We’re heading back to Europe this week, my friends. Virtually, of course. I’ve been piecing together a video from clips I filmed as we drove from Caracena, Spain through the Pyrenees to Luz-Saint-Sauveur, France. It’s not perfect, but it sure gives a good idea of the spectactular scenery we saw.
Driving in the Pyrenees was Hubby’s idea. We both love mountain driving and narrow roads. And we’ve driven a few pretty challenging routes. From the gravel road into Telegraph Creek, British Columbia to the two day drive from Salta, Argentina to Cachi and back to Salta.
At our age we worried that we were maybe a bit past this kind of driving. Oh, it’s easy for me. I’m just the navigator. My biggest challenge is the shock of looking down at the GPS for a few seconds only to look up and find that the road looks as if it’s disappeared. When, in fact we are only negotiating a sharp switch-back. Still when I look up and see only clouds ahead, I always gasp. And I usually resort to a profane epithet. Ha.
As the driver, Hubby has the hard job. And I will tell you there were a few times on our trip this year where I could not believe that he still has the bottle to drive what we drive. But I’m so glad that he has.
After we left beautiful Caracena we headed for France, stopping off in Biescas, Spain for the night, before making tracks for the Haute Pyrénées.
We specifically wanted to drive through the Col du Tourmalet because the Tour de France followed that route this year. Hubby and I are avid Tour de France fans. We passed lots of cyclists on the road and we felt a bit guilty to be driving instead of cycling. Okay… not that guilty. But it was amazing to see first hand the steep narrow roads the cyclists have to navigate. Obviously going up is grueling. But going down must be terrifying.
We were pleasantly surprised that the Col d’Aspin, which we passed through before the Col du Tourmalet, was so stunning. But then again the whole drive was stunning.
The video ends as we arrive in Luz-Saint-Sauveur, France where we spend a couple of days. But I’ll just let you watch it yourself.
I hope you enjoyed that. I’m still learning. Some of the filming was a bit difficult. Spotty windshields, sun reflecting off the glass, bumpy roads, you name it. It can be a challenge to hold the phone and remain upright when Hubby is speeding around turns, or stopping and starting because another car is approaching. Or a car and a cyclist. Or a cow. Ha.
Good for the abdominals, I kept telling myself. A couple of times I realized I’d spoiled a great clip because we’d gone over a bump, and all of a sudden I was filming the car dashboard, or my feet, and not the wonderful view out the window.
Huge shout out to our friend, and Hubby’s golf partner, Jo Barkley-Probst who kindly sent me two instrumental songs he wrote and performed so I could use them as background. Jo has sent me music he’s recorded before and I’ve used his songs in a couple of my videos. I love his music and I’m thankful that he’s so generous.
I’m currently working on Part 2 of our adventures. That video will consist of some bits of our hiking while in Luz-Saint-Sauveur and also of the drive we made from Luz-Saint-Sauveur back to Spain. I have to say that particular day of driving surpassed what we’d already done.
But, you know, everywhere we went had its own special brand of spectacular-ness.
Still, as Hubby says in the video, our journey through the Pyrenees was the best mountain driving we’ve ever done. And we’ve been on some beautiful and hairy roads in our travels.
Now, I have to close. Hubby wants to watch the completed video. Like, this will be only the seventh time he’s made that drive. Once in October, for real. And six times since we’ve been home. Ha.
27 thoughts on “Driving in the Pyrenees: Part 1”
Oh my goodness Sue, that was amazing, and a bit frightening to be honest. I really don’t think I would have been able to do that drive. I know it is in pieces, but were there any spots to stop and soak up the view. The drop off at the edge would have me looking at the road instead of the mountains.
Looking forward to the next instalment of the trip. I love how you are breaking it up with other topics between.
You are right, the snow days are great for reading, just finished Our little Secret by Lisa Jackson and have a couple Ruth Ware waiting in the wings. Almost 2 feet on the back deck and I must get it cleared off again.
There were spots along the way to pull over. And we did pull over to soak in the scenery at times. We found some amazing places to stop for lunch as well. Hubby commented when we came home that I took more videos that still photos. Part of the problem was that once I started filming I couldn’t easily switch from video to photo format. Also some of the scariest parts I didn’t film. I was too busy white knuckling it. Ha.
Fabulous . Wonderful scenery & you were lucky with the weather . Top marks to Stu for his driving . Max is an intrepid driver too & I’ve had some hairy moments peering down precipitous drops over the years . It’s a great record of your journey . I see you’ve finished the scarf & I love the colour . Navigator , photographer , fashionista, essayist & knitter !!! Thanks for sharing with us .
We were so lucky with the weather. Sunny and perfect most days until we hit the coastal drive in northern Spain. That was pretty much a wipe out with rain and winds. But the conditions in the mountains were wonderful. Particularly on the foggy morning, when the clouds cleared just as we reached the summit of Col du Tourmalet.
Good call on the scarf. It’s a bit chunkier than I wanted. I should have used smaller needles. Maybe I’ll unravel it and try again. Ha. Kidding. My mum who was a master at unravelling is chuckling in heaven.
