Hiking in the French Basque Country
The Pyrenees on the doorstep and beautiful coastal walks. I recommend the hiking guides „De la Nive au littoral basque“ (ISBN: 2-9519410-1-3) and „Le Guide Rando Pays Basque (ISBN: 978-2-84182-284-3), you get them at Carrefour and Leclerc, at local bookstores and the tourism office.
The famous trail GR10:
The long trail GR10 is crossing the Pyrenees from the Atlantic sea until the Mediterranean. This marvelous route is just a 10 minute walk from our house away. This gives you various alternatives to hike one of the stages of the trail. You find more information about this route in hiking guides or in the internet.
On the Col d'Ibardin you have the possibility to buy Spanish products like wine and ham and you can start a variety of hikes where you always have great views.
The hike „Rando du Lac“
Leave your car at the large car park of Col d'Ibardin and just walk straight ahead. On the left, leave the shopping malls behind you and continue along the path until you reach the lake. You can then round it. A 2 hour hike with very nice motifs.
The lake with view to the Atlantic.
La Rhune
The mountain la Rhune is the highest mountain of the close region (905 meters). La Rhune is a mystique mountain of the Basque people and you can see the peak already from our house. It is a hike between 2,5 and 3 hours from our place. You have to hike a difference in 850 meter of altitude. The descent takes you less time. There is also a cog railway which takes you to the peak.
La Rhun in the winter, but there is rarely snow.
Venta Inzola, Venta Zahar
Venta Inzola is a typical restaurant in the forest of Urrugne, it does have a simple menu and is opened on weekends and bank holidays. The trail takes you through a natural park and is always along a river. Venta Zahar is a nicer place than Inzola.
The Venta (restaurante) Zahar.
Hiking along the coast Cabo de Figuer (Hondarribia)
The most beautiful coastal walk can start at Cabo de Figuer (at the extreme end of Hondarribia). From there, hiking trails lead up to San Sebastian and the mountain Jaizkibel. The Corniche (section between Ciboure and Hendaye) is indeed beautiful, but the hiking pleasure is limited by the close traffic. Starting point is the parking lot opposite the campsite and the lighthouse of Cabo de Figuer.
View to Hendaye, Chateau d’Abbadia the coast line of Corniche.
Park Peñas de Aya
Immediately after the Spanish border in Irun is the natural park Peñas de Aya. The park is little touristy and offers great nature in the immediate vicinity. The natural park covers an area of 6,913 hectares and has an exceptional profile due to its three granite peaks Irumugarrieta, Txurrumurru and Erroilbide of over 800 meters. The Aiako Nature Park also has a 2,000 year old mining area, while Arditurri has a lot more information on the Internet.
Camino de Santiago
The famous Camino de Santiago should not miss in this chapter. From our place you find within 10 minutes by car access to the Camino de Santiago. The most important stations of the region are on the French site Saint Jean Pied de Port (last station before crossing the Pyrenees) and the Spanish Roncesvalles (first station in Spain after crossing the Pyrenees) with its famous hospital for the pilgrims.
Park Señorio de Bertiz
The park de Señorio de Bertiz in Navarra (Spain) is for people how like the nature, the fauna, the forest and the people who used to live there and their histories. The park does have a multitude of different trees and plants. It is so extraordinary because this forest wasn’t exploited economically for hundreds of years. They do have a very good center of interpretation.