Escape to the Pyrenees

We had an amazing 4 days here. It’s perfectly placed for some of the iconic climbs. The food is great and you eat with the other guests so all chat about where you’ve been and your experiences; which helps with putting together your next ride. Jamie is so knowledgeable around the locality so helps write routes and also does guided days out too. I’d recommend his homemade vegan flapjacks and rice ‘bombs’ - the perfect energy release! Totally recommend this place if you love your cycling.

We stayed for 5 nights in September 2023 and it every way it was the perfect cycling holiday. Jamie is a fabulous cycling host - giving real insight of the region, cycling routes, cafe-stops etc. For two days Jamie led the rides, which was a great experience as he helped with coaching and many stories of the Tour on those mountains.
The villa is in a quiet village with the famous climbs a short ride away. Our room was comfortable and gave us everything we needed for the break. Another great benefit of the villa is the fully fitted garage - which made set-up of the bike and maintenance, hassle-free.
The food was brilliant. Tasty, nutritious and loads of it. It was lovely spending breakfast and dinner with other cyclists, planning or reflecting on rides. The great food extended to ride drinks and snacks which kept us going till lunch.
Finally, the rides. Villelongue is so close to the high mountains of the Pyrenees and we climbed Tourmalet and others. It was, without doubt, the best cycling experience of my life.
Thanks Jamie.

We have just returned from the Giants of the Pyrenees trip and I cannot rate this trip highly enough.

The accommodation is in the perfect location for access to the major climbs. The house is beautiful and the bike garage is secure and has absolutely everything you might need. No need to pack tools. I’m also not super confident about rebuilding my bike and Jamie was on hand to assist with this too.

Jamie is the perfect host and guide. He has an incredible knowledge of the history of the climbs and the Tour de France. Chatting about the legends certainly helped to distract from some of the steeper sections of the climb.

A huge bonus was Jamie’s mid-ride photography expertise. Ordinarily we’ll grab a few photos from the top of a climb with the col sign. On this trip we have a multitude of action shots during the ride. Jamie has incredible knowledge of the best locations to take the pictures and an eye for a great picture. Consequently we have great pictures of us riding through breath taking scenery.

We chose to have the guided and supported option. Having the support car with us was fantastic. This meant that we could travel light, safe in the knowledge that anything we might need with regards to food, drink, clothing, tools, etc was only a few minutes away. Having the car also meant that the rides could be super flexible, with an option to be transported part way up a climb to benefit from the best views or hop in at the top to avoid a difficult descent. On our last day we decided to be transported to the foot of the climb and avoid the additional miles meaning we could save the energy we had left to enjoy the climb.

The food was superb and the chef could easily cater for all dietary requirements with meals tailored to each guest. Ride snacks and homemade energy drinks were excellent and easy of the stomach. The recipes have been very kindly shared with us and I will be using these in future in preference to commercial energy drinks. Jamie was also able to provide lots of advice on fuelling and recovery.

Overall we had the most amazing week, stunning scenery, great weather, great food and we have left with some new friends. Keep doing what you do Jamie and I’m sure we’ll see you again before too long.

I stayed at Escape To The Pyrenees for five nights in September-October 2023 and it was an excellent experience.
We had four very full self-guided climbing days and managed to get up the big famous climbs and some hidden gems. The location is incredible - we were able to reach all our desired climbs without having to do car/van transfers.
Jamie is an experienced, knowledgeable host and guide. His suggested routes were superb and he was able to fill us in on all sorts of history and background to the area and the climbs. Our favourite climbs were two that we would never have found on our own.
He is also incredibly helpful - our bikes didn't make it on to our plane so we arrived in a bit of a fix. He took us to a bike hire place and fixed us up with a couple of bits of missing kit so we were able to ride as if nothing happened. Had we tried to do this holiday with non-specialist accommodation just by staying in a hotel or gite we probably wouldn't have got much riding done at all.
We were well fed, well looked after and learned lots about cycling kit, fitness and nutrition along the way.
Highly recommended.

After a weeks guided cycling with Jamie and his team I can’t praise them highly enough. Jamie’s knowledge of the area is second to none and each day he would discuss the forthcoming route and amend to how our group was feeling. The food is varied and tasty and the accommodation clean and comfortable.
What more can I say other than make Escape to the Pyrenees your next cycling destination, you won’t be disappointed.

The best cycling holiday I've ever had. The location of the hotel is perfect, right next to the famous climbs of the Pyrenees. The host Jamie is a super guy who is very welcoming, always helpful with advice for riders, and makes you feel welcome immediately. The food is also exceptional and just what you need after a long day riding. The rooms are spacious, modern and comfortable. I can't speak highly enough of the total experience at Escape to the Pyrenees.

