Frequently Asked Questions

Road Biking | Mountain Biking | Travel | General

Road biking

Q: Which Cols and climbs are near to the base at Bertren
A: Our central position roughly half-way across the mountain range means we have great access to a huge range of cols / climbs - including a host of 'the famous ones' and some 'undiscovered gems'. Specifically, you'll probably be interested in riding some of the following which are within comfortable riding range:

• Col des Ares
• Col de Mente
• Col de Peyresourde
• Col du Tourmalet
• Col de Portillon
• Superbagnere
• Hautacam
• Col de Portet d'Aspet
• Col d'Aspin
• Col d'Aubisque
• Col d'Artigascou
• Port de Bales

For more details check out this link: roadlibertycols

Q: How far is the Tourmalet away from the base at Bertren?
A: There are two ways to reach the east side of the Tourmalet from Bertren. These are both great rides offering an excellent build up to the climb itself.

Option 1 - 68km to the foot of the Tourmalet, riding over the Col d'Aspin which is a 12km climb then 11km descent into St Marie de Campan which sits at the base of the Tourmalet.
Option 2 - 78km to the foot, looping around the foothills via Bagnere de Bigorre to St Marie de Campan.

(The eastern slope ascent of the Tourmalet is a 17.9km climb)

Q: Do I need a triple chainring to ride in the Pyrenees?
A: The climbs are challenging and long if you have never been to a mountain area like the Pyrenees or the Alps before, so many riders prefer to come equipped with either a triple ring, a compact chainset or a large ratio rear cassette (25+). It just gives you that bit in reserve if you have a bad day and are finding the going difficult.
Long gradients of 7-8% are common in the Pyrenees, with plenty of 10-14% sections and the occasional 17% ramp.

Q: Can I hire a road bike from PyrActif?
A: Certainly. We keep a selection of titanium and carbon framed bikes from Merlin, Litespeed, Airborne, Trek & Focus. Some are set up with Campagnolo groupsets and triple rings. The others have Shimano Ultegra with a compact 50/34 double chainring. We have frame sizesfrom 49 to 57 and stock of a variety of stems. Pedals are not supplied with bikes so it is best to bring your own, along with compatible shoes. Many customers also choose to bring their own saddle.
Bike hire per day: 30 euros (approx GBP22). For more details of our rental bikes click here
Please confirm as part of your booking if you would like a rental/hire bike.

Q: What is the typical ride time on the Coast to Coast trip?
A: Approximately 30-35 hours over a 6-day trip. With lunch stops, photo stops at the summits of climbs and the odd cafe break, we find that even groups with a wide range of riding levels have regular opportunities to re-group. So each rider can pace themselves according to how good they feel on a day by day basis.

Q: What facilities / activities do you have locally for my non-cycling partner?
A: Walking/hiking, sight-seeing (the area is steeped in history, with cathedrals, chateaux and villages that seem to have been untouched for hundreds of years), horse riding / pony trekking, kayaking. The mountains are also popular with bird watchers and artists. To make the most of the area it's best to bring or hire a car.

Q: What sort of riding level are the Liberty Road and Epic Cols trips aimed at?
A: Our philosophy is to try to make sure every rider who visits us enjoys their trip. So 'Liberty Road' is a format which is very much tailored to the individual or group. You tell us what sort of terrain / distance you want to ride each day; we plan a daily route for you (that will also take into account weather conditions). We'll aim to include an enjoyable lunch stop if you want one and you'll ride with a fully marked-up map to aid navigation. Epic Cols isn't a novice ride, but can be tackled by any fit rider provide they judge the pace properly and hold a little back for the bigger climbs if they arrive later in the day's ride.

Q: Is Pyrenean riding all about riding up long, difficult cols?
A: Heck, no - we get to do the downhills too! In all seriousness, when you go out of the gate of the Pyractif base you have the choice of turning right (south) to head into the mountains (where you will find cols and climbs to suit all levels) or left (north) into fantastic flat and rolling routes on minor roads that hardly see any traffic. With a landscape dotted with charming villages you quickly absorb the hardy, rustic character of the Pyrenees. The network of roads in this area make the range of circuits for all ability levels almost endless.

Q: What do I need to bring with me?
A: We will send you a recommended 'kit-list' when you book your trip. The basic advice would be to bring the normal cycle clothing and a good layering system to deal with the changing mountain climate. At altitude, weather conditions can change very quickly and you shouldn't under-estimate the 'wind-chill factor' on the descents that can start from 2100m above sea level.

