Pyrenees Moto Trip

The concept

Why Barcelona, 2 ride days & 2 city nights

You asked about Barcelona — and it turns out it's the best base for this. Here's the rationale:

Barcelona is a prize, not just a parking lot. You're flying in from Tokyo — it would be a shame to see only the airport and the bike rental counter. With 1 night before and 1 night after the ride, you and Joanne get a tapas dinner in El Born, a morning of Gaudí (Sagrada Família, Park Güell) and seafood on the Barceloneta beach.
No one-way rental headache. Round-trip from the same city — pick up and drop off in Barcelona. No Paris–Barcelona one-way surcharges or limited availability.
No 4-day Toulouse detour. Toulouse–Barcelona–Toulouse eats 2 extra days just on transit. From BCN we're in the Pyrenees within 2–3 hours of riding.
Best bike selection. Barcelona has way more rental agencies and touring bikes than Toulouse. Multiple agencies with the V85 TT and Tracer GT you found — with proper passenger comfort.
Avignon → BCN is easy. We all drive down together in the car (~5h via AP-7 coastal motorway). The car stays parked in Barcelona — handy for storing luggage we don't take on the bikes.
2 days on the bikes is the sweet spot. Enough to feel the Pyrenees properly — mountain passes, Andorra, amazing roads — not enough to see everything, which is exactly the right amount to make you want to come back for a longer traverse.

Note for Julian: You and Joanne stay with us in Avignon first — then we all drive down together. We arrive in Barcelona the day before the ride starts, so you have an evening to taste the city, sleep off any jet lag, and start the moto fresh the next morning. Same on the way back: a final night in BCN means the trip ends with tapas instead of a 5-hour drive.

Itinerary

The 4 days

Day 1

Avignon → Barcelona · arrival evening

~5h drive · check-in · tapas & first taste of the city

Avignon (morning) All four of us load the car and roll south. Coffee stop in Narbonne or Béziers.
Barcelona (mid-afternoon) Check into the hotel, drop the luggage. Park the car for the rest of the trip (handy for storing what we don't take on the bikes).
Barri Gòtic / El Born walk Slow stroll through the medieval streets, vermut break on a tiny terrace, golden hour on the Born rooftops.
Tapas dinner Pick a busy local spot in El Born or Gràcia. Pa amb tomaquet, patatas bravas, anchoas, croquetes, a glass of cava. Early night — the bikes leave early.

Note for Julian & Joanne: This is your jet-lag buffer. Take it easy, eat well, sleep in a real bed. The mountains can wait until tomorrow.

Day 2 · Ride 1

Barcelona → Puigcerdà

~170 km · ~3h30 riding · first taste of the Pyrenees

Barcelona (08:30) Pick up the bikes. Coffee. Briefing on intercoms / luggage.
Vic → Ripoll Warm-up section across the plain of Vic, then the Romanesque monastery of Ripoll — worth a 20-min stop.
Ribes de Freser (lunch) Mountain village just before the climb. Set-menu lunch on a quiet terrace.
Collada de Toses (1800m) The legendary biker pass on the N-152 — endless curves, panoramas over Cerdanya. The afternoon highlight.
Puigcerdà (late afternoon) Check into Hotel del Lago, lakeside. Walk around the old town, dinner with Catalan charcuterie boards.

Tip: Book dinner in Puigcerdà in advance for May — it fills up on weekends. The alt route via the Cadí tunnel is in the GPX above if the weather turns ugly on Toses.

Day 3 · Ride 2

Puigcerdà → Andorra → Barcelona

~270 km · ~5h riding · the big loop

Puigcerdà (08:30) Early start. The morning light in the mountains is something else.
Col de Puymorens (2001m) Head north on the N-22. The real high pass — switchbacks, possible snow patches in early May. Spectacular.
Pas de la Casa → Andorra la Vella Drop into Andorra via Pas de la Casa. Fill up fuel (cheapest in Europe). Quick duty-free novelty if Julian wants.
La Seu d'Urgell Coffee and pastries. Beautiful old town, Romanesque cathedral.
Barcelona (17:00–18:00) Return the bikes. Walk to Barceloneta. Sunset on the beach, paella or seafood for dinner. Sleep at the hotel.

