Pyrinees Mountain drives advice for a retired couple.
 

We are a couple age 67 and 62 with limited driving mountain roads experience .
Our plan is to drive the following route starting May 6 up May 20 2012.
Barcelona –Turla (Ordesa)-Loudres(grotte de betharrams) – Cauteres (pont déspanie)-Gabarne (Circ de gabarne)-La Mongie (pic de la midi)- Aspin pas – Espot(Aiquestor) - Figueras.
Questions:
1: Is this a safe route for retired people with limited mountain experience?
2: What car type we should hire?
3:Tips for safe driving in the Pyrenees.
4:Any relevant point we should consider.
Thank for your time

If you can drive a standard shift car, rent the "economy" sized car as defined by kemwel.com. Be willing to downshift to third gear when going down steep hills and pull over to the side when you feel that someone is trying to make you go faster. Enjoy the trip--but get the spelling right of the locations so that you can find them on a map.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...17915043/show/

Hi SA,

>What car type we should hire?<

I like the "compact" size - Renault Megane, Peugeot 308, VW Golf - because they have enough power to climb the mountain roads and still get good mileage, especially the Diesels.

Enjoy your visit.

((I))

I don't know all of those roads but I do know some. I don't think age is an issue. The roads will be fine unless you have problems with exposure- my sister in law has to sit in the middle with the back blinds down, for fear the landscape is gonna get her!

Contrary to the advice above, I think you should get an automatic albeit one you can fix in first gear.. You will go nuts changing up and down, else. But by the time you get to the Col de Tourmalet you will feel that you have carried the car over. Heaps of cars overheat from the climb, so take your time, and stop for lots of cooling- YOU and the car.

You will love it. They are magnificent mountains.

Roads are fine and not terribly congested so very convenient for road trips which is what you will be doing. I agree with going with an automatic, you will enjoy the ride much better. Bring/rent GPS. Take advantage when you see a supermarket and stock up on beverages, get fresh bread from bakeries and prepare sandwiches for the road just in case. Bring in clothing layers and windbreaker.

I have driven it in a standard shift midsize car, and I would also advise you to get an automatic. It just makes the trip so much more enjoyable for site seeing and no stress. But either way I feel the above advise about pulling over and stopping often excellent advice. Enjoy. I am a 69 year old female, did this trip when I was 60, and 65.

The reason I recommend the smallest car offered by Autoreuorpe/Kemwel is that I once was stuck for 20 minutes on the col du Tourmalet because a driver in a DS (that tells you how long ago) froze when a bus came from the opposite direction. The smaller the car, the more maneuverability.

I also think the smaller cars have less trouble with the drive

I would suggest that you go to Google maps and use the Streetview features for those roads you plan to take. You will get at least an idea of how wide or steep the mountain roads will be, and if that is still within your comfort zone.