Q: What are the arrangements for lunch-time meals?
A: At the PyrActif base in Bertren we provide a complete guest kitchen for your use. This gives you the facilities to make up packed lunches for your ride if you prefer and there is a fully stocked supermarket only 2km away from Bertren to pick up supplies. Alternatively, daily road rides are planned with the option of a cafe stop if required. On our Coast-to-Coast and Castle-to-Coast trips riders usually contribute to a 'kitty' and we organise lunch, on-the-road drinks, energy bars etc (all of which are carried in the support vehicles) from this fund. The support vehicles will meet up with you regularly through the day or can be flagged down if you see them on the road and need supplies.

Q: Can PyrActif organize a bespoke trip/ride for my group?
A: Absolutley, no problem. Some years, up to a third of our schedule will be bespoke trips. Jjust drop us a line or give us a call to discuss your requirements.

Road Biking | Mountain Biking | Travel | General

Mountain biking

Q: Is PyrActif a Downhill or Cross-Country MTB company
A: We are primarily a cross-country MTB company. Our routes are set out with both climbing and descending involved to suit all levels of rider.

Q: Do you cover the same itinerary every week on the Grin Factor?
A. No, each week is usually different. We will flex the itinerary every week to suit that group of customers' Grin Factor, their experience, the weather etc. Our riding is in the area of the Barousse, Luchon, Aspet, and Mourtis giving you a great variety of trails and a chance to discover a big part of the Pyrenees region.
Rides start straight from the Bertren base or we load up the Landrover and access trailheads that way. In season, we also use the cable car systems (July and August only). Options for trails and circuits in these areas are endless.

Q: What ability level of mountain biker do you cater for?
A: Our customers ride at all levels. It is necessary to have some previous experience riding offroad, but you will find your technical ability will grow as your week progresses.

Q: How fit do I need to be?
A: A base level of fitness is an advantage and you will find your fitness level will grow as the week progresses.

Q: How technical are the trails?
A: There are hundreds of kilometers of good, rideable trails in the area. And there are a good mixture of trails which will suit all technical abilities.

Q: What do I need to do to my bike before I arrive?
A: Your holiday could be ruined if your bike does not work correctly. It is best to give your bike a service and check over before you arrive. If you are unsure on bike maintenance put your bike into your local shop for a service.

Q: What tyres are best for the Pyrenees?
A: Any good, knobbly mountain bike tyre. We do not recommend semi-slicks.

Q: Hardtail or Full Sus?
A: This area is suited to hard tails fitted with front suspension or light-weight to medium-weight full suspension bikes. The climbing does not suit heavy, downhill-specific bikes.

Q: Can I rent/hire a mountain bike?
A: A good percentage of our customers bring their own bikes. But we also have a small selection of hardtail hire bikes. Please check availability / sizes when you are booking your trip.

Q: What do I need to bring with me?
A: We will send you a list of recommended items to bring upon booking, but basically you will need your normal cycle clothing and a good layering system to deal with the changing mountain climates and the variations in altitude when you are climbing and descending.

Q: What do we do for lunch time meals?
A: At the PyrActif base in Bertren we offer a complete kitchen for customers use. This gives you the facilities to make up sandwiches etc. Supermarkets are only 2km away from Bertren. On most daily rides we find a great scenic place on the mountain side to eat our sandwiches and take a break.

Q: Can PyrActif organize a custom made trip/ride for my group?
A: Yes, absolutely no problem, just drop us a line or give us a call to discuss your requirements.

Road Biking | Mountain Biking | Travel | General

Travel

Q: What time do I need to get a flight to meet up with the complementary airport transfer?
A: The best flights to arrange are the morning flights arriving and departing from Toulouse. We leave the base at Bertren on Saturday mornings to coincide with check-in for flights departing from 9 a.m. onwards. Later in the morning, inbound flights begin to arrive and we stay to collect arriving customers up to 1.30 p.m. Arrivals later in the day have a range of straightforward transfer options to get to us at Bertren. French rail services in particular, are very good.