Weather note: Col de Puymorens at 2001m can still have morning frost in May — check conditions the evening before. The alt route (Port del Cantó, GPX above) avoids Andorra and Puymorens entirely.

Day 4

A morning of Gaudí · Barcelona → Avignon

~half day Barcelona · ~5h drive home

Slow breakfast Long coffee at a neighbourhood bar. No alarm clock today.
Sagrada Família Even a quick visit is worth it. Book the timed entry online a few days ahead — same-day tickets are usually sold out.
Park Güell (optional) If there's time and energy. Otherwise pick a rooftop bar for a final view over the city.
Lunch + drive back Quick lunch, pick up the car, hit the AP-7 north. Arrive in Avignon in the early evening.

Tip: Sagrada Família tickets sell out 3–5 days ahead in May. Book the moment we confirm dates. The fast-track tower-access ticket is worth the extra €.

Logistics

Getting there & admin

Avignon → BCN All 4 of us drive together from Avignon (~5h via A9/AP-7). Car stays parked in Barcelona during the moto trip.

Hotels 3 nights total — 2 in Barcelona + 1 in Puigcerdà:
· Day 1 BCN (arrival): mid-range hotel in El Born / Eixample, ~€100–150/room.
· Day 2 Puigcerdà: Hotel del Lago by the lake, ~€80–120/room.
· Day 3 BCN (return): same area as Day 1, ~€100–150/room.
May fills up fast — book all 3 nights early.

Licenses Full A license required for 850–900cc bikes. Spanish agencies will ask to see it physically at pickup. Julian: bring your Japanese license + International Driving Permit (IDP) — get it at JAF before you fly.

Parking BCN Romain's car stays in Barcelona during the moto trip. Ask rental agency if they have parking, otherwise use a nearby covered car park (SABA / BSM, ~€15–25/day).

Deposit Most agencies require €500–1500 blocked on a credit card (not debit). Confirm per agency.

Insurance Basic 3rd party included. Strongly recommend adding full coverage option at pickup (~€15–20/day extra per bike).

Intercoms Ask about Cardo or Sena rental if not bringing your own — essential for rider-passenger communication on each bike.

Julian & Joanne — coming from Japan? A few things to know: Spain uses Type C/F plugs (same as most of Europe, different from Japan). Currency is Euro (€). Time zone is CEST (UTC+2), 7 hours behind Japan. Tap water is safe to drink. Tipping is not expected but rounding up is appreciated.

Where to rent

Rental agencies — Barcelona

The key constraint: we need 2 touring bikes with good passenger comfort, available simultaneously, in May. Book as early as possible — May is peak season.

Hertz Ride Barcelona Reliable

International network · Touring focus

Carrer de Guitard, 15 · Known fleet of proper touring bikes (BMW GS, etc.). Good for multi-day rentals, transparent insurance. Can pre-book specific models online.

hertzride.com →

Riderly Best reviews

Aggregator · Multiple Barcelona agencies

Recent reviews mention Africa Twins for multi-day Costa Brava / Pyrenees trips. 2080+ bikes in Barcelona. Airport pickup option. Excellent responsiveness.

riderly.com →

Road2Luxe

Premium / guided · Barcelona & Marseille

French operator with BCN presence. Specialises in touring itineraries. Higher-end bikes, guided options available if wanted. Good for first-timers in the region.

road2luxe.com →

Yamaha Rent

Manufacturer network · Pan-European

Check availability of MT-09 Tracer GT at Barcelona location. Manufacturer-maintained bikes, known quality. Julian already found this link — worth confirming they have a BCN pickup.

rent.yamaha-motor.eu →

Which bikes

Recommended models

Priority: comfortable rear seat. Both below are excellent. The V85 TT is more relaxed and adventure-oriented; the Tracer GT is more dynamic. Ideal combo: one of each.

