N roads in the pyrenees - can you cycle on them?

[Euan Uzami]

or are they effectively motorways?

i'm planning a tour in the pyrenees and i'm just wondering the best way to get from aulus les bains to ax les thermes.
It appears quite hard without going on N20 at least at some point.

i've been using http://www.veloloco.com/map/ in my route planning but it's a bit of a shit website, not least because the text is behind the map  (doh!) but it doesn't give you the actual route, presumably because they want you to go on one of their tours. But i'm trying to work out the best route for myself...
so any pointers?

for the overall route i am thinking of lourdes to perpignan, so any must-sees or must-avoid suggestions in this corridor greatfully received also.

[iakobski]

Try using the michelin maps on viamichelin they tend to show all the roads and some good detail.

You don't say on or off road - there is a GR path shown on the map but that will probably not be passable on a touring bike. As for "hard" - it looks quite straightforward to do that on minor roads without going much further distance-wise, but there are loads of chevrons and hairpins!

Eg Aulus - Vicdessos - Tarascon - Bompas - Lordac - Bestiac - Col de Marmar - Ax

[Euan Uzami]

oh yeah sorry should have said, road.

i think i'll assume you can't cycle on N roads.

[tatanab]

aulus les bains to ax les thermes.
It appears quite hard without going on N20 at least at some point.

No need to use it other than about a mile.
At  Tarascon turn left onto N20 (note the road goes smack through the middle of town so is a normal road).  After about 1 to 1 1/2 miles turn right in Bombas onto the D20  - Route Des Corniches which becomes D2.  You can use this all the way to Ax except for the last mile which is on the D613.

[Euan Uzami]

aulus les bains to ax les thermes.
It appears quite hard without going on N20 at least at some point.

No need to use it other than about a mile.
At  Tarascon turn left onto N20 (note the road goes smack through the middle of town so is a normal road).  After about 1 to 1 1/2 miles turn right in Bombas onto the D20  - Route Des Corniches which becomes D2.  You can use this all the way to Ax except for the last mile which is on the D613.

great, thanks, just the info i was looking for.

[andrew_s]

I've done the N20 from Tarascon over the Puymorens to Bourg-Madame.
There's no problem with not being allowed to ride it, except (probably) for the tunnel under the Puymorens. How busy will depend on time & date - I don't remember it being too bad by English standards.

[Panoramix]

As a rough guide:
N = nationale, equivalent to A roads, would avoid but some are OK
D = Departementale, Equivalent to B roads, go for it!
VC = vicinale equivalent to unclassified but generally well maintained
Voie verte: Equivalent to NCN, no motorised traffic.

Cyclists are not allowed on most dual carriageway Nationales, but by law they have to provide a parallelish road. Very often it is the old nationale so very good (wide with low traffic).

This sign means motorised traffic only: