Route from Madrid to Montpellier

This stage is entirely done by train, unless you opt to cross the border by bicycle to save some money.

Schedule & Tickets

• Madrid-Atocha > Barcelona (AVE – €40 ~2h30) – every 30min
• Barcelona > Cerbère (R* – €14 ~2h20)
• Barcelona > Portbou (R* – €14 ~2h15) – option +7km bike
• Barcelona > Portbou (R* – €14 ~2h15) + Portbou > Cerbère (R – €1.30 ~6min)
• To avoid Barcelona, you can change trains at Girona or Figueres, to save time!

See https://www.renfe.com/es/en and https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en or https://rodalies.gencat.cat/ca/horaris for timetables and fares.

Tips:

• On the AVE trains (high-speed trains) bikes need to be folded or disassembled and carried in a bag. Their dimensions sum should not go over 180cm (h+l+w) to be considered hand-luggage, or 140x90x40 cm for special luggage (+10-15€).
  See more here, in particular for the AVE and Avlo rules.

* Tickets for this train are not available for purchase online. You can buy them at the stations.

Map

If you opt to cross the border by bicycle, you may leave the train at Portbou and ride 7km on a steep terrain up and down the mountain, on a state road.
If you leave in the morning, the road will not be busy.

To visit

• Cerbère / Banyuls Natural Marine Reserve
• Street Art
• Hôtel du Belvédère du Cap Vert

So, today was the day we left Madrid.

Yesterday we had a 3Cs workshop in Camilo José Cela Universidad, with a small but very insightful presence and participation from the Madrid Council, where we could talk about what has been made about city traffic and transportation, and what are they planning to do in the very near future.

And so, today was the day we left Madrid, in the morning.

With the train at 9h26 we had to be there early and with time to spare.

The first obstacle was obvious: When 8 bicycles try to enter a bike-friendly" train, there will be problems. For sure.

The usual is "we have already too many bikes", " there's no way you can put any more bikes in that train "..., etc, etc...

But we did.

After a smooth and long talk, and after we made the AVE train leave a bit delayed, we managed to enter it.

And yes, they had space! Lots of it.

So today was all about the train ride, from Madrid to Portbou. We should have stopped in Barcelona, but we kindly asked for extend the AVE ride to Girona and then we changed to another, regional, train to Portbou.

Portbou is a small coast village, with nice people in the Costa Brava, near France.

Catalonia for sure! Brother of Cadaqués or Port Lligat, neighbours of Figueres!

Anyone that loves Salvador Dalí, knows what I'm talking about. And the ones that never heard about those names, have heard for sure the name of one of the most famous artist painters in all the world: the catalonian with long moustaches!

And tomorrow we'll leave it for France!

Just like that.

We gonna cross a border that was so important during the second world war.

Tomorrow we'll cross the border to France, trying to reach Montpellier.

Are you coming with us?

This is a 42.6km stage, with a 1076m gain, but mostly flat for the last 25 km and using EuroVelo 8.

Map

View on ORS

Quick break for water and snacks

• Banyuls-sur-Mer – 8km
• Port-Vendres – 16km
• Argelés Plage – 25km
• Saint Cyprien Plage – 35km

To visit

• Bay of Paulilles
• Saint-Martin Chapel
• Château de l’Esparrou

Second day and no train today!

Well... just the "bike train" of 8 people pedalling between Spain and France!

And a very happy group this is!

We left Portbou in the morning after a good breakfast that gave us strength to face the first climb and cross the border to France. It was a 3k climb to the border, and then downhill to the first French village.

And then, when we started descending, after the first 100 meters in France, we had the first fall! It was just a bruise in a hand (no gloves) and a bit of Argentinian skin that we left in France! Everything ok now.

After a long and beautiful uphill with the ocean always in sight, we started going downhill through the french-catalan villages along the Mediterranean coast, full of spring flowers and a bright sun.

France brought us lots of cyclepaths through vineyards, beaches and fields of flowers and horses!

It was a nice and easy path under a sunny weather, toasting the unprotected skin of some!

Tomorrow, it seems the rain is coming!

Let's hope the wind is on our side, at least!

This is a 66km stage, with a 217m gain, and mostly flat using EuroVelo 8.

Be prepared for long gravel roads. Avoid to ride if it was raining – the surface may be soaked and muddy.

Map

Quick break for water and snacks

• Le Barcarès – 14km
• Leucate Beach – 26km
• Leucate – 28km
• Port la Nouvelle – 46km

To visit

• Tour Barberousse
• The port
• The salt basins
• The beach

Today was supposed to be the rainy day!

We’d been expecting it since early morning — in fact, we even woke up to the sound of heavy rain!

So we got to work: packing panniers, putting clothes in plastic bags, deciding whether to wear pants or shorts (it wasn’t cold and pants take longer to dry), putting on jackets and rain gear, covering our shoes with protective covers, etc...

