![RallyeDesPyreneesA](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/RallyeDesPyreneesA.jpg)
The Rallye des Pyrénées, also known as the Circuit des Pyrénées and formerly as the Pau-San Sebastián Rally,
[''Johnny's French Lettres'' (]Bike
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.
Bic ...
9/81) p. 40–44 was a two-day international motorcycle competition in late June set in the
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...
mountains of France and Spain, consisting of about of timed trials and hill-climbs.
[''Mountain Excitement'' (Bike 9/83) p. 78–81]
The competition, started in 1951 by the Union Motorcycliste Paloise,
[''Beyond Racer Road: Circuit des Pyrenees'' (]Cycle
Cycle, cycles, or cyclic may refer to:
Anthropology and social sciences
* Cyclic history, a theory of history
* Cyclical theory, a theory of American political history associated with Arthur Schlesinger, Sr.
* Social cycle, various cycles in soc ...
11/74) p. 73–77,90, 92–93 attracted a high proportion of competitors from European police and military units.
French motorcycle periodical, ''Moto Revue'', stated, "The Circuit des Pyrénées confronts the riders with many hazards and to cross the finish line is itself a fine reward",
[''A Million Miles Ago'' by Neale Shilton (Haynes Foulis 1982) p. 196–219]
whilst motorcycle writer
Cook Neilson
Cook Neilson (born August 24, 1943) is an American former journalist and motorcycle racer made famous for his win on a Ducati 750SS at Daytona in 1977. He graduated from Princeton in the mid 1960s, was hired as associate editor of '' Cycle'' in ...
described the competition as "the ultimate remaining Racer Road experience".
British magazine, ''Motor Cycle Sport'' called the 1978 event, "an anachronism and dangerous" yet "one of those phenomenal events that should not really be allowed but is".
[''It shouldn't be allowed ...'' (Motor Cycle Sport 9/78) p. 347–348, 352]
Description
The route initially took in the
Spanish Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...
and
French Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...
from
Pau in the South of France to
San Sebastián
San Sebastian, officially known as Donostia–San Sebastián (names in both local languages: ''Donostia'' () and ''San Sebastián'' ()) is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality located in the Basque Country (autonomous community), B ...
in Northern Spain.
However, by 1978 due to concerns of the Spanish police,
and the French police's own
security concerns in the Basque region,
[''Circuit des Pyrenees'' (Motor Cycle Sport 5/83) p. 223]
the competition was instead held exclusively in France.
The competition route in 1981 for instance consisted of a loop to the south-east of Pau on one day and a loop to the north-west of that city the following day.
The motorcycles had to be street legal and, except for six special timed sections, the competitors shared the route, consisting mainly of narrow winding rough mountain roads, with the public and kept to the legal speed limits.
Prizes were awarded for winners according to the motorcycle engine size (125 cc, 175 cc, 250 cc, 350 cc, 500 cc, 750 cc and over) with special prizes for sidecar combinations, teams and individual special merit with categories for institutional and civilian entrants.
The French part of the route starting and finishing in Pau (where the motorcycles would take part in a formal procession beforehand
) would take in the mountain passes of
Ferrières,
Arbéost,
Aubisque,
Soulor and
Gourette
Gourette () is a winter sports resort in the French Pyrenees. It is located in the commune of Eaux-Bonnes in the ''département'' of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, on the D 918 road which passes through the Col d'Aubisque mountain pass. The closest a ...
whilst the Spanish side, when run, took in
Jaizkibel
Jaizkibel is a mountain range of the Basque Country located east of Pasaia, north of Lezo and west of Hondarribia, in Spain, with at the highest point (peak Alleru). The range stretches south-west to north-east, where it plunges into the sea at ...
and Oyarzun.
Less mountainous venues would include the Foret D'Issaux, L' Hopital D'Orion, and Bois Du Bager.
[''Licensed Lunacy'' (Motor Cycle Sport 9/81) p. 451–452, 495]
Competitors were allowed to navigate the route for familiarisation prior to the actual competition itself.
End of the Rallye des Pyrénées
The competition was strongly associated with the organisation, engineering skills and hospitality of Roland and Ginette Roussel of the Union Motorcycliste Paloise,
and with their retirement and the withdrawal of long-time sponsor, French oil company
Elf
An elf () is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic mythology and folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology. They are subsequently mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's Icelandic Prose Edda. He distinguishes "ligh ...
, by the end of the 1980s, the competition was no longer viable and closed.
In 1974 and 1975, a British government
Central Office of Information
The Central Office of Information (COI) was the UK government's marketing and communications agency. Its Chief Executive reported to the Minister for the Cabinet Office. It was a non-ministerial department, and became an executive agency and a t ...
film called ''Pattern of People'', designed to promote British industry, was set at the Circuit des Pyrénées.
Notes
References
*''25-éme Rallye des Pyrénées: Medaille D'Argent'' (Moto Revue 15/7/76) p. 32–33
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rallye des Pyrenees
Motorcycle races