Espelette circuit

An interesting route that takes you around local farmers, where you can buy Espelette peppers and sheep's cheese. A pleasant route through a charming village.

Details

185766
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.10 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 134 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 129 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 114 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 33 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Yellow signposting
(S/E) From the market square, walk past the castle and the pelota court. Take the steps on the left, turn right and then left. Cross the wash house bridge (lavoir). At the end of the path, turn left. At the intersection, take the paved road on the right and walk up Route Elizaldeko Bidea for about 250 m.

(1) Leave this tarmac road and turn right onto the path that crosses the Haitzaga neighbourhood. When you reach a tarmac section, turn left onto the path and join the tarmac road. Follow it to the left for about 150 m.

(2) Turn right onto a small rural road that leads to a road.
Continue along the road and turn right at the fork, following the signs. Keep right when you reach the houses to come out onto a grassy path. Continue along the path until you reach a paved road.

(3) Take this road on the left and turn right onto Oihan Bidea road. Follow the Latsa stream and, before the campsite, take the path on the left, then right to come out onto the paved road. Turn left, cross a bridge over the river.

(4) Follow the paved road to the left and just before the next bridge, turn right onto the path. Pass in front of a farm. The path climbs through the countryside. Cross the various fences using the ladders provided for hikers.

(5) At the Zapatagindegia farm, take a small, sometimes muddy path on the right until you reach the paved road. On the road, continue straight ahead on the old communal path that descends alongside a meadow with horses. Cross a road, and once at the bottom, climb over the fences using the ladders and cross the small stream.

(6) A little higher up, you will come to a wide path that enters the forest on the left and follows the stream at the bottom of the valley. Fork left and continue along the left bank (on the left). At a three-way junction, turn left and continue to the Galanekoborda farm. Take the paved road on the right, keeping to the right.

No signposts

(7) Turn left onto Rue Zubizabaletako. Follow the road as it bends to the right.

(8) At the end, turn left, ignore the road on the right and the one on the left and stay on the same road. Follow it to your starting point (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 63 m - From the market square towards the bridge - Latsa (cours d'eau) - Affluent de la Nive
  2. 1 : km 0.69 - alt. 77 m - Turn right onto the grassy path
  3. 2 : km 1.39 - alt. 97 m - Leave the road and follow the path on the right
  4. 3 : km 2.33 - alt. 53 m - The trail ends on a paved road
  5. 4 : km 3.01 - alt. 34 m - Turn left onto the main paved road - Latsa (cours d'eau) - Affluent de la Nive
  6. 5 : km 4.24 - alt. 88 m - At the farm, turn right onto a muddy path.
  7. 6 : km 5.17 - alt. 82 m - Turn left onto the path in the woods
  8. 7 : km 6.43 - alt. 50 m - Take the paved road on the left in town
  9. 8 : km 6.7 - alt. 68 m - Take the paved road on the left in town
  10. S/E : km 7.1 - alt. 63 m - Market Square

Notes

There are no water sources along the route, so please bring your own supplies.
Hiking boots are essential, as is a hat, as some sections are exposed to direct sunlight.
Bus shelters are the only shelter in case of storm or rain.

Updated on 4 October 2019 following a comment from a local resident regarding a municipal by-law prohibiting access to the path at (2).

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 50 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Cath2505
Cath2505

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route along small roads, paths, rivers and forests. I found that I had climbed 170 metres by the end of my route.

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verdeterre
verdeterre

Hello
I have some problems with my knees and I'm not sure what to do. Hiking is a thing of the past. No more than 4 or 5 km. And slowly. And not too much elevation gain. So my opinion is useless. I try, I look at the possibilities, and often I give up because of the descents. After 70 years, I don't think I'm the only one in this situation. My knees are like a weather station.
All the best to everyone and thank you for everything. That said, life is good.

Best regards

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alainmartin77
alainmartin77

Hello and thank you.
It's true that visiting Espelette, the most beautiful village in France, is interesting.
Enjoy your walks!
@lain

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User 7969015

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

An interesting route to discover the famous Espelette pepper and other local products

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PhilRS
PhilRS

Pleasant route (end of July 2025) with few people and excellent description.

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stephan vallat
stephan vallat

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A short, peaceful walk, particularly worth seeing for the hundred-year-old oak trees along part of the route

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PhilRS
PhilRS

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike accessible to all. Known as the family trail on the signs, it allows you to escape the crowds within a few hundred metres.
Very pleasant at the end of July.

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User 161427

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Short, very scenic warm-up route

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Philou et Coco
Philou et Coco

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very nice walks
Please note that some areas are a bit muddy.

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godillot49
godillot49

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Please be careful when crossing the main road near the pharmacy at the exit of the village near the start

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Christelle 33
Christelle 33

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very pleasant loop. Accessible to all. Quite a few trails. Some sections on tarmac but fairly short. Walked in November, during the week with my dog. I didn't meet anyone, which was a real luxury!
You definitely shouldn't be afraid of getting your shoes and trousers dirty.

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patetiti
patetiti

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant route, but best done in dry weather

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DanOll
DanOll

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike with no real difficulty, except for the vegetation, which has grown quite thick on some of the single tracks.

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Khor
Khor
• Edited:

@Véro St
Hello, are you sure that your review is for the "Circuit d'Espelette" hike?
Because there is no mention of a lake in the description, I don't see any advantage in terms of the route and didn't see any during my walk. Best regards.

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Véro St
Véro St

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The journey before arriving at the lake was difficult because the road no longer exists in some places

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