Lac de Cap-de-Long

It’s the first time TORQ Fuelled Mike Cotty has ever ridden this route and, it’s without doubt, one of the most beautiful he’s come across yet.

Take a few moments to join Mike as he rides the little known Route des Lacs, wherein lies the true beauty of the Néouvielle massif, home to 70 lakes, cascading waterfalls and an abundance of flora and fauna.

From Saint-Lary-Soulan the vallée d’Aure is gentle for the first 9.5km, allowing you time to warm your legs. It’s at Fabian where the climb really starts, as the road narrows and the gradient fluctuates through a dense forest of mountain pine. Relax, deep breath, the lack of road markings can make it hard to track your progress. Focus on the three sets of switchbacks to gauge your effort and where you are on the climb. Starting with the Lacet des Écureuils (squirrels hairpin) with 6.3km to go, followed in quick succession by the Lacet des Myrtilles and the ancient bends of the Lacet des Edelweiss. It’s here where your heart really starts to pound as the scenery starts to sing in a way that’s less familiar than you may have come to expect from the Pyrénées.

Rugged rock strewn landscapes and the Lac d’Orédon, Aubert and Aumar are all worthy of exploration but today we’re headed toward the Lac de Cap-de-Long, with its 100 metre high dam, holding back a gargantuan 67 million cubic metres of water, it’s the largest reservoir in the Pyrénées and a true spectacle beyond many. This may be an ‘out and back’ route but it’s one that will enrich your soul, put you back in the present and instil the simple feeling of freedom within. On a clear blue day there are few better places to be on the planet, but not even the autumn rain could spoil the moment, such is the mystique of the the Route des Lacs and sensational Cap-de-Long.

Start: Saint-Lary-Soulan

Length: 22.7km

Summit: 2,161m

Elevation gain: 1,361

Average gradient: 5.9%

Max gradient: 13%

Ridden in October

Follow Mike on more spectacular rides at http://thecolcollective.com/