Chapeau Events - Part 2 Bordeaux to Bilbao

In 2017 Chapeau Events decided to lay on a new route from Bordeaux to Bilbao. 

When I first saw it I must admit I was a little surprised and wondered why?

It had never been on my cycling radar although I liked the idea of exploring new gems.

Not put off, I 'Googled' the route expecting some information about an historic byway used by the crusaders or some fictional character like Don Quixote.

I got nothing. Nothing apart from an assortment of various routes, methods of travel and differing fares.

I now know that by train it takes 21 hrs and 13 minutes and you can get a bus for as little as £8.

I knew that David Wright (Chapeau Events) was a smart man. 

But recognising his allegiance to the Blue side of Manchester, it was clear that his judgement could be questioned.

With my credit card still fixed in my wallet, I was forced to question him on his new venture.

After he had stopped laughing he hooked me in and ignited my appetite with a variety of cycling opportunities.

It was inspirational.

Although in essence it was Bordeaux to Bilbao it was so much more. 

Fast riding on the flat plains towards the Atlantic, Cap Ferret, miles of Forrest track, The Dunes of Sabloney near Archachon, The seaside and costal vistas along The Bay of Biscay, Biarritz, stunning San Sebastian, The mighty Jaizkibel, The Green mountains, Durango, and of course Bilbao itself.

By the time I finished my phone call I had signed up and paid for my second Chapeau Event. 

Chapeau Events collected all of the riders bikes from various locations in the UK and transported them down to Bordeaux - whilst their owners flew in ready to undertake this adventure.

Rather than fly out to Bordeaux I decided to drive their with a friend of mine taking the Ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo. This gave me the option to explore the Pyrenees after we finished at Bilbao.
I had arranged with Chapeau Events to use my Club Van as an extra support vehicle.

The drive down to Bordeaux was simple and stress free. The roadsigns were easy to follow and the traffic relatively quiet.

I had never been to Bordeaux before and soon asked myself why.

It is a beautiful and stylish city providing a gastronomic paradise and wine fit for any cellar.

One of the great attractions of cycling for me is 'carbo loading' and 'calorie replacement'.

It can't be all stick..stick...stick. 

Sometimes you need a carrot or two to encourage you .........................................

Day 1 Bordeaux to Parentis

The route for the first day of 76 miles was kind - heading west towards the Atlantic Coast it follows flat plains punctuated by various vineyards. It was tempting to swap my Bidon with a nice Bordeaux, but my thumping headache reminded me of my previous nights wine tasting. 

As in all group rides you soon find your own pace group and I was joined by some 'interesting' characters. They all appeared to have a similar philosophy of 'work' and 'play' so we rode hard and punctuated our progress with a variety of cultural breaks.

Our last stop, less than ten miles from our destinations was sought amidst the heat of the afternoon, where no singular libation was ever going to be enough. We remained there until the course markers caught up with us and hurried us on. Seemingly we had made our own mark.

Day 2 Parentis to Biarritz

The second day brought much more variety in cycling terms where the route followed the coast south through forests and coastal cycle paths. In this 'carless Utopia' we passed miles of sun kissed sand dunes and unspoilt beaches. Like the swell coming in from the Atlantic the terrain had a rhythmic rolling quality which gently eased us into Biarritz. As we entered this vibrant French resort the gradients changed along with our heart rate. The foothills of the Pyrenees and the green Mountains could be seen in the distance reminding us that the hardest day would come with the next sunrise.

Day 3 Biarritz to Durango

Day 3 started with immediate climbing. With 94 miles and over 8,000 feet of climbing this was the 'Queens stage'. Continuing along the coast we drew breath descending into the beautiful Saint Jean de Luz before continuing to the Spanish border at Hondarribia.

From there you climb the Jaizkibel, famous for its inclusion in the San Sebastian Classic Cycle race.
As far as climbs go its 'no monster', but still a 'beast' of a climb rising up from sea level to 455 meters. With a varying gradient of between 5 -12% and 8 km there is no respite.
I opted to stop at a view point half way up, telling all I needed to take some pictures.
Writing a blog does have ready made excuses for stopping sometimes.

From this stunning vantage point we followed the mountain ridge before descending down into San Sebastian itself. Prior to this trip I had ashamedly never heard of San Sebastian and was immediately struck by its natural beauty, exuberance, cleanliness and climate.

If at that moment I had suffered an irreparable mechanical breakdown I would have not been that displeased. I made a mental note that I would have to return.

Although stunningly beautiful, the terrain continued to suck at the enthusiasm of the legs with a succession of brutal climbs.
These included one particular surprise on a back road up to Talai Mendi campsite.

On its approach I was curious as this rough narrow track weaved up the escarpment.
On rounding a corner I spotted the first glimpses of names daubed in paint on the surface.
That could only spell trouble I thought.
Closing my eyes momentarily I imagined the track lined with fanatical basque cycling fans screaming for their heroes as they watched them force their strained bike frames up this concrete wall.

We then followed the coast to Deba before turning inland to Durango. Away from the cooling effect of the Atlantic the last section was hot and sticky with no let up in challenges. Meandering close to the main road we followed a succession of assorted local roads to keep us away from traffic.

We had all been warned about 'The sting in the tail' close to the finish which was reflected by a spike on the route card. As we got closer the greater elevation of the surroundings threatened are dwindling sense of humour. Suddenly without warning our triangular route markers took us onto a forestry track made from ill fitting concrete slabs. The final climb hit us like some giant 'Pave' where every 20 meters was punctuated with expansion gaps in the road. At close to 10% gradient the climb bit in where the gaps created an addition burden to force the bike through, and acted as barriers to any rhythm. One of our group who I won't shame, took exception to the surface, dismounted and stamped 'her' feet whilst using rude words. I couldn't blame her.
Thankfully the climb was completed before the sun set which allowed a leisurely descent into the historic town of Durango.

Day 4 Durango to Bilbao

Although only 54 Miles the last day was no less daunting. Even before your breakfast had started to digest, we were climbing. Up the glorious Muniketa as the rising sun burned off the morning clouds behind us.

The road headed North towards Guernica and Bermeo climbing up the ridge towards Bakio and overlooking the Atlantic again.
At this point the visibility faded as we found ourselves cycling in low cloud. It was the first moment on the trip I looked to put a layer on rather than wanting to remove one.

We then headed south West to Bilbao and all rode in together

The trip was everything I expected it to be and more and it is my aim to return to the Basque region to further explore this secret gem of a cycling destination.

Chapeau Events are running the same Tour from the 11th -16th of September 2018
https://www.chapeauevents.co.uk/

Bike Basque

If you can't wait until September or the dates don't suit you, I personally can recommend that you still venture out to this part of Spain.
It does not have the same lure as Mallorca or Gran Canaria but having spent time at both of these I can say it's certainly not inferior.
Accommodation is cheaper and more varied, the roads are very quiet and you won't be swamped or intimidated by other cyclists.

As well as being an amazing cycling playground, it is rich, in culture, history and amazing cuisine.
There are a number of different destinations that you can use as a base and can readily hire bikes.

If you want to have a similar experience to myself I would urge you to consider Bike Basque.

It is run by Xavier Lopez who knows the British well having lived in London.
He has an intimate knowledge of the area both as a tour guide and as an ex-competitor on the continental circuit.
 His company provide a number of bespoke tours in and around the region and he would be happy to hear from you

x.lopez@bikebasque.co.uk