The rain in Spain most definitely does not mainly stay in the plain! Actually, I think that most of it fell on my tent yesterday night …
The morning is foggy and damp as I set out back towards France. On the uphill towards the Col de la Pierre St Martin it starts raining, lightly at first then stronger. It’s still warm, though, so I don’t mind. Towards the top thick clouds make visibility near zero but the pass itself is clear. 
After a short downhill I have lunch in the sun near the ski resort of La Pierre St Martin. 
The remainder of the downhill is beautiful, especially after I turn off the main road and take a tiny road down through the Forest of Issaux. 
Near Accous it starts raining again and the dark clouds and thunder in the mountains towards spain cause me to change my plans. I skip Somport and the Col de Pourtalet tomorrow and instead take the northern route over the Col de Marie-Blanque. Though not a very high pass, the western ascent is among the continuously steepest I’ve ever ridden. The last four kilometres with 11-13% average elevation are hot and hard.
I roll downhill and up the Osseau valley for another 20 km until I reach Laruns, at the foot of the Col d’Aubisque. 
90 km, 2800 m elevation