Andorra, Port de Cabus

[Andy61]

I am planning a cycle route in the Pyrenees with a group of between 6 to 10 cyclists from the UK to ride in June 2015. We plan to ride through Andorra from East to West entering over the Port d’Envalira. This has the attraction of being the highest paved road pass in the Pyrenees . I am looking into two different possible routes heading west from there.

One follows the CG-2 and CG-1 through Andorra la Vella, Santa Coloma, Sant Julia de Loria and heads south across the border into Spain.

The other follows the CG-3 until Les Escaldes just before Andorra la Vella and then turns north to follow the CG-3 to La Massana, then takes the CG-4 through Erts, Xixerella, Pal and onwards over the Port de Cabus. This would then descend the Port de Cabus to the west into Spain through Tor to Alins on the L-510 in Spain. I am unsure whether the route descending the Port de Cabus to Alins is a properly surfaced road or whether it is an off-road track. I have been able to find out that it certainly was an off-road track until at least a few years ago, but cannot find any recent reference to it and wonder if anyone can tell me whether it has been made into a properly surfaced road recently. We will be on road bikes and we will need to remain on properly surfaced roads, hence my question.

Any help in getting to the answer would be much appreciated.

[RickH]

I've no direct knowledge but Google StreetView got up there in August 2011 and the tarmac on the Andorra side stopped at the Spanish border then. On the Spanish side it was a stony track. From my looking at the satellite view in Google Maps (which are of unknown vintage) I would expect a stony track dropping down to the hamlet of Tor after about 4 1/2 miles, then probably a gravel surface to Norris, after about 9 miles from the border & finally about 3 miles of tarmac down to Alins (but that is all purely from my interpretation of the photographic data).

Looking at the elevation profile of the route down (plotting on Bikehike) you are looking at a quite steep descent, particularly on the rougher, upper part from the border - it looks like over 500ft per mile (10%+) for the first 3 miles.

If you want a tarmac road for road bikes I would give the CG4 a miss unless you get definitive information that anything has changed for the better since Summer 2011.

Rick.

[MrsHJ]

I once carried my bike down a very rocky valley and then a river bed into Spain based on french mapping in the Spanish Pyrenees. Apparently napoleon planned on building a road down from the top of Gavarnie into Bujarelo on the Spanish side. It was shown on the IGN maps twenty years ago as a road, but there was nothing there. Walkers could scramble up. Not recommended for a fully loaded touring bike or the cyclist. Memorable border crossing though and it was pre euro so we ended up in Spain without any cash and strangely it was getting late ( carrying your bike down a mountain is not a fast activity).

Luckily there was a lovely camp site in the middle of no where (national park)that took credit cards and we had one of those meals that featured frequently with that group of "whatever I can find in my panniers" and had to cycle to civilisation in the morning for cash and breakfast. There was a cycleabletrack out on the Spanish side I'm glad to say and one day I would love to go back to the campsite as it is under the South side of the Gavarnie cirque which is very striking.

I do miss those days though, we aren't as chaotic these days and it leads to fewer dramatic events. plus everyone from that group has settled down with doctorates and kids and doesn't get out cycling nearly enough. That was also the trip where, ahem, maybe not!!

PS TRying calling the local tourist office or Mairie.

[Andy61]

Thanks for your replies RickH and MrsHJ. I have almost made the decision that we should not go over the Port de Cabus and instead go south out of Andorra and then loop back to the north after getting into Spain. I don't need to finalise that decision for a couple of months so can remain flexible for now.

I have had a look at Google street view from the top of the Port de Cabus and it is indeed an unmade track (off road suitable for mountain bikes, but not road bikes). Google street view also provides some photos along the route down through Tor to Alins and these show an unmade track, though the age of these photos is unknown. I did find a video that was posted on Youtube in 2013 which showed this as a track, but again the actual date of the video is not known, only when it was posted. I contacted the tourist board in Andorra to ask my question, but they only supplied me with general information about cycling in Andorra. With a bit more detective work I found a hotel in Alins (Spain) which is a the bottom of the road/track down from the Port de Cabus. I thought that for sure they would know if this remains an unmade track, however they sidestepped my question (or perhaps didn't understand it, they replied in Spanish) and only offered for us to stay in their hotel. I probably should ask them one more time.

You mention BikeHike, which is also my favoured route plotting website.

If we do decide to take the longer way round it only adds about 30km so that's not a problem. The scenery along that track/road did look very picturesque though.

Once again, thanks for your replies.

Andy

[andrew_s]

Checking out the photos on satellite view is often useful. There are "posted" dates, which give dates like 2007 - 2010.
It's probably similar to this from Tor to the top
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/41058394
and better down from Tor.

I'd take my road bike down (700x28 Gatorskins, usually), but allow a fair bit of extra time - i.e. assume 7-8 mph for the upper section and 12-15 mph for the lower, rather than normal downhill speeds.