Translated and abridged from an article at http://www.ccb-cyclo.fr/raid_pyreneen.html and still a work in progress. Any errors or ommissions during the translation and abridging process are entirely mine. Corrections are welcomed.
The beginnings of the Pyrenean Raid
This article was written in late 1952 by Louis Pucheus.
Louis Pucheus was one of the five pioneers of the Cyclo Club Béarnais (CCB) who first cycled from Cerbere to Hendaye in 1950. He wrote an article for "Le Cycliste" magazine in 1950. The Raid was officially presented to the regional press in late 1951, in the presence of its creator, Mr Bugard, aged 71 at the time.
By the end of 1952, the event was becoming a success and Raid Pyreneen Committee member Louis Pucheus wrote the following detailed and passionate history.
An experienced "randonnée" rider (taking part in a number of "diagonales" and Paris-Brest-Paris events), he was a modest man, signing the article with just his initials, LP.
The complete article featured in the brochure given to every participant in the event until the 1990s. In this brochure, club Vice President at the time, Joseph Darracq reminded readers of the name of the writer of the history.
“In 1912, Maurice Bugard, a young touring cyclist at the time, dreamed of establishing a Pyrenean Trail that would link the Atlantic to the Mediterranean over the mountains. He could never have imagined that almost 40 years would elapse before his bold dream would become a reality.
After the First World War, he drafted a plan, drew out the route, worked out the mileage and calculated the overall height difference: 18 mountain passes spread over 710km, with a height differential of 15,000 metres. Having learned from experience the difficulties posed by such a route, he spent a long time trying to find a trail cyclist from the enthusiasts he trained each year in Bearn, capable of putting his idea into practice. He believed, with good reason that he had found his man in the shape of Abadie-Lème from Pau, whose stamina and trail-riding instincts combined with a strong character all pointed to a good choice. Unfortunately, this was in 1939, and before an attempt could be made the Second World War broke out and to a backdrop of sirens, this worthy project was forgotten under enemy occupation.
Liberation finally arrived and at that time, the Bearn region's gentle climate and landscape mainly encouraged touring cyclists interested in leisure and good food. They were soon joined by another type of cyclist due to the rapid rise of the "Randonneur" [long distance trail rider].
It only took a few successful trips to transform the hesitant few into a flood. One man, Paul Mathis, from the East of France, settled on the banks of the river Gave, and became associated with one of the best events in the country and simultaneously enriched the sporting heritage of the Béarn Cycling Club.
In 1949, Paul Mathis took over Maurice Bugard's project, or at least its broad outline, given the fortunate transformation of the Pyrenean road network. In July of that year, he attempted the first Hendaye-Cerbere crossing, accompanied by his friend Piege. The attempt failed before it got fully underway as the fierce heat of the sun prevented them getting beyond the Tourmalet. The steely determination of the Easterner, combined with the cheerful patience of the Bearnais meant that neither would admit defeat.
In June 1950, Mathis set off once again, trying two different starting points from Cerbere, but still heading for Hendaye. This time he swapped the stocky Piege for the sylph-like Mademoiselle Betbeder. Randonnée experts had suggested this would force him to reduce his pace, thus improving his chances of success. Both finished in a time that the History of the Randonnée has not recorded, but it provided a first and valuable indication as a basis for later calculations.
Possibly feeling a little piqued by his former companion’s recent success, Piege set out himself, leaving his comrades Laborde and Louis Pucheus in his wake. The formation of the team was, it has to be said, rather varied in its physical attributes, and raised a few smiles within the CCB, accompanied by reservations about the results of our endeavors. Once again, the self-appointed Experts of cycle touring got it wrong!
We were lucky enough for Mathis to appoint us to the Pyrenean Raid Committee and to lay down the basis for regulations that would ensure the regular running of an event that he already had ambitions to accord national status.
The regulations had not even emerged from the period of trial and error inherent in such work when two trail riders from outside the region, informed us in 1951 of their intention to attempt the Pyrenean Raid without delay.
