Help Required where to go in the Pyrenees

[buzyg]

MrsG and I are planning to hop on the ferry to Santander, later this year and from there spend a week or so driving around the Pyrenees.

I'm sure many will have done this before us. so I was hoping for a few tips/recommendations .

The sort of things would be:-

Hotels/Guest Houses,
Must see's
Great roads,
Best time for good driving weather.
Things to avoid

Cheers in advanced. The Buzy's

 

[ZermattV]

I used to live on the French Side at Pau - not sure how quickly you plan to go but if you can make the 17th May go to this...

http://www.grandprixdepauhistorique.com ... Great event in a lovely French Town

I would avoid the time when Le Tour is in the Area it gets very busy finding hotels a nightmare.


Things to do

1. Bilbao for the Museum
2. San Sebastion for the Tapas
3. Biarritz for the seafood restaus in the old port
4. Fantastic driving roads everywhere in the mountains



The a French side is generally less populated ( the Basque Country is one of the most populated areas of Spain ) but much wetter - one if the most surreal things us taking some of the mountain Roads- on the French side it feels like Northern Europe and on the southern side it looks and feels like California.

It's amazing how quickly it changes on the border in San Jean de Luz you'll drink French local white ( Jurancon) with duck at 8pm or Go to San Sebastion and Drink Rioja at 11pm with Tapas .... Distance 20kms between the two.

Have a great time

 

[Finisterre]

try and avoid the pass at st jean de pierre de port to roncessvilles

It is a really nice walk, a big hill, part of the camino de santiago. The hundreds of pilgrims on the pass do not deserve to have the first day of their pilgrimage disturbed by a nutter in a bmw. Generally the aim is peaceful reverie and not too many blisters on their first days walking.

 

[Lance]

Jaca is nice on the Spanish side, bars/cafes and a nice feel about it.

The N260 from La Seu D'urgell to Sort and onto LLavorsi is excellent, as good as any road in the Alps.(White Water rafting in Llavorsi is great fun).

Andorra is worth a day, although not a pleasure to drive through.

Paradors, albeit expensive, are very very nice places to stay and are dotted throughout spain, with a few in and close to the Pyrenees.

Places to stay? Lots and lots of them, I wouldn't plan/book ahead, would drive too 4 ish or whenever enough is close and start looking. Have never struggled to find decent places to stay.

Enjoy

 

[ZermattV]

Jaca is nice on the Spanish side, bars/cafes and a nice feel about it.



Enjoy

good advice Quite often used to drive down to it from Pau - it's a good drive down particularly if you elect to take the top mountain road rather than through the tunnel.

Some a hotels in Pau


http://www.villanavarre.fr/?lang=2

http://www.hotel-parc-beaumont.com


And just outside this stunning restaurant


http://www.hotel-les-bains-secours.com/hotel-restaurant_l-hotel_2_fr.html

For Biarritz my wife and I used to stay :

At the Raddison Blu in Biarritz which has good parking and overlooks the southern surf beach - never stayed but used to like the restaurant of this place and the rooms looked good but it's right in town-

http://www.lecaritz.com/hotel-charme-3-etoiles-biarritz/.