Special events at Bagnères-de-Luchon
Here are some great events:
- Fell race : The rack and pinion railway track
- International Kite Festival
- Fell race : The Panoramic
- Horse show
- Flower Festival
- Cycle race: Lapébie
- The Tour de France
- Vuelta, the Tour of Spain
Fell race - the rack and pinion railway! (La Crémaillère)photographic guide
A race on foot that goes up, and up, and up...
The start is in the centre of town. (Last year's was on Saturday May 8, at 14. 30)
The course follows the route of the old rack & pinion railway, which goes up to Superbagnères. (There are no rails or sleepers, because we lost too many competitors having accidents!) The start is at 630m, the finish at 1800m! It's 5,3km long and the average incline is 21%, with some parts at 28%!
The old rack and pinion railway was replaced by the telecabine but that doesn't run on the day to avoid any cheating!
The best time is held by Gilles Icart in 41mn 32Sec. He went faster than the old train!
For the women the best time is 50mn and 1 unhappy solitary second, held by Isabelle Guillot.
International Kite Festival, the Pompe à Julesphotographic guide
What a spectacle! It is really colourful.
Organised each year on the aerodrome, this festival attracts many people from different countries.
In 2004 the festival took place on July 17th and 18th. The last day was rather stormy, but sometimes the wind dosen't blow at all! Each demonstration is a real treat. It must be said that the setting lends itself well to such an event.
The festival has a lot of activities, demonstrations, information for beginners, lessons, and contests which are sometimes very funny.
Panoramique: Fell racephotographic guide
This is a road race that climbs up, and up, and up...
The start is in the town centre. It's in September but the date for 2005 has not been decided yet. (You will be the first to know.)
The race takes the road to Superbagnères. The start is at an altitude of 630m, the finish at 1800m. The distance covered is 18,4 km and the average incline is 7% for most of the course, with some harder parts, especially the last kilometer.
The best time is held by Jaime Mendes, at 1hr 13mn 3Secs.
For the women, Isabelle Guillot still holds best time: 1hr 28mn 34Secs.
Each year Bagnères-de-Luchon organises a prestige horse show which lasts 4 days, on the weekend of August 15. The show jumping course is set up on the side of the aerodrome.
The ground is 10 minutes walk from the Hotel des Sports. Each year bits of straw invade the staircase of the Hotel but no horse droppings yet...
The Flower Festivalphotographic guide
The flower festival is a great annual event at Bagnères-de-Luchon, with a procession of floats decorated with real flowers.
About fifteen lorries go through the town, with a band of musicians between each one. Majorettes, dancers, French or foreign performers, and a processionof vintage cars makes the show very varied.
Stands are put up along the roadside in town for better viewing of the procession. Caution, the city is closed as it was in the Middle Ages, and you have to pay to get in.
If you stay at the Hotel des Sports you will know that we have 4 rooms at the front of the hotel, two with balconies, which makes it easy to see the procession pass right under your nose.
The festival goes on into the evening with some shows lasting well into the night. A great date not to be missed.
Usually organised on the end of August, the flower festival of 2006 will take place on August 20th, with other activities starting on the 18th.
Cycle race: Lapébiephotographic guide
Named after the famous cyclist, Roger Lapébie (1911-1996), winner of the Tour de France in 1937, this race is made up of 3 courses. The longest (180 km, 5 colls) the shortest (60 km, one coll), the middle (105 km, 4 colls) for different levels of riders.
Organised by Madame Lapébie, who lives next to the Hôtel Alouette, this competition is part of the "Trophée Label d'Or" of the Fédération Françaisede Cyclisme, which comprises twelve races.
This healthy competition usually starts on the first Sunday of August, and is open to everybody, so get on your bike!
The Tour de Francephotographic guide
The Tour de France passes through Bagnères-de-Luchon every second year, within 300m of the Hôtel Alouette.
5 usual colls are around on the route: Col de Portet d' Aspet, col de Menté, Portillon and Peyresourde.
Look at the official website for more details.
Vuelta, the Tour of Spainphotographic guide
Other great cycle races pass through Bagnères-de-Luchon, for example Vuelta, the tour of Spain.
The Tour of Spain passed through Bagnères-de-Luchon in 2003.
Look at the official website for more details.