On 10th July, de Labordiere from Beziers set out for Hendaye. His attempt failed, but on the 30th of the same month he tried again and this time made it to the end. On the 14th August, Audiberti from Nice, set off for Cerbere, which he reached less than 60 hours later. As good things come in threes, the trio was completed by Anselme from Digne, at the end of the season, he then went on to successfully complete a Cerbere-Hendaye crossing.
These three successful attempts by outsiders encouraged our legislator in his work. Over the winter of 1951-52, Mathis set out the rules, and then fine-tuned and reworked his event. Choosing a logo worthy of the event required careful attention, as did drawing up route maps, setting up mandatory checkpoints, installing the relevant signage, printing a wide variety of documents and not forgetting the inevitable and often discouraging quest for financial assistance. However, by the Spring of 1952, the Pyrenean Raid Organisation was ready to go into action.
The results of this meticulous preparation were astonishing; especially given that access to the high mountain roads meant that the Pyrenean Raid was only open from mid-June to late September. In its first official year, 56 riders set out from the 67 official entrants, with only 38 successful completions logged. It may be that this level of wastage was due to insufficient preparation by some, an over-strong desire to do well by others or pure bad luck for the rest.
Although it requires physical and mental conditioning and, like any mountain trail, is subject to the wide vagaries of the weather, the Pyrenean Raid is not a superhuman test, reserved for a few phenomenal specimens. It is a Trail that is within reach of any touring cyclist that knows how to match their ambition with their physical resources.
For evidence of this, look no further than the success of several of our female colleagues, such as Mlle Delsol from Carcassonne, Mlle Larroque from Toulouse, Madame Lacombe from Agen and Mme Sannier from Paris as well as numerous teams, the most impressive of which was undoubtedly the one from Toulouse, led by our friend Bures.
Also worth mentioning, de Laborderie, who having already achieved the feat in 1951, succeeded in crossing from Hendaye to Cerbere in 1952, becoming both the eldest successful Raid entrant and the first to complete it in both directions.
Anselme returned too, completing the Raid in under 50 hours, greatly improving on his 1951 time. Another noteworthy visitor was Parisian rider Nogrette, who completed the Raid undaunted in the same year that his first attempt was refused ratification when his teammate withdrew.
Finally, many of our fellow riders have told us of their enthusiasm and pleasure (some in the form of impressively detailed accounts) on completing the Raid. Even those that Fortune has forced to give up have told us, along with their regrets, that they would happily start again. Many of those strong and fortunate enough to succeed, promise their intention to return and "Do the Raid in the opposite direction", hoping to take home the elegant plaque that such a feat earns, or just to improve on their time.
Although the Committee refuses to publish times, these are a bit of an open secret and even the purest non-competitive cycling spirit cannot prevent the times of Camizon from Marseille or Anselme from Digne - the best so far recorded - from disturbing the sleep of some of the great trail riders.
Apart from its obvious interest as a sporting event, is the Pyrenean Raid's success as a tourist attraction justified? Yes, beyond any doubt. I won't attempt a description of the landscape here, such as in the guide books, but I would stress that you won't find a dull spot on the entire route and your spirit and senses are overwhelmed by the infinite variety of the scenery.
From the ravaged coastline of the Atlantic to the calm of the Mediterranean, no two places look alike. Could there be a more complete contrast than that between the verdant mountains of the Basque Country, often wreathed in cloud, and the final buttresses of the Alberes range - all rocks and sun? The fierce solitude of the Soulor and Tourmalet serve to highlight the soft, gentleness of the green Aspin woodland and the passes at Ariege. The fresh memory of the Gave, Neste and Lourons rivers cool the fevered heart when under a cloudless sky, in the furnace of La Cerdagne, and Mont-Louis opens the gates to Catalunya in a breathtaking plunge.
So, throughout the whole of this Randonnée, with your spirit continually awakened and heightened by your efforts and actions, you will amass plenty of wonderful memories that will - during hours of weariness or enforced idleness - come flooding back when you recall that little toothed wheel Raid emblem against its backdrop of mountains.“