For a serious cyclist, I would highly recommend staying with Jamie at Escape to the Pyrenees. I recently did the gravel tour for half of my stay. For the other half, I did self-guided road rides. Jamie was an invaluable resource for both. His knowledge of the local routes is encyclopedic, his advice on what to pack was always accurate, and his suggestions on how and where to fuel up were immensely helpful. As a host, Jamie was fantastic. He was always ready to help with anything. Last, given his cycling journalism background, it was always fun to talk all-things cycling with him. Definitely my favorite cycling trip ever!

A wonderful cycling guest house nestled in the middle of the wild peaks and famous cycling climbs of the Pyrenees (Tourmalet is only a short warm up ride away) with ample delicious meals along with homemade riding snacks to boot. Jamie is a highly knowledgeable, gracious host. He provided suggested routes to meet our goals and preferences along with route files. The bonus is that all the routes are downhill on the way home…Would love to return!!! Roger and Deirdre

To describe the experience as superb would be an understatement.

Jamie's knowledge of the mountains and history of the climbs is encyclopaedic and he has a real passion for all things cycling. His openness sets everyone at ease, no matter their cycling background.

The food is excellent, with a different 3-course meal every evening. Jamie's homemade energy drinks and snacks then power you through each days rides.

The location cannot be beaten with many great climbs on the doorstep. For rest days, plenty of flatter routes are available, especially out to Lourdes.

Bedrooms are modern and spacious, with plenty of places in the house to relax after a days riding. A fully stocked workshop limits the amount of tools you need to bring, and makes maintenance simple.

An outstanding experience and massively recommended.

What an amazing holiday! Even having looked forward to this trip for months, the experience exceeded our expectations.

Host: Our host, Jamie, went above and beyond in setting us up for a successful holiday. For example, when it became clear that my rental bike was too large, he called local rental shops to find an appropriately sized bike, and drove us to the shop to pick it up. Upon learning that our rental saddles were uncomfortable, he lent us and installed two of his own on our bikes. Lastly, Jamie is a wealth of information; he suggested and shared magnificent routes for us, and above all, encouraged us that we were up to the challenge. The resources on his blog helped us to prepare and arrive ready to tackle the iconic climbs.

Accommodation: The room was clean, comfortable, and spacious. Great common areas inside and outside for lounging and chatting with other guests. The ability to do laundry was much appreciated.

Location / Cycling: Unreal. We were able to roll out the front door on our schedule and each day undertook a different, memorable, famous, and challenging route.

Food: We historically have had a challenging time finding food that’s both healthy and delicious on active holidays. At E2P, Chef Alex prepared and served memorable multi course dinners, taking into consideration our dietary restrictions and preferences. Some of our favourites included trout, lasagna, coconut curry, stuffed zucchini, and chocolate mousse. Jamie also prepared ride snacks that were perfect fuel for getting us up the mountains.

All in all, an excellent cycling holiday and would highly recommend E2P!

- A and K

Really great food, clean relaxing accommodation and an enthusiastic and very knowledgeable host in Jamie! Absolutely perfectly judged itinerary and the climbs and scenery were simply stunning.
Meet The Mountains was a great intro to riding these climbs and look forward to a return in the future!

A hugely enjoyable stay at Escape to the Pyrenees.

We arrived mid afternoon following a drive from the Basque Country. We were keen to get out on the bike for a spin and Jamie kindly put together a route for us to match our distance/climbing requests. The late notice was not too much trouble.

The week we stayed was during the Tour de France and the Tour itself passed very close to the house. Jamie ensured that we had a plan and let us know in detail about all road closures to make sure we made the most of our day.

The house itself is situated near to numerous iconic Pyrenean mountains to ride - the Tourmalet is at the end of the road! The routes provided by Jamie took into account everything we asked to be included, and he gave us some great tips on where to stop for coffee/food.

Tho food all week was excellent, and included great rice cakes/flapjacks/bars to take with us for our rides. They were so good that I will be making them at home.

All in all a great week. We will certainly be back.

Simply the best cycle tour setup, providing everything you need, for amazing cycle adventures across the Pyrenees.

Jamie & Kit’s home, in the village of Villelongue, is perfectly located to cycle the renowned giant climbs of the Pyrenees, and has a relaxed and welcoming vibe. As an established cycle journalist and keen racer, Jamie shares his bike knowledge, advice and tips with passion. Need a route, advice on kit, fitness, or want first class guided and supported day(s)… Jamie’s on hand and makes it easy. Meals are delicious and plentiful, and bike nutrition is spot on.

Escape to the Pyrenees, provides everything you need, for amazing cycle adventures across the Pyrenees.