But, in the end, there was no rain all day! Nothing at all!

Okay, there was some thunder right at the end, and a few of us who stayed a bit longer in the town center did get caught in some rain on the way back to the hotel. But that was it!

So the day’s ride was done under sunshine, though over wet terrain: national roads and especially bike paths. Lovely bike paths always by the sea, through the salt marshes, with Gruissan always in sight.

And it’s here that we’re spending the night — but not before meeting another fellow cyclist: a 20-year-old German who’s been traveling for several months. Right now, he’s in this region, but he plans to finish his trip in Greece. His first big journey, of course — but who knows what will come after that? Not even he knows!

Today’s stage was flat, about 70 km, with sunshine and barely any wind. There was one fall along the way — another patch of Argentinian skin left behind (yes, a different one this time), but fortunately nothing serious.

After that, it was a smooth ride all the way to Gruissan.

We passed several groups of cyclists, which made us realize just how many people are bike touring in southern France — whether solo or in groups, on regular bikes, e-bikes, or even tandems.

And the rain didn’t come!

I don’t believe this luck will hold out for many more days — but we’re enjoying it while it lasts!

See you tomorrow!

This is a 51km stage, and totally flat with a 167m gain, using EuroVelo 8.

At Sérignan it can be confusing entering the city, but try to go directly to the main square located at the historic centre.

Enjoy the green way along the Canal du Midi.

At Vias, the beach is 10min by bike from the city. Enjoy swimming in the Mediterranean.

Map

View on ORS

Quick break for water and snacks

• Saint Pierre-la-Mer – 15km
• Sérignan – 34km
• Portiragnes – 41km

To visit

• Canal du Midi
• Ouvrages du Libron
• Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Vias
• City walls

Sun!
Just for us.
Soleil!!
You can be jealous — today we even took a dip in the Mediterranean!

It was another journey along bike paths, shared lanes, and very quiet country roads.
A day to finish off the sunscreen and drink loads of water.

We rode the famous Canal du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stretching 240 km and linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean. It’s full of houseboats and shady paths — the oldest functioning maritime canal in Europe, now mostly a tourist attraction, buzzing with cyclists riding in both directions.

When it comes to bike-friendly infrastructure, the French are ahead of Portugal and Spain. But when it comes to respect and care for cyclists, they still fall short.
On that front, Spain does better, and Portugal is closer to France.
Of course, that’s a generalization.

So, it seems to me it’s just a matter of time: the kids we saw cycling along the paths and sidewalks today will grow up to see and treat all of this differently. And that’s a good thing!
This is also why this project matters — and why we must keep investing in what truly counts: education.

Now it’s time to wrap up this second stage, arriving in Montpellier.
Due to the project’s schedule, we’ll be catching a train for the last few kilometers so we can arrive by noon at Paul Valéry University.

This is a 77.5km stage and almost flat with a 360m gain, using EuroVelo 8 for half of the way.

If this is a too long route for you, be aware that you have the option to jump on a sub-urban train along the route in direction to Montpellier-Saint-Roch. For instance:

• Marseillan – Plage (14km)
• Sète (32km)
• Frontignan (39km)
• Mireval (52km)
• Vileneuve-lès-Maguelone (60km)

There are trains every 30min: https://www.sncf-connect.com/

Map

View on ORS

Quick break for water and snacks

• Marseillan Plage – 15km
• Sète – 30km
• Frontignan – 39km
• Aresquiers – 45km
• Mireval – 53km
• Villeneuve lès-Maguelone – 60km

To visit

• Things to do

Hello Montpellier!

We left Vias early because we couldn’t miss the train that would take us the final 30 km to Montpellier.

We arrived on time, though not without a few adventures and some issues with the bikes—nothing major, and we managed to sort everything out.

I think it was a sign that the journey shouldn't end just yet, but on the other hand, we also had a fantastic ending and were warmly welcomed here.

It was also a great opportunity to try out the trains and the local transport policy. Want to guess how it went? No problems at all. Our 8 bikes plus several others from fellow travelers—and not a single frown from the ticket inspector!

When we arrived, we were greeted warmly at Paul Valéry University, with sunshine and lunch in the campus garden.

Montpellier went straight to the top of my list of favorite cities.

It’s a city clearly committed to sustainable mobility and quality of life. It’s easy to see why it became one of my favorites: clean streets, full of bikes, well-integrated green spaces, and public policies that actually work—like free transport for residents. All of this contributes to the feeling of a vibrant, modern city, thoughtfully designed for those who live here—or are just passing through, like us.

I definitely want to come back.

And I bet everyone else does too.

Today we have a workshop to present the project here at the university, with representatives from the City Council, just like we had in Madrid. I’ll tell you all about it soon.

See you later—keep pedaling!