With a total budget of €4.5 million, this program seeks to create an interconnected cycling network for all practices (MTB, gravel, road) and enhance the region's tourism appeal. Led by the Department of Hautes-Pyrénées in partnership with 11 French and Spanish stakeholders, including the Communauté de Communes de la Vallée d’Ossau, Vélonat aims to establish the Central Pyrenees as a recognized cycling destination.
The project is structured around three main axes: the creation of a major cross-border MTB route connecting Sobrarbe to the Atlantic Ocean, the enhancement of existing cycling offerings with numerous developments (signage, waymarking, cycle paths, service areas), and the promotion of the destination through joint communication tools, events, and promotional videos.
The three Communautés de Communes of Pays de Nay, Vallée d’Ossau, and Haut-Béarn, grouped under the name « Montagne Béarnaise », are collaborating to develop a gravel route of over 200 km, one of the few marked routes of this scale.
The project benefits from European Union funding of 65%, through the Interreg VI-A6 Spain-France-Andorra (POCTEFA 2021-2027) program, amounting to nearly €3 million in European funds. Officially launched on July 1, 2026, Vélonat will continue until May 31, 2029.