Meet the Mountains was an unforgettable 4-day cycling immersion and Jamie went above and beyond to ensure our experience was nothing short of amazing. The accomodation was great and the delicious meals were something we looked forward to each day! Jamie’s knowledge and passion for cycling was infectious and we loved nerding out on new tips and techniques. The routes were iconic Tour de France climbs in absolutely breathtaking landscapes, and Jamie had a talent for capturing the adventure with stunning photos. Highly recommend and we’ll be back for the Giants of the Pyrenees tour!

I have just come back from the 4-day Peak Gravel trip. I have been lucky enough to have done many cycling trips and other ‘premium’ experiences, but my time with the E2P team surpassed all expectations.

From start to finish, the attention to detail and the quality of the experience was exceptional. In no particular order: the riding was unforgettable, once in a lifetime stuff. High above the normal roads on excellent and varied trails, with a lot of thought and discovery going into the routes.

Jamie is a great guide, knowledgeable, considerate, patient, a great source of advice from a very broad background in cycling. The food was exquisite, a real highlight (huge praise to Chef Alex), supplied ride snacks were another highlight (definitely ate more than needed too, loved them so much!).

Guest house itself was very comfortable, rooms and bathrooms lovely, and the workshop was fully equipped with anything you could think of.

In summary I could not think of anything that could have been better, it was a brilliant experience all round. I look forward to going back. Well done the whole E2P team.

If you're looking for a place to set up for a few days and hit all the great hills around Argeles Gazost, you can do no better than Escape to the Pyrenees. Endless delicious food, comfortable beds, incredible ride snacks, and a host with a seemingly endless knowledge base of the mountains nearby.

Whether you are doing a self-guided adventure or want to have someone show you around, Jamie is extremely generous with his tips and tricks. You cannot beat the location with such close proximity to the Tourmalet, Luz Ardiden Col de Soulor, Col d'Aubisque, Hautacam, etc, etc.

Jamie was very responsive to inquiries and was extremely generous with his time for doing airport pickups, day trips, bike shop visits, etc. I had an amazing escape and would return in a minute.

We spent 5 days with Jamie earlier this year, having planned our trip for nearly 12 months. Nothing was too much trouble, from advice on routes to sending us gpx files.
The accommodation is excellent; clean, well-equipped and maintained. The food that Kitt prepared was excellent, and there was always plenty of it.
The location of the house is really central for all the most famous climbs. We had Jamie join us on all our rides, and he helped with advice on climbs & descents as well as taking literally 100’s of great photos.
Cannot recommend them enough. If there weren’t more great climbs to conquer in other parts of the world, we’d definitely be going back 👍

We did the Meet the Mountains tour in mid August. An absolutely fantastic experience. The best I’ve had on a bike!
Jamie’s a great and supportive guide and hosted us superbly. The house is in a perfect place to explore the Pyrenees and has everything you could possibly need. Big shout to Terry who provided the support car too. What a luxury.
Will definitely look to stay with Jamie and his family again, in the future.

Just completed the four day Giants of the Pyrenees guided and supported tour. An amazing experience encompassing iconic climbing routes. Completion of this challenging but rewarding expedition was enhanced by the high quality cycling specific food, comfortable and ideally located accommodation, the wealth of advice offered, the car support always available which supplied endless delicious home made nutritious riding snacks/drinks (thank you for the recipes) and mechanical support!

Jamie and his team go above and beyond to make this an unforgettable experience, I am sure their passion for cycling and this particular area is unmatched. This is the perfect cycling holiday and would give more than 5 stars if it were possible!

My wife and I stayed at Escape to the Pyrenees (E2P) for 9 days with 2 other couples for a cycling vacation in late July - early August 2023. There are simply not enough great things to say about the host/owner Jamie and the property. As a very strong cyclist himself, Jamie really went above and beyond to ensure that we experienced the best that the area has to offer. The location is perfect for tackling a wide variety of famous and should-be-famous routes and climbs. Though we were self-guided, he even "rescued" us when we got stuck in a cold, windy downpour descending the Col du Soulor. He was always super responsive both before and during our visit and accommodated all of our needs and requests cheerfully. As a former employee of various cycling publications, he also has many useful insights on gear, training, and nutrition. The facility is immaculate and the rooms very comfortable. It also includes a very large bike shop/bike storage area. The WiFi is free and very fast. The chef during our stay, Alex, trained in Paris and is a former chef for Man City football club in the UK. He created many varied and delicious meals that kept us well-fueled for some long days on the bike while accommodating dietary needs such as vegan and gluten-free. Our previous week in Italy was challenging on a number of fronts, but our stay at E2P really made the vacation the enjoyable memory that it will always be. There is no question that we will return as often as possible, likely taking advantage of the guided option that Jamie offers as well. Back less than a week, I've already spoken to my racing team about doing a training camp at E2P in the future. Ten stars out of five!