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Cycling / Bike Touring in Andorra
A tiny principality high in the eastern Pyrenees between France and Spain, governed by two co-princes and made almost entirely of mountains and steep valleys. Its seven parishes hold the largest ski area in the Pyrenees, high road passes ridden by the Tour de France and the Vuelta, the UNESCO-listed Madriu-Perafita-Claror valley, and a duty-free capital known for thermal spas, shopping and museums.
Why here
Andorra packs more famous climbing into 468 square kilometres than almost anywhere in Europe, which is why the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana keep coming back. Every road out of the valley floor goes up: the Coll de la Gallina and its brutal Els Cortals d'Encamp ramp, the long Coll d'Ordino, the Port de Cabus gravel wall, and the Port d'Envalira, at 2,408 metres the highest paved pass in the Pyrenees. You can link half a dozen category-one cols in a single ride and finish back in the same valley. Pro teams train here in summer for the altitude, the roads are quiet and well surfaced, and it is a place to come and climb rather than roll along flat. Local operators will guide the cols with a support car.
Best months
The road season runs late May to October, with July and August warmest and busiest and the high passes clear of snow. Envalira and Cabus can hold snow into June and turn cold and stormy quickly even in summer, so carry layers for the descents. Afternoon thunderstorms build over the peaks, so the classic long loops start early.
Getting there & around
There is no airport or railway in Andorra, so riders drive or transfer in from Barcelona or Toulouse, about three hours, and base in Andorra la Vella, Escaldes or La Massana. Bikes can be rented locally or brought in. A guide with a support vehicle is worth it for the big col days, for mechanical help, food and water where services are thin. Traffic is heavier near the capital and lighter as you climb.
Skill levels: intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (2)
Andorra Cycling
OutfitterAndorra Cycling is a local guiding and coaching company founded by the professional road racer Carlos Verona, who has ridden the World Tour since 2013, with Marti Cerda directing its school. It guides riders over Andorra's high passes with a support vehicle, and backs the riding with structured coaching for road, mountain bike and triathlon, bike fitting and biomechanics, sports massage and route photography. It works from within Andorra rather than running trips in from outside.
Catalonia Bike Tours
OutfitterCatalonia Bike Tours is a road cycling operator based in Vic, near Barcelona, that runs guided trips over the Andorran cols with certified multilingual guides and a support vehicle. Its five-day Andorra tour strings together eight category-one climbs used by the Vuelta a Espana, among them Coll de la Gallina, Coll de Beixalis, Els Cortals d'Encamp, Port de Cabus and Coll d'Ordino, covering around 205 kilometres and 6,468 metres of climbing from a base hotel in the country.