My wife & I are going to Barcelona in October, renting a car, heading to Bilbao and back through Pamplona to Barcelona...had hope to spend a night in Bielsa en route, but hotel manager said no bookings due to tunnel repairs nearby...can't figure out exactly where tunnel is & implications for its closure...can someone enlighten me? Thanks, Marty in Bethesda
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
The tunnel connects Bielsa (Spain) to Aragnouet (France). No idea of why repairs.
For a place to spend the night fairly deep in the Pyrenees, you might want to consider Candanchu (straight line thirty miles west, a lot more by road -- in Spain just short of where E7 freeway enters France).
As long as you're going to Bilbao:
Guernica is about twenty miles east and not more than ten miles off of your inbound route. Guernica is the symbol of everything Basque (the Guernica Oak) which is all that survived the first terror-bombing in history (by Italians and Germans during the civil war at Franco's request). Very fine produce and fruit market as well -- load up on lunch grub.
North of Bilbao at Portugalete is a unique suspension ferry across the mouth of the river. (platform for a few cars/trucks suspended on a structure that resembles the Tower Bridge in London}.
It has ironwork similar to the Eiffel Tower and was, in fact, designed by either a deputy or student (unremember which)of Eiffel.
Free thoughts: from Spain, it's hard to drive through the Pyrenees since all the roads are perpendicular to the chain -- parallel roads are in France -- more snow on the Spain side -- better scenery from the French side -- French national parks are better than the Spanish for scenery -- if you think you'll ever be that way again, save Pyrenees for France trip.
Posted by
Chicago
2876 posts
Marty,
An alternative Pyrenees route for you would be to go up through Andorra. We did this a few years ago & it was a great trip. We were coming from France towards Barcelona. We overnighted in La Seu d'Urgell on the Spanish side. First town of any size after you cross into France is Foix (don't ask me how to pronounce it, but it's a great little town.) Send me a PM if you want more details of our route.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
If you have time, don't hesitate to get into the Pyrenees from the Spanish side on your way back from Pamplona to Barcelona. Do a loop north from Pamplona up the N-135 and the NA-140, NA-178, NA-214, and the A-137 down to the N-240, and thru Jaca, Sabinanigo, Monzon, Llieda, and into Barcelona. Not quite as "spectacular" as the French side, but a worthwhile drive none the less. From Pamplona, it'll take you about 8 hours to make the drive....you "shouldn't" have snow there in October.
Posted by
Mansfield, GA
850 posts
If you do go through Andorra be sure to get your fuel there. Cheapest around. No taxes.
Posted by
san rafael, cA, usa
72 posts
Have you tried the Parador de Bielsa. It is about 10 miles from the town of Bielsa in a beautiful canyon with great views of the mountains and waterfalls.