Sea-to-Sea
50%
tarmac
45%
gravel
1.000km
25.000m+
5%
rocks
2hrs
hike
The Pirenaica is a mixed-terrain bikepacking route across the Pyrenees. From the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, across high mountains, untamed forests and charming villages. Based on the TransPirenaica mtb route, the Pirenaica mainly follows hard-packed gravel roads and secondary lanes, including a few rocky descents, short single tracks and about two hours of hike-a-bike. It may be a long ride to the next small village, which requires some planning in stages and resupply. The route is usually ridden westbound in 10-15 days, it can be ridden eastbound with some extra hike-a-bike.
The route starts at Cap de Creus: a beautiful stretch of coastline made of cliffs and nice beaches. Train Stations are in Figueres and Vilajiuga. Nearby airports are Barcelona, Girona and Perpiñan.
The route ends at the Bay of Biscay: Irun, Hendaye and Saint-Jean-de-Luz are nice towns on the beach with all the facilities and train stations. You can easily arrange a cardboard box in a bike shop. Nearby airports are Biarritz, San Sebastian and Bilbao.
Bike box transfer: in Spain, you can ship your bike box from one post office to another, where they’ll store it for up to two weeks.
Train and busses usually allow bikes if packed in a bag or a box.
Resupply needs some planning as it may be a long ride to the next small village with restaurants and groceries. The longest sections are Baga to Llavorsí (120km 3100m+) and Llavorsí to Pont de Suert (110km 3050m+).
Water sources are all along the route, with plenty of fountains and mountain streams.
Bike Shops can only be found at Camprodon (km 150). Other small villages may have bike rentals with a few spares and a basic workshop.
Wild camping is not allowed in national parks and natural areas, restrictions are well reminded by signs. Along the route, there are many nice areas where wild camping is permitted. Set up late, strike early, and use some common sense to minimise your impact. Follow the Leave No Trace principles and never start campfires.
Equipped camping areas are all along the route, our recommendations are included in the route track as POI.
Unstaffed mountain huts may be useful shelters, especially in case of bad weather, some are better than others. Please keep them clean and tidy, and don’t leave any trash.
Accommodations like hotels, hostels, and bed and breakfasts are not frequent along the route, but with some planning, you can ride the route only sleeping in accommodations without the need to carry a sleeping system. It’s recommended to book in advance.
The route is rideable from mid-May to mid-October. July and September are usually the best months. As the landscape changes along the route, so does the weather: from the dry and sunny Mediterranean to the cold and humid Atlantic, including the high mountains climate and the infamous Spanish heat on the lower sections.
Temperatures may range from below 0°C to above 30°C. Afternoon storms are quite common during the summer, especially in June. Heat waves may affect a few sections of the route, especially in July and August.
What to ride: there’s no perfect bike for the route. A capable drop-bar machine with 45-50mm tyres is recommendable for a fast approach on a light setup, it will be great on the paved sections and gravel roads, but it will have to withstand a few rocky descents. A hardtail MTB is recommended for a relaxed approach with heavy setups, it will be fast and safe on rocky descents, but it will be slow on the paved sections. The elevation gain is the main challenge, choose low gearing, pack wisely and keep it as light as possible.
2 Liters of water capacity will be enough to ride to the next water source. A water filter is recommendable especially if you are wild camping.
Tools and spares: there are no proper bike shops along the route. Bring tubes, chain lube, chain links, a tubeless repair kit, and spare brake pads.
Clothing: be ready for freezing temperatures and heavy rains, bring a mid-layer, down jacket, thermal gloves and waterproof kit (jacket, pants, shoe covers).
Sleeping System: With proper stage planning, the route can be ridden solely relying on accommodation, eliminating the need to carry any sleeping system. A bivy setup will allow for sleeping outdoors at lower altitudes or in mountain huts. A tent provides the freedom and charm of camping in nature.
More information about bikes and gear in the 101 bikepacking handbook.
Unsupported, single-stage bikepacking event along the Pirenaica route. Riders are self-sufficient and fully responsible for their safety, logistics and resupply. Participants will be tracked in real-time with a GPS device and pass through two staffed control points to validate their ride. It’s not a race, it’s a personal challenge to finish the route before cut-off times. The event is open to a maximum of 99 riders of proven experience.
TERMS OF USE
Route Notes
Escalona, km590
The road “Barranco de Añisclo” to Nerín is often closed for maintenance or landslides. In case of road closure, ride the nice secondary road to Buerba and join the track at Nerín.
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Route Planning and Credits
The Pirenaica is based on the TransPirenaica MTB route planned and ridden in the ’90s by Jordi Laparra, Alfons Valls and Jaume Bonaventura. While sharing more than 95% with the classic route, a few sections have been updated after road closures and trail conditions, other sections have been updated to avoid hike-a-bikes or steep climbs. You can check the original Transpirenaica MTB route at transpirinaica.com.