Mine is smaller & thinner but now the wintry weather is coming along I’d swap it for yours . So don’t unravel it .
Great video of fantastic scenery. At least driving on the right hand side of the road would be familiar to you which helps. I am amazed but your well planned itineraries as we just tend to head in a direction and hope for inns, hotels etc!
We’ve driven through the Pyrenees a couple of times but the most memorable was one in January many years ago when the snow was about two metres thick but they had cleared the road. Hubby managed a perfect pirouette at one of the Z bend corners but we ended up facing the right way and carried on! Life on the edge
literally!
OMG I can’t imagine driving those roads when one is unfamiliar with driving on the right. You guys must have been scared when you went into your spin in the Pyrenees!
Having said that we drove the twisty part of highway #1 in the North Island in your part of the world, on our way to Ahipara. Our first experience with switchbacks, on our second day of driving on the left. Hubby said it was like downhill skiing. Ha. Easy for him; I was the one staring over the edge.
Yes there are quite a few scary roads here and we have driven on most of them. If there is an A road to somewhere I can guarantee we will take the X, Y or X road! My spine remembers most of the bumps!!
Beautiful scenery, but honestly I’m a bit carsick! I don’t think that I could do it IRL. How many miles was the drive? The music was lovely!
I can’t tell you that, Jo. I know we drove for about four hours. Not all of that was in the highest parts, though. Four hours of driving is not that much, but Hubby was tired when we reached Luz-Saint-Sauveur, mostly from having to focus.
Loved the video, well done and truly amazing. You guys are really brave to tackle those roads!
Thanks, Paula. Hubby is the brave one. I just trust him and do the navigating.
Hi Sue, I just hauled my husband over to watch the video with me, we both loved it. We (he) have done a fair amount of driving abroad, and in February-March we’ll be in the North Island of New Zealand, then doing a road trip from Sydney to Brisbane. If I may ask, do you find that travel insurance becomes more expensive as we get older? We are in our mid-60s, but have heard that after 70 that’s the case. And how about getting the international drivers license – any hoops to go through? Anyway, I always enjoy your travel reports, thanks for taking us along for the ride!
We have travel insurance through our extended health insurance from the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, which pays for things that OHIP doesn’t cover, like physio and glasses. Travel insurance is included, we don’t pay for it separately.
We do get International Drivers Licences because it’s always recommended. But it’s very easy. Just go to a local CAA store. They take the photos and everything.
We drove a few twisty roads in the North Island back in 2003. It was our first experience with switchbacks, and combined with driving on the left it was stressful. As I’ve said many times on the blog, we loved both New Zealand and Australia, although we didn’t drive from Sydney to Brisbane. We started farther north to see the Great Barrier Reef and drove from Cairns down to Brisbane, then flew the rest of the way to Sydney.
I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful trip.
So beautiful! The music was lovely too. ❤️
Thanks, Liz. I loved the music too. I thought it suited the driving perfectly.
Sue, have not commented for ages. But always read.
We have done a few drives around the Pyrenees over the years with friends that have a house there. He is French, that means we did a LOT of backroads terrifying drives. Hiked to glaciers, had the most fabulous picnics with the usual suspects, wine, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers and a baguette. Oh yes, the gorgeous shepherd huts….that if you had the money, you could bring back to life….
You and Stu travel the way my husband and I do, having a car, makes it easier to see the real heart of a country. The small villages where people are just as interested in you, as you are with them
Thanks
That’s so true, Ali. The small places are so much more interesting to us. And the picnics in fields with amazing views are one of my favourite things of being able to drive everywhere.
Thankyou Thankyou! I love road trips! My husband and I did many and we had booked to do a similar one through France Portugal then Spain but my husband passed away 14 months so it never happened. I went I Spain and Portugal alone this past summer but it was not the same. Following along on your trip made me feel like I was in the car with you… I loved the feeling. Thanks Again, looking for the next part.
Ah, I’m so sorry about your husband, Bonita. Good for you to go on your own. But I can imagine it was not the same at all.
This was stunning and Jo’s music the perfect accompaniment. Thank you for sharing. Looking forward to my next viral journey with you!
Stay safe and keep going.
Thanks, Barbara. I was so delighted when Jo sent me the music. You’re right; it was the perfect accompaniment.
This was soooooo beautiful! And very scary!
Dottoressa
Thanks, Dottoressa. Stu has watched the video about a hundred times now. Ha.
Wow! What an amazing drive and what gorgeous views! Growing up in BC, my father loved to take us to out of the way places. I remember many narrow mountain roads. The views were spectacular, but I sometimes feared that we were about to plunge to our deaths!
Thanks, Elaine. I can imagine that growing up in BC you had lots of exposure to mountain driving. Not so for us Maritimers. 🙂
I’m a little late, but thanks for putting together such a spectacular video! I had sweaty palms through much of the viewing … perhaps it’s just as well that I wasn’t in the passenger seat!
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