Travel over Col du Puymorens and lunch.

Old Apr 13th, 2014, 08:28 AM
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Travel over Col du Puymorens and lunch.

We will be driving from the Barcelona airport to Mirepoix, France on May 15th. Our plan is to drive over Col du Puymorens, the tunnel will be closed I think. I know snow is possible that time of year but I have plenty of experience driving on snowy mountain roads. I have the web-cam over the col book-marked and will check it before leaving BCN. Unless chains are required that will be our route.

Our flight lands at 08:45 so we should be in our rental car and beginning our journey by 10:00. Does anyone have a suggestion for a place to stop near noon? It will be time for lunch and a short walk to stretch by then. I was thinking Puigcerda would be good. I just looked at Stu Dudley’s itinerary for the Languedoc and he thought that Puigcerda was a waste of time. I wonder if it will service our needs for decent food and a few things to look at? Does anyone have a suggestion for a better place to stop about 1 1/2 to 2 hours from BCN?

Thank you for any help.
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Old Apr 13th, 2014, 08:37 AM
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Mont-Louis--a short detour from the north-south road might be a better stop: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont-Louis
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Old Apr 13th, 2014, 09:31 AM
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The Puymorens can be a tricky pass. There is no guarantee that it will be open in mid-May because there can be freak weather conditions long after that date. If so, they would demand that you have chains for your car even if it is open. However, under normal circumstances, it should be okay because the weather has been so warm this spring so far.
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Old Apr 13th, 2014, 10:17 AM
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Michael, thank you for suggesting Mont-Louis. It seems to be about 80km out (and back) of the way for getting to Mirepoix. We will have just gotten off a long flight from SFO to BCN and want to keep the route fairly direct. Our trip this time will include 2 weeks in Pezenas; we may take a day trip to Mont-Louis then.

Kerouac, thank you for the warning about how the weather may change. As I wrote above I will check the web-cam for Col Du Puymorens on Andorra's website before leaving Barcelona's airport. I'm hoping the camera shows blue sky. If I think I may need chains I will take the AutoRoute around toward Toulouse to Mirepoix. We have lurked on some of your trip reports, your photographs are always magazine worthy.
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Old Apr 13th, 2014, 10:39 AM
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Michael, I'm sorry I got the distance for wrong for out and back to Mont-Louis from Puigcerda wrong; it's a bit over 40km.
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Old Apr 14th, 2014, 11:17 AM
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You could probably get a decent lunch in Puigcerda but there isn't much to do there. I've driven into France from the Barcelona airport a few times. You have picked the more interesting way to get to Mirepoix although it will take an hour or so longer than going up the coast.

We've stopped for lunch at Restaurant Cal Marcal in Puig-Reig a couple of times, but it may be too close to Barcelona for your early arrival. There isn't much to do there but the food is good.

You might want to consider having lunch in llivia which is near Puigcerda and only a few minutes drive out of your way. We've eaten at the Restaurant Can Ventura in the center of town on the Placa Major. The town itself is certainly worth an hour or so walking around.

If the weather is nice stopping at a bakery and getting picnic food would be my choice. If you don't find a bakery open (many close at noon), Bourg Madame has a huge Carrefour which has its own bakery. It's right off the N20 and wouldn't be any out of your way.

I hope you know the drive well. We've always found getting north of Barcelona from the airport fairly confusing.
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Old Apr 15th, 2014, 10:40 AM
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Thank you cwra for the suggestions. I picked Puigcerda by checking Trip Advisor. It had a couple of bar/cafes in the old town that featured tapas, no other real reason. Since we will be in France for the next 4 weeks that sounded good. I just checked T.A. for Can Ventura and it too sounds good, except one of the reviews mentions lunch service doesn't begin until 13:30. That's a little late for my "planned" schedule. Are there any tapas bars in Llivia? Is the old town much more interesting than Puigcerda's?

It is good to know that there is Carrefour in Bourg Madame; picnic supplies may have to be lunch. I hope if it comes to that we can find a proper bakery that is open though, and a café for coffee.