Moto Guzzi V85 TT

Adventure tourer · 853cc

EngineV-twin 853cc, 80hp

CharacterRelaxed, authentic feel

Rear seatWide & padded ✓✓

LuggagePanniers available

Best forUnhurried mountain roads

Julian's find. Soul of a vintage bike without the headaches. Perfect pace for this trip.

Yamaha MT-09 Tracer GT

Sport tourer · 900cc

EngineTriple 900cc, 115hp

CharacterDynamic, modern tech

Rear seatComfortable ✓✓

ExtrasHeated grips, windscreen

Best forCol passes & longer stretches

More power in reserve for uphill sections. Great for the second rider who wants a livelier ride.

Alternatives if unavailable: Honda Africa Twin (very comfortable, reviews confirmed for BCN), BMW F 850 GS (excellent tourer), Suzuki V-Strom 1050.

What to bring

Gear checklist

May in the Catalan Pyrenees: warm valleys (18–22°C), cold passes (5–10°C). Passengers especially feel the cold — layer up.

Helmet (full-face recommended)
Waterproof jacket
Waterproof trousers
Thermal base layer
Gloves (summer + liner)
Ankle-covering boots
Neck tube / balaclava
Intercom (Cardo / Sena)
Phone mount + offline maps
Small dry bag for rain
EU Health card (EHIC)
Full A license (original)
International Driving Permit (Julian)
Passport (required for Andorra)
Credit card for deposit
Travel adapter (Type C/F for Julian)
Travel insurance (recommended)

App: Download maps.me or OsmAnd with Spain/Andorra offline maps — mobile signal can drop in the cols.

Estimate

Budget per person

Car Avignon ↔ Barcelona (fuel + tolls, shared) €40–60

Bike rental · 2 days · share per person (2 bikes / 4 people) €120–180

Full insurance supplement €30–40

Hotels Barcelona (2 nights, room shared per couple) €100–150

Hotel Puigcerdà (1 night, room shared per couple) €50–70

Fuel for the bikes (approx. per person) €25–35

Food & drinks (4 days, incl. 2 BCN dinners) €140–220

Sagrada Família ticket (Day 4) €30–40

Total per person ~€535–795

Estimate only. Fuel in Andorra is ~30% cheaper than Spain — fill up there. Lunch in mountain villages is inexpensive (€12–18/person menu del día). BCN dinners can range from a €15 tapas crawl to a €40 sit-down at a nicer place — pick your level.

Action items

What needs to happen

Confirm dates 4 days total (e.g. Thu→Sun or Fri→Mon). Which weekend in May? Drive down on Day 1, ride Days 2–3, drive home Day 4.
Contact agencies now Riderly and Hertz Ride first. Ask specifically: 2 touring bikes with passenger comfort, same pickup location, 2 days, dates. May fills fast.
Plan the drive down All 4 drive together from Avignon to Barcelona the day before. Coordinate Julian & Joanne's arrival in Avignon.
Book all 3 hotel nights 2 nights in Barcelona (El Born / Eixample, 2 rooms) + 1 night Puigcerdà (Hotel del Lago or equivalent, 2 rooms). Book early — May fills up.
Pre-book Sagrada Família (Day 4) Timed entry tickets sell out 3–5 days ahead in May. The fast-track tower-access option is worth the extra €.
Sort intercoms If no one has them, rent from agency or order cheap Cardo Packtalk Neo in advance.
Julian: International Driving Permit Get your IDP at JAF (Japan Automobile Federation) before flying — required to ride in Spain with a Japanese license.
Julian: Travel adapter Japan uses Type A/B plugs. Spain & France use Type C/F. Grab a universal adapter before you go.

PyreneesMoto Trip