Ascain walks

A lovely stage with a seaside feel and the end of the journey in sight.

This is a short walk we did in October to discover the Esnaur and then gather some chestnuts along the pretty Arraioko Erreka stream.

A short detour takes you past the bottom of Esnaur, then Suhalmendi and finally up Bizkarzun, two peaks in Ascain dominated by the Rhune.

This hike passes by a Basque pig farm, which produces Kintoa charcuterie and cured meats. Mount Esnaur offers a beautiful view of Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Ascain.

Although the highest point is “only” 180 m above sea level, this is a lovely walk through the countryside, often alongside streams, with a beautiful waterfall to discover.

A double loop around Bizkartzun allows you to discover this often overlooked waterfall.

A family hike through the forest, starting from the beautiful village of Ascain and ending at the Col de Saint-Ignace, a place famous for cyclists, but also because it is the starting point of the little rack railway that takes you up to La Rhune. This pass is very busy in summer.

This beautiful loop, which takes you from the bottom of the valley to the peaks of Suhalmendi and Esnaur via the Basque pig trail, will allow you to discover many facets of the Basque Country.

This hike takes you up the Suhalmendi for a magnificent 360° view of the Pyrenees and the ocean. You'll also discover the Basque pig that makes such delicious hams and other charcuterie. There's also a nice little picnic area where you can enjoy your picnic.

Whether you are a regular or occasional hiker, the hike to the summit of La Rhune is a must, as this peak is omnipresent in the Labourd landscape. A real challenge for some, a breath of fresh air for others, La Rhune is a magnet that attracts walkers and trail runners, climbing up all its slopes. The steep and rocky trails require suitable equipment, so sandals can stay in your beach bag and be used on the way back from your walk. If the sky is clear, the panorama offered by this summit, with its foundations in the ocean, is vast, stretching from the beaches of the Landes to the first peaks of the Pyrenees.

These are three peaks, Bizkartzun, Zuhalmundi and Esnaur, clearly visible from Saint-Jean-de-Luz and located behind Ascain. Emblematic of the nearby hinterland, they each offer a superb 360° view of the coast, the Rhune and the Pyrenees further east. This route takes you up these peaks one after the other on an easy trail with steep sections, flat sections, scree, a bit of tarmac and dirt tracks, all in a stunning setting.

Did you know that a tramway used to run through the hinterland from the coast (Hendaye, Ciboure) to Sare via Ascain? That was before the car became popular in 1936. This hike takes you along its route, based on available archives. The landscape has preserved the memory of this journey, which you can discover during this excursion under the watchful eye of Mont Esnaur.

La Rhune in a wide loop below Miramar. A little-used path to the Col des Trois Fontaines. A little longer, but easy and with much better views.

An original route to the summit of Larun Txiki (the Little Rhune), allowing you to discover little-known spots in the Rhune massif. However, this is a fairly demanding hike, suitable for experienced or moderate walkers, as there is still a climb of around 700 metres. Please note: there is a more difficult but optionalsection between (2) and (13)

Short circular on the slopes of La Rhune to the Col des Trois Fontaines. You can go a few steps further to discover the cromlechs.

This hike will take you to one of the first peaks in the Pyrenees, offering views of the entire French and Spanish Basque Country.

Take a short tour of the Basque pig farm that gave rise to the Kintoa designation, with a picnic at the Ascain sheepfold.

From the Rhune mini-train station, this hike climbs to the summit at 905 metres. The trail crosses moors, pastures and small woods, offering progressive views of the Basque Coast and the Pyrenees. Along the way, pottoks and mountain birds punctuate the ascent. At the summit, the 360° panorama reveals the ocean on one side and the Pyrenean mountain range on the other, rewarding your efforts with a spectacular natural spectacle.

La Rhune, the legendary mountain of the Basque Country, is never really easy to climb.This hike via the central ridge and the chimney is certainly one of the most difficult ways to reach the summit. The descent via Petite Rhune and Subizia is also difficult.Despite this, this hike is worth doing once because it takes you off the beaten track. You won't meet many people. The path is varied and the views are splendid.

A beautiful route to discover La Rhune in all its glory.

La Petite Rhune, passing by the Yasola venta, offers an unusual view of La Rhune. Follow this trail towards the Col de Kizkuitz to discover an unusual feature of the Rhune massif. The return to the Col des Trois Fontaines will allow you to seek out the little secrets of the Ihizelai rocky plateau.

