WHY CHOOSE US
Your experience is everything to us, and we do all we can to make your stay truly memorable. We love this region and we love sharing it with our guests.
Our location is right at the heart of the Pyrenees, in Villelongue, close to the Col du Tourmalet and 15km south of Lourdes, giving you the very best base for cycling the most famous climbs the Pyrenees has to offer. Check out the amazing possibilities below.
On our cycling tours you will be guided and fully supported, or stay with us any other time and explore the mountains for yourselves on a self-guided cycling holiday. Either way, you will enjoy delicious, healthy food prepared just for you.
We’re expert riders and we can advise you on all aspects of your preparation ahead of and during your stay. Whatever your level of experience or fitness, a holiday with us will be a dream mountain experience.
WHAT OUR GUESTS SAY
ACCOMMODATION
We have four spacious and comfortable guest suites available, all with en-suite bathrooms, twin/double switchable beds, and stunning mountain views. Two rooms include a double sofa-bed and can sleep up to four people – ideal for families with small children or big club groups. A renovation of the whole house was completed May 2019.
FOOD
We’re passionate about great food and Kitt is a fantastic cook. We favour ‘clean’ food, with as much as possible sourced locally and some straight from our own garden.
All requirements can be catered for (Kitt is vegetarian, Jamie is dairy-free). Whether you’re vegan, gluten-free, or really hungry after a big day in the mountains, let us know and we’ll do the rest. Some examples:
Breakfast: Porridge with fruit, honey, chia seeds; pastries; eggs; and great coffee
Adventure food: Homemade rice cakes, flapjacks, mini-wraps and more to fuel your days in the mountains
Post-adventure food: Cakes, protein-rich bars, pastries, coffee…or beer
Dinner: Three-course set menu dinner, wine included. Served outside on warm evenings
PYRENEES
ROAD CYCLING HOLIDAYS
The staggering beauty and challenge of the Pyrenees is glorified annually by the Tour de France. The Col du Tourmalet, Col d'Aspin, Hourquette d'Ancizan, Col du Soulor/Aubisque, Hautacam and Luz Ardiden all enjoy legendary status, and all are in easy riding distance of Escape To The Pyrenees (map here), along with many more. In short, we're in the hottest of hot spots. We also have plenty of easier routes, so whether you want a manageable first taste of the mountains or the challenge of your life you will find it here.
Choose from one of our guided and fully supported tours or enjoy our hospitality on a self-guided trip.
GRAVEL CYCLING HOLIDAYS
As legendary as the road climbs are, the gravel riding here is perhaps the real highlight. It's simply incredible, yet still relatively unknown. There's a vast network of gravel roads and trails, many of them scaling much higher than any of the roads and therefore offering the most breathtaking views. And can you imagine what the ski areas are like in summer? Yep, it's gravel paradise. Gravel riding in the Pyrenees is as exhilarating as it gets and virtually every guest returns each day saying the same thing: "That was epic!"
MOUNTAIN BIKING
The pedigree of this area for MTB is almost as well established as it is for road racing. Lourdes, 10km north, has long been a host to World Cup Downhill and Enduro World Series rounds. There are hundreds of kilometres of marked trails and numerous built parks, including at Cauterets, just 15 minutes from Escape To The Pyrenees. Mountain biking is not our specialty but we can certainly point you to loads of incredible riding.
SKIING & SNOWBOARDING
We have an amazing choice of skiing close by, giving you the best of both worlds - the tranquility of a village and easy access to a range of alpine and nordic ski areas.
Grand Tourmalet, 30mins: biggest ski area in Pyrenees
Cauterets, 15mins: exceptional terrain and snowfall
Luz Ardiden, 30mins: small ski area, ideal for kids
Hautacam, 20mins: small ski area, ideal for kids
Gavarnie-Gedre, 45mins: 28 pistes, for all abilities
MEET YOUR HOSTS
We are Kitt and Jamie. We moved to the Pyrenees in November 2018 to chase and share our dream of the perfect mountain experience, whether on a bike or on skis.
Kitt is a fabulous cook and host, Jamie
is a natural guide and comes from ten years working in the cycling media and industry, so we make a good team.
Beyond sport, we hope to be able to make a difference to the lives of families affected by autism by offering tailored and subsidised holidays in our peaceful village. Kitt's brother is autistic, so this is something very close to our hearts.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
The Pyrenees offer so many possibilities for non-cycling guests. They're a playground for sportspeople, a haven for nature lovers, a sanctuary for those seeking to escape city bustle. Here's a selection of what else awaits you here.