Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Urdos

Hitting the road early morning again, after breakfast at the Hotel "Les Voyageurs" in Urdos. The GR653 has again joined the N134, that now leads to the 8.6 km-long Somport Tunnel, opened in January 2003. I left the road and walked on a steep, slippery ascent to the "Col du Somport" (aka "Canfranc Pass").

A railway line, connecting France and Spain was discussed already mid 19th century. After the construction of a tunnel, the line was opened in 1928, but was never really sucessful. On a frosty morning in March 1970 a heavy freight train was approaching Urdos, when, due to a brake failure, the train derailed and destroyed the Pont de l‘Estanguet, 3kms south of Accous. The bridge never got rebuilt, the railway line was never used again - and the station is out of service ever since.