Pyrenees Mountain Biking

The Pyrenees form a mountainous border between France, Spain and Andorra, and this stretch of the eastern range, from the high plateaus of Cerdagne and Capcir across to the Luchon valley and over into Andorra, offers some of the best natural mountain biking in southern Europe. Expect natural singletrack first and foremost, backed up by several dedicated uplift-served bike parks.

The Trails

• Expect natural shepherds' tracks, miles of singletrack, forest tracks, open mountain ridges, rock gardens, boulder descents, drops, off-camber singletrack, tight switchbacks, gullies and rocky climbs.
• The Cerdagne and Capcir valleys (Pyrénées-Orientales) carry an extensive network of marked, graded cross-country trails from green through black, plus long waymarked multi-day VTT touring routes such as the Grand Tour and Grande Traversée du Capcir à la Cerdagne, and dedicated gravel routes around Osséja. See Pyrénées Cerdagne Tourisme for the current official trail map.
• Olette, also in Pyrénées-Orientales, sits within the Madres-Coronat VTT area, with around twenty circuits for all levels, a long technical singletrack descent (roughly 1,300 to 1,600m of drop) accessed via the Train Jaune, and a guided enduro shuttle service still running in the area.
• Superbagnères, above Bagnères-de-Luchon in Haute-Garonne, is reached by the Crémaillère Express cable railway, which carries bikes, and offers around 1,200m of descent across several marked downhill and enduro trails.
• La Molina Bike Park, just over the border in Girona, Spain, is a long-standing downhill, enduro and freeride park with graded runs split across the Tosa and Comella sectors, a cross-country circuit, a freestyle and dirt jump area, and new kids' bike park circuits added for 2026.
• Pal Arinsal Bike Park in La Massana, Andorra, long known as Vallnord Bike Park, is one of the region's biggest and a regular UCI World Cup venue, with more than 60km of lift-served trails graded green to black, uplift by gondola and chairlift, plus cross-country circuits and a pump track.
• Also in Andorra, the Naturland Bike Center at La Rabassa, near Sant Julià de Lòria, adds a separate, lift-free network of around 70km of cross-country and enduro circuits at altitude, with a pump track and skills areas.

Admission and Prices

The natural trail networks in Cerdagne, Capcir and around Olette are free to ride. The lift-served bike parks charge separately. At Superbagnères, the Crémaillère Express costs EUR 12 return, an unlimited-rides day pass is EUR 22 and a season pass is EUR 190, with reduced rates for FFC club members. At La Molina, a bike park day pass is EUR 31 for an adult (EUR 28 for an afternoon-only pass),. Pal Arinsal, across the border in Andorra, has its own current pricing: see our Pal Arinsal Bike Park listing.

Prices are correct as of September 2026 but subject to change, so check current rates on each venue's own website before you visit.

Guides, Shuttles and Hire

How you get uplift or a bike here depends on the sub-area. Cerdagne and Capcir riding is mostly self-guided on the waymarked network, with local hire shops for mountain bikes and e-bikes. The Train Jaune doubles as a shuttle for the Olette enduro descent, and a specialist operator runs guided days using it. Superbagnères and La Molina each run their own cable-car uplift, bike school and hire through the resort operator. Pal Arinsal, across the border in Andorra, has its own dedicated guides, shuttles and hire, covered on its own listing.

• Bike Horizon: guided full-day mountain bike trip using the Train Jaune, with certified guides, based in Argelès-sur-Mer and covering the Olette area.
• DhGarage: downhill bike rental including a bike park lift pass, protective gear and children's bikes, based at La Molina Bike Park.
• Ecobike: mountain bike, e-bike and gravel bike rental with children's seats and trailers, with points in Font-Romeu, Les Angles and Saillagouse across the Cerdagne and Capcir.
• Haute-Garonne Montagne: runs the Crémaillère Express cable car up to Superbagnères along with the resort's own mountain bike school, beginner area, bike wash and shuttles.
• Luchon Mountain Bike: mountain bike and e-mountain bike rental, sales and repairs in the centre of Bagnères-de-Luchon, at the foot of the Superbagnères access road.

Some of these operators publish little online, so contact them before you travel to check they're running.

Getting There from the UK

Which airport suits you depends on which part of this region you are riding. Perpignan is the nearest airport for Cerdagne, Capcir and Olette, around an hour and a quarter's drive from Font-Romeu. Toulouse is the nearest airport for Superbagnères, around two hours from Bagnères-de-Luchon, and also serves Andorra. Barcelona and Girona both serve La Molina, each around two hours by road, and both also reach Andorra in around three hours. Toulouse, Barcelona and Girona have the widest range of flights from the UK.

By rail, take the Eurostar to Paris and a TGV onward towards Perpignan or Toulouse. For Cerdagne, Capcir and Olette, a regional liO train continues from Perpignan to Villefranche-de-Conflent for the narrow-gauge Train Jaune, which serves stations including Olette, Mont-Louis and Bolquère-Eyne in the Cerdagne. For Superbagnères and onward towards La Molina or Andorra, a regional TER service runs from Toulouse to Latour-de-Carol, close to the Spanish and Andorran borders, in around two and three quarter hours. Bicycle reservations on these regional lines are typically free but can be mandatory on the Train Jaune and on weekends, holidays and peak summer dates elsewhere, so check and reserve a bike space before you travel.

Driving from Calais or the Channel Tunnel is around 1,140km to the Perpignan side of the region and around 970km to the Toulouse side, roughly ten to twelve hours on French motorways.

Once you arrive, each sub-area has its own trailhead: Font-Romeu, Bolquère and Les Angles for Cerdagne and Capcir; Olette station for the Train Jaune enduro descent; the Crémaillère Express base in Bagnères-de-Luchon for Superbagnères; the road up from Puigcerdà for La Molina; and La Massana for Pal Arinsal (see that listing for full detail). Check the individual venue before you travel, and download a route or use GPS navigation before you set off.

When to Go

The natural trail networks around Cerdagne, Capcir and Olette generally ride well from spring through autumn, though snow can linger into early summer at altitude. The lift-served bike parks at Superbagnères, La Molina and Pal Arinsal are a shorter, summer-only season, usually running from around June to September; check each venue's own page for its current dates, since they don't all open and close together. The French and Spanish school summer holidays through July and August are the busiest weeks everywhere, and the Mediterranean-facing lower Cerdagne and Capcir valleys can be hot in high summer, while the higher bike parks stay cooler.

At altitude, expect the weather to change quickly: afternoon thunderstorms build through the summer months at these elevations, so start early, carry a waterproof layer and check the forecast each morning.

Where to Stay

Where you base yourself depends on which part of the region you're riding. Font-Romeu, Bolquère and Les Angles suit Cerdagne and Capcir riding, with Train Jaune links across the plateau. Olette or Mont-Louis put you at the start of the Train Jaune enduro descent. Bagnères-de-Luchon, a historic spa town, is the base for Superbagnères, with the Crémaillère Express leaving from the town centre. Puigcerdà, just over the Spanish border, is a convenient base for both Cerdagne and La Molina. La Massana and Arinsal, in Andorra, serve Pal Arinsal (see that listing for detail).

Accommodation across the region runs from gîtes, chalets and small hotels to apartments and campsites, with Puigcerdà and Bagnères-de-Luchon offering the widest range. Each bike park sells its own uplift pass rather than a shared regional card, so check the relevant venue's page for current lift pricing.

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