Around Zugarramurdi

The walk starts in Zugarramurdi at the car park in front of the Azketa restaurant. To get there, see the ‘Practical Information’ section.

(S/E) From the car park, take the steps near the road, then turn left and follow the blue markings depicting a pottok (a small Basque horse). Follow these markings for a while, but not for the entire walk.

(1) Continue straight ahead along the path, cross a wooded area and rejoin the tarmac road. Turn right, then right again to reach the Ermita de San Esteban, dating from the 16th century, where it is traditional to drink a little water and ring the bell three times.

(2) Carry on and cross the road. Keep left at the three-way junction and then turn left at the last houses.

(3) Enjoy the view of the caves at the bottom of the meadow on the edge of the woodland: legend has it that witches used to gather here for their sabbath. Carry on to the crossroads.

(4) Take the small path on the left, which, after a gentle climb, offers a view of and access to caves carved into the cliff face.

(5) After the farm, follow the path on your right to go round the farm.

(6) Keep left at the crossroads, then join a wide path and reach the thousand-year-old oak.

(7) This is a monumental tree of extraordinary size, with enormous branches, one of which touches the ground, making it easy to climb. According to experts, the circumference of the trunk measures over 6 m.
From here, you can return to the starting point by following the same route back. Alternatively, take the path opposite the tree to begin a fairly steep climb due south. You’ll reach a tarmac road.

(8) Turn right onto this road and follow it for several hundred metres.

(9) At this point, you can reach the village of Zugarramurdi by continuing along the tarmac road. However, it is more interesting at this stage to take the barely visible little path on the left in the middle of the field. This path is clearly marked further on and offers a beautiful view of the valley. Towards the end, walk past some farms and then join the concrete road heading towards Etxalar in the opposite direction. Head downhill to the right and turn right again at the Church of the Ascension. Carry on straight ahead until you reach the steps and take them down to the car park (S/E).

By car: from Saint-Jean-de-Luz, drive via Ascain and up to the Col de Saint-Ignace (D4). Descend the pass, passing the Basque House. As you approach Sare, turn left onto the D306.
Drive past Istilarté. A little further on, turn left towards the Venta Berrouet. Drive past the back of this inn and continue along the road. When you reach Zugarramurdi, turn left into the car park of the Azketa restaurant.

As a guide, the journey by car is approximately 20 km and takes around 40 minutes.

Esteban is the Spanish form of the name Étienne, considered to be the first martyr of Christianity.

Take the time to admire the beautiful old houses in the village of Zugarramurdi.

Zugarramurdi is known as the ‘village of witches’ because, in 1610, the Inquisition tribunal in Logroño condemned around ten women to be burned at the stake as witches.

You can visit the Witches’ Museum and, above all, the great Zugarramurdi cave (120 metres long and 12 metres high). There is an admission charge.