Hemel Hempstead Cycling Club

In July this year 16 of us went to the Pyrenees for a week, to climb some of the cols and to watch a stage of the Tour.

Next year, the Tour is spending longer in the area with 4 of the 6 High Mountain stages being in the Pyrenees, and I'm planning a similar week long trip.  
For various reasons, I've started my planning later this year with the consequence that accommodation has proven very difficult to find - not only does the Tour spend 3 days in the area during this week, but also the Etape takes place, so it will be very busy.  Fortunately, I have now managed to secure accommodation though this has only been possible by using 2 hotels (1st hotel = 17th-21st; 2nd = 21st-24th).  Both hotels are a few minutes walk from the centre of Argeles-Gazost and within 10 minutes of one another.

This is how it worked last July and how I anticipate it working again:

• Bikes (in bags) and main luggage will be loaded onto a van and driven down to the Pyrenees.
• Group will fly out from Stansted very early on Saturday 17th July with Ryanair to Pau, and return on the same route, on the morning of the 24th.  (Only hand luggage to be taken, to reduce Ryanair's extortionate add-on costs - hence the main luggage in the van.)
• Transport will be arranged from Hemel to Stansted and from Pau to hotel, plus for returns.
• Hotel will be half-board, i.e breakfast and dinner.
• Rooms will be twins in the main.
• The cost per person last July was approximately £560 and I would hope to keep it as close to that again though - inevitably - some costs will have gone up, plus we remain at the mercy of the exchange rate.

Finally, I know I can only get 16 bikes plus luggage into the size of van we used this year and I also know that to go with a larger van means I have to book the van as freight with P&O, thereby increasing ferry costs very significantly.  Therefore, the number for this trip is restricted to 16.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE CONFIRM ASAP AND NO LATER THAN FRIDAY (18th).  FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.

Happy to answer any questions and - of course - you can ask those that went this year how it worked / what it was like.  Here are most of them …