Shorts Stories Renée

Shorts Stories: Renée

The Pyrénées is a fascinating mountain range. A thin line of jagged peaks stretching 500 kilometres between two immense seas; they form a natural border between France and Spain.

Dotted along the ridge are a number of mountain passes. Natural gateways or doors (Port) between the two countries, they are remote, at high altitude and in the past have been used by many as a path to freedom and a better life.

Tales of escape over such forgotten and remote passes as people fled from Spain during the Spanish Civil War and later France in the Second World War remind us of a darker side to the mountains.

Nestled near the mighty Mont Valier, the region's third highest mountain, Port d’Aula stands at a touch over 2,200 metres and is accessed by an 18km long gravel track from the small town of Couflens, via the Col de Pause.

The climb to the Col de Pause is split in two. The first half has smooth tarmac and it takes you out of the valley floor up into high pasture. The second half is double track gravel and it snakes around a natural amphitheatre before pushing on to the top.

No wind, no noise, the world was ours and it felt fantastic.

With the sky an inky black we decided to turn in for the night.

The next morning we slowly rose to the sound of silence and the view of a pink mountain resting gracefully across the valley.

No time for breakfast, we had a ride to start.

A section of eight or nine hairpin bends propped up like a ladder against the eastern valley wall. It was spectacular and we finally caught sight of Port d’Aula.

We couldn’t help but imagine the emotions of those who used it as a route to freedom: the immense risk taken to get there and the significance of crossing over to the other side.

We opened the gate and walked into Spain.

Made for adventure, Renée gravel shorts use cutting edge fabric technology and are perfect for roads less travelled.

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It’s off-road and on-road. It’s riding and not riding. It’s racing and not racing. It’s everywhere and nowhere.

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