This hike will take you up to the Petite Rhune (or even the Rhune for the more adventurous) via a route that is rarely used in places. It is classified as difficult not because of its length or elevation gain, but because of the potential difficulty in finding your way (the Visorando app is recommended) in certain sections and due to the steep, sustained gradient on the climb to Subizia (which can be avoided by going via Venta Yasola).

Climb to the summit of Ciboure Mountain to discover the Basque Coast via the Insola forest.

A hike in the heart of nature, with views of either the sea or the mountains, but also offering the chance to discover dolmens and a fortified camp dating back to Napoleon.

A lovely walk passing through the ventas, through the forest to Ibardin, then, on the way back, amongst the ferns with lovely views of the mountains and the sea.

The view from the top is magnificent, both to the south towards the surrounding peaks and to the north towards the coast.

After reaching the summit of La Rhune via the little train (a lovely climb), we head back down towards the village of Sare. A lovely stretch through the woodland, occasionally passing horses roaming freely.

Published by the municipality of Saint-Pée, this walk through the forest and along the edge of the woods takes you on a circular route around the heights of the municipality. The hike takes its name from the Xipategiko Erreka stream.

Another way to tackle all these little peaks between Sare and Ascain. A few fairly steep sections, but the return along the Uzkaingo Erreka is quite picturesque. After the descent from Zuhalmendi, you walk past herds of Basque pigs roaming freely.

Route on the heights of Ibarron with a beautiful view of the Nivelle valley.

This walk, published by the municipality of Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, forms a lovely circular route in the Urguri district.

A pretty loop passing by the Santa Barbara cross with a view of the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz

Between Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle and Ascain, this hike is inspired by another called "Collines d'Ibarron" (Ibarron Hills), but I like the trail that starts at point (9).

A circular route through the hills above Ibarron (Ibarrun in Basque) with Zuhalmendi in view. Mainly on wide tracks, this route presents no difficulty.

A family walk along the Nivelle, the fishing port of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, the marina and the beach at Ciboure, the oceanfront, the beach, the port and the Fort de Socoa. What's more, if you get hungry or thirsty, no problem, everything you need is available along the way.

A route to the summit of Zuhalmendi, featuring traces of the past along the way, such as wayside shrines, a wash house and a redoubt, as well as the chance to learn about pig farming.

This is a short walk with no other aim than to spend a pleasant moment in a superb landscape and enjoy the peace and quiet of the wide open spaces of the Basque Country.

A very beautiful hike that climbs from Sare towards La Rhune and passes from pass to pass, offering remarkable views of the mountains, countryside and ocean.

A beautiful hike that will allow you to discover the most famous peaks of the Basque Country around you as you climb, but also to enjoy a wide view of the ocean.

With the beautiful village of Sare as its starting point, this hike showcases the built heritage, old stones, history and landscapes in a very varied loop where there is no room for monotony. From a sporting point of view, the climbs and descents follow one another without transition, never very long, but admittedly with a few steep sections that are sometimes quite tough. It takes a little effort to complete this varied circuit between the town hall square and the heights of the Col de Saint-Ignace. But above all, there are discoveries to be made along the way. Walking along the cobblestones of the old galtzada (medieval road) is a poignant introduction to the area's heritage, followed further on by an old wash house, the remains of Napoleonic redoubts and traditional houses and barns.

Starting from Sare, a beautiful little village in the Basque Country, a short hike allows you to discover the beautiful landscape around the village.

Another way to climb La Rhune. You won't have to contend with the crowds on the more popular trails. Here, there are very few people, except for the locals.

This is the ideal route for tackling La Rhune in winter or on a cool day in mid-season. Indeed, much of this hike faces south and is sheltered from the north wind. Whilst the ascent is steep, the descent will also leave you with pleasant memories, over grassy terrain with few stones. In any case, your efforts will be rewarded by the unforgettable view from the summit of La Rhune. Depending on the time of year, you may even be able to enjoy a coffee or a bite to eat in one of the summit huts (closed in winter). On the way up, you’ll come across a magnificent cromlech, a prehistoric Basque monument and a sacred burial site.

A beautiful circular route for visiting Petite Rhune (Larrun Ttiki) and passing close to Venta Yasola.La Rhune will be visible above us.

Following paths through pidgeon hunting huts to climb up to the Gartzin blockhouse. A route starting from the Col d'Ibardin on easily accessible paths. The route can be shortened at the point near the pidgeon hunting huts

A circular route that takes in the restaurants on the border between Ziburumendi and Errentzazu.