I want to leave enough time to stop at a wine shop in Foix. A dozen years ago on a visit to Foix I met and had a long conversation with the proprietor, he spoke English. He was surprised that an American knew anything about wines from the Languedoc. He was proud of them and wanted to share. I hope he is in so I can say hello.
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Old Apr 15th, 2014, 12:16 PM
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Given your time constraints I think Puigcerda will make a fine lunch stop. The last time we were in the area we were staying in Saillagouse which is just a few miles east of Puigcerda. I don't think Llivia would be that much more interesting for a walk around town than Puigcerda and you really don't need any extra driving. It's only a few kilometers but the road is really narrow.

Also I forgot to mention that the Carrefour closes for lunch from 1:00 to 2:30PM.

Good luck in Foix at the wine shop.
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Old Apr 15th, 2014, 12:38 PM
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Fairfax,

The real issue is blinding fog, which can roll in later in the day. As i belatedly realized driving through it, it is actually not accurately termed "fog". That pass is so high, one ends up literally in the clouds. I drove it just about May 15 one year and I simply could not keep driving the hairpins turns on a road without guard rails. The only sane thing to do was pull over and stop.

The day was perfectly sunny when it began and once the clouds started to pass and I was able to descend, I fairly quickly got back into sunshine and perfect visibility. But had the clouds hung in there, I would have had to wait it out.

It truly is blinding. At one point, I opened my driver's side door and drove with it slightly open so I could see the white line median line. I couldn't see it opening my window and looking down.

So checking the webcam before leaving is not going to tell you the whole story. If you start to get fog, you should turn around and go back if you still can. One of the curiosities of my drive was that, as I was ascending, I noticed all the cows in the pastures were descending. Maybe they were going home to watch their favorite soap opera, but I think they were going down to stay warm. But if you can find a lower pass at that time of year, take it. They are all quite lovely with greenery (and cows) and you won't risk getting stuck for hours or needing to turn around or (gulp) worse.
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Old Apr 15th, 2014, 12:59 PM
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I don't know if these pictures are dramatic enough to convey the problem. Obviously one can't take a picture in the kind of fog I experienced, but some of these show enough that you can imagine what driving conditions would be at higher altitudes on the exact same road. The month of May is very early for that pass. Part of the problem is blind curves and finding yourself in a fog bank or white cloud.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-39Lw9LuH1P...2BP1050444.jpg

https://www.flickr.com/photos/marc72/1253210860/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/paco_calvino/10106091303/

http://www.modachulvelo.com/avelo/im...tap6200001.jpg

http://amphibien.free.fr/sorties%200...a/sortie2a.jpg

http://etoile-cycliste-ploudaniel.e-...p1000368-1.jpg
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Old Apr 15th, 2014, 01:12 PM
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One other thing:

Not only would a webcam not show you the whole picture, but even as I was on my way, I could see clouds around some areas of the mountains, but I didn't think the road bent in that direction. I assumed I was driving generally away from them. But not only did the clouds drift but the road is very circuitous near the top. So I was wrong and ended up where I didn't want to be.

The temptation not to turn back is very strong. As long as you have good enough visibility you keep wanting to get to your destination without losing time. But the conditions can deteriorate really rapidly to the point you no longer can see anything. While looking for a place to safely get off the road I could just barely discern other cars that had pulled over.

There are lower elevations that don't have those kids of risks, and quite frankly I wouldn't want to be doing that kind of demanding driving jet lagged.
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Old Apr 15th, 2014, 02:06 PM
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sandralist, thank you for your warning and concern. I'll will definitely take it into consideration.

I have built elevators for 40 years in high rise buildings. Skied 30 to 60 days a year for nearly 50. Driven through all kinds of weather conditions; the worst was a snowy, foggy trip over Teton pass at night. I don't want to appear smug but I have developed some confidence in my ability to be careful.

