them even more interesting for the motorcyclist.
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This collection of 24 routes comes from Motortourgids France part 2. In this collection, a difference has been made between approach routes and motorcycle tours in a certain area. The approach routes can also be used in combination with the routes from Motortourgids France part 1
The routes are sometimes slightly adjusted based on the tips that Bert Loorbach gives in his description, or because of another place to spend the night, or to reach the minimum length of 2 hours for the MRA Library. For each route, the review contains a more detailed description, including options to stay overnight or places of interest along the way, which are also indicated with a POI and if possible with a short description.
Two or more routes have been created for a number of areas, such as for Burgundy, Auvergne, The Alps, Tarn and Cévennes and Nord-Pas de Calais. These routes can be nicely combined in a multi-day trip.
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