(We are unable to commit to get customers to the airport to check-in for flights departing Toulouse before 9 am. If you have an early flight you should consider travelling into Toulouse the night before and staying in a hotel close to the airport)

Q: I cannot find availability or a good price for a morning flight. What are the other options?
A: You can travel in on the Friday evening and stay in Toulouse overnight ahead of the airport pick-up on Saturday morning (hotels start from 28 euros per room).
Or
You can fly in on an afternoon flight and catch a train to Montrejeau station which is 10 min away from our base. This is a very easy journey (see our travel section for more details)

Q: Why are there restrictions on airport transfer times?
A: Because it is not possible for us to cover all of the 17 hours per day that flights arrive into Toulouse airport. We are a small company and need to cater for the most popular in-bound flights.
Outside of our transfer times, the train journey is really very easy and reliable. Full instructions on how to reach us via bus/train will be provided on booking. There is an English-speaking section at the ticket office at Toulouse train station and the distance you have to carry your baggage and bike is approx 500m from the Airport shuttle bus to the train station.
For larger groups it is also possible and maybe cheaper, to take a taxi / minibus from Toulouse to PyrActif.

Q: How long is the transfer from Toulouse Airport to PyrActif?
A: By road it is 110km - average drive time, 1hour 30 min

Q: What time is the last train departing Toulouse ?
A: For up-to-date details, check a timetable on www.sncf.com - departure station is Toulouse-Metabif and destination is Montrejeau / Gourdan-Polignan

Q: What are the travel arrangements for the Coast to Coast ride?
A:There are 3 ways to travel in and out for the Coast to Coast road ride.

1/ Fly in from London Stansted airport (Ryanair) to Biarritz on the afternoon flight. The fly home from Carcassonne to Stansted (also Ryanair). The morning flight is best for transfer to the airport, but some customers prefer to take the afternoon flight as this gives them a chance to look around the medieval city and castle of Carcassonne. The airport is very close to the city if you take this option and you can get a taxi for approx 25 Euros.
Airport transfer times: Biarritz airport - Hotel = 5mins, Hotel - Carcassonne airport =15 min.

2/ Fly into and out of Toulouse airport. We can collect customers from Toulouse airport who arrive on flights up to 1.30 p.m. On the return leg, the earliest time we can get customers to Toulouse airport is for 9.30 a.m.
Airport transfer times: Toulouse - Biarritz = 3hrs 30min; Carcassonne - Toulouse = 1hr 15min.
Another option if you have an earlier or later flight from Toulouse is to take the train from Carcassone. See www.sncf.com for timetables.

3/ We have had requests in the past to either finish the Tour on the Friday so that customers can get back home for the weekend or to enable people to stay on at the Mediterranean coast and extend their holiday.
If you would like to get back to UK or other destinations for Friday this is normally possible by taking the late afternoon Ryanair flight out of Perpignan (25min away from the ride finish point) or by taking a train to Toulouse to meet a late afternoon flight.
See www.sncf.com for train timetables
We usually finish the ride into Argeles-sur-Mer at about 12.00 noon.

Q: Is it easy to travel with bikes on airlines?
A: Traveling with a bike is very easy now days. Your bike is normally required to be boxed or bagged. Observe the weight limit of your Airline you are traveling with. Consider putting heavier, easily detached parts into your hand baggage (e.g. pedals)

Q: Do we need to inform the airline we are traveling with a bike?
A: From our experience over the last 10 years, as long as you are within the weight limits of the airline you are not required to inform them beforehand that you are traveling with a bike. However, you may wish to check with your chosen airline when you book your flight. A bike box/bag is classed as one item of luggage. Most airlines' policy is an allowance of two pieces of luggage per passenger.
(Note - UK airlines like Easyjet will give you 10kg extra allowance for sports goods and Ryanair charge 15GBP for a bike but this will increase your overall baggage allowance)

Q: What are the practicalities of driving to PyrActif?
A: See our travel section for more details.

Road Biking | Mountain Biking | Travel | General

General questions

Q: Why should I choose PyrActif ?
A: We offer good value accommodation and riding packages that are run by cyclists for cyclists. We care about our customers and believe that our reputation stands or falls on whether you get the most out of your holiday/vacation. Our business has been based in this area for 13 years, providing a level of local knowledge that companies who simply trip into the Region cannot match.
Group sizes are kept to manageable numbers (usually 6-15) ensuring that you receive a personalised approach from your initial enquiry until you head home.

Q: Do single travelers go on PyrActif tours as well as groups?
A: Yes, we have a lot of single travelers as well as groups.

Q: What is the weather like through the year?
A: See our weather page

Q: How do I make a booking?
A: Drop us a line or give us a call to check availability for your preferred dates. If places are available we will be happy to pencil you in (we will hold your place for 10 days). You then simply need to return a completed booking form and deposit. All information is on our booking page.

Q: How do I pay a deposit to reserve a place?
A: Send a cheque with a completed booking form. Pay by Internet Banking. Or use your credit card via PayPal. All information is on our booking page.

If you have anymore questions please do not hesitate to contact us.