Thanks again, those pictures were lovely.
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Old Apr 16th, 2014, 02:26 AM
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Okay, good to hear you have some real world experience. I have grown to be a bit concerned to the extent people are now believing apps, webcams, Google maps and social media can be relied upon, so wanted to underscore the volatility in weather along your contemplated route.

Those pictures are not mine but ones I found on the internet I hope would illustrate a bit of what I was talking about. Had I taken pictures of my experience of the cloud cover in the pass, it would have been just white squares.
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Old Apr 16th, 2014, 10:39 AM
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I don't think it is very good idea to drive over Col du Puymorens after a long flight from the US. (The tunnel is indeed closed (since last Monday) until next November). The pass is OK when the weather is nice but it can also be difficult if it is bad. Last year it snowed in June.
I don't think that you can make it to Puigcerda by noon.
I suggest you take the Col de la Quillane road (N116 after Bourg-Madame, then D118 to Espézel, Bélesta and Lavelanet).
For info, I live in the area.
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Old Apr 16th, 2014, 05:51 PM
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Pvoyageuse, thank you for a suggested alternative route. I will save it in my GPS navigator. If, when we get to the border area, either the weather or I seem dodgy I will use this new route. I will still check the web-cam at Col Puymorens before leaving BCN. If the weather does not look good I will take the auto route around.

I just looked at my Michelin map and the route you suggest looks very winding. Plus some sections of the road, especially once it leaves D118 to go toward Espezel and Belesta look as if they may be single lane. Col Quillane is only 200 meters lower than Col Puymorens, this may be enough to make a difference if there will be snow. Please convince me that route is better if chains are not needed over Col Puymorens.

I still hope to be able to stop in Foix to say hello to the proprietor of the wine shop I talked to a dozen years ago. On that trip we took the N116 from Coillure to Foix over Puymorens. I didn't find the drive too trying.

Via Michelin says it should take 2h17m to get from BCN to Puigcerda. Do you think it will take longer? We land at 08:45 then take about 1h15m to clear immigration and get our rental car we could be in Puigcerda by 12:30 Do you have any suggestions on where to have lunch? Should we stop in Berga or Baga for picnic supplies instead?
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Old Apr 16th, 2014, 06:31 PM
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Yes, the Col de la Quillane road is winding - after all you are crossing the Pyrenees and unless you take the highway through Le Perthus (elevation 258 meters) and Perpignan you have to drive through mountain passes. And yes, the D118 is single lane (as most mountain roads in the area). But chances are that there won't be snow in May at 1700 meters and probably much less traffic. Accessorily, it is the shortest route.
I am not trying to convince you of anything, I am just saying that IMO, driving up and down the Puymorens after a whole night on a plane is not a very good idea.
Via Michelin does not take into account traffic conditions and rest stops and you haven't factored in the time needed to get out of Barcelona airport. Under the best circonstances i.e. no traffic, no rest stop, you'll need 4.50 hours to drive from the airport to Mirepoix. Add an hour for a picnic, more for lunch in a restaurant. I would not expect to be served lunch in Spain before 1 pm (and this is very early !).
There is a restaurant in Llivia called Fortmageria de Llivia - Pla del Ro, where they make and serve their own cheese and a very good restaurant in Bolvir de Cerdanya 3 km from Puigcerda : Torre del Remei
Now if you decide on a picnic, stop wherever it is convenient for you without leaving the main road to enter into a city.
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Old Apr 19th, 2014, 10:23 AM
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Pvoyageuse, once again thank you for your input. I now have three routes stored in my GPS from BCN to Mirepoix. Depending on conditions when leaving the airport we go either toward Puigcerda or Perpignan. If we go to Puigcerda we will decide then which way to proceed. As for lunch I still hope to find a tapas bar thinking it could be quick. If not we will look for picnic provisions. As I mentioned up thread I have confidence in my ability to be careful.

I still have a desire to visit the wine shop in Foix where I stopped years ago. Mainly to talk with the proprietor but also to buy a few bottles for our 2 weeks in Domme. I like wines from the Languedoc more than those from the Dordogne.
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