Cycling Route
Luz Ardiden (Viscos)

Riding up through the centre of Pierrefitte, the cycling cafe Scapavelo is run by local cyclist Nicolas Garcia who designs and sews great looking jerseys you can buy in-store.

Beyond the hydro-electric plant in Soulom, you'll come to the round-about where the traffic can be a little heavier.

"The gorge road" heading towards Luz Saint-Sauvier is pretty road that can be spoiled by heavy traffic. The running water of the Gave (river) is often drowned out by large trucks and cars zooming past you.

If you want to beat the traffic, do this route very early in the morning.

When heading up the gorge in the morning, you're almost guaranteed to have a headwind as you battle up a gentle gradients most of the way.

If you're riding in a large group, don't be afraid to spread out into smaller groups and always ride single file to make it easier for traffic to pass you. You can always re-group at the bottom of your first climb.

As you push on past the village of Viscos, you're treated to tight switchbacks through dense trees with vistas across the valley. The road surface is not great but it's fine for climbing. It is not a very fun descent (just FYI).

The best part about this side of Luz Ardiden is the quiet road. The main climb is very quiet also, and you don't miss out on the best part of the main Luz Ardiden climb...