From the summit of La Rhune to Sare

de fr

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.

Details

n°129584
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.92 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 11 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 845 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 896 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 60 m
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

Chemin de la Rhune
Horses roaming freely
Summit of La Rhune
La Rhune summit station

Description of the walk

(S/E) From the platform, head back down along the narrow-gauge railway track and, about a hundred metres further down, cross the track to the left

(1) Follow the switchbacks down to join theGR®10.

(2) Turn right, then right again a few metres further on. You’ll reach a crossroads.

(3) Just before this junction, look out for the fountain on the right with sundew plants. Turn right, cross the stream and continue straight ahead on the path going uphill (GR® markings).

(4) Cross the narrow-gauge railway line and turn left, ignoring two paths on the right. Continue to a junction with a large oak tree.

(5) Turn right, then turn left about a hundred metres further on. Stay on theGR® trail, heading generally south-east. Ignore all paths to the left and right and you will come to a three-way junction.

(6) Continue straight ahead. Turn left at the first junction, do the same at the second, and arrive at the end of the path (house opposite).

(7) Ignore the path on the left and continue straight ahead (passing the house on the left) along the track which is circular and joins a small road (Chemin Larraldéa). Follow this road to the junction with the D406.

Cross the road and turn left to walk alongside the motorhome park. Head up to the right towards the swimming pool and arrive in the village of Sare at the pelota court (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 896 m - Platform - La Rhune
  2. 1 : km 0.23 - alt. 838 m - Crossing the tracks of the Rhune railway
  3. 2 : km 1.51 - alt. 571 m - Junction with the GR10, turn right
  4. 3 : km 2.09 - alt. 532 m - Crossroads, fountain, on the right
  5. 4 : km 2.41 - alt. 543 m - Cross the track
  6. 5 : km 3.54 - alt. 378 m - Crossroads, large oak tree, turn right
  7. 6 : km 5.19 - alt. 155 m - Three-way junction, continue straight ahead
  8. 7 : km 5.84 - alt. 101 m - End of the road, straight ahead
  9. E : km 6.92 - alt. 70 m - Sare, fronton

Notes

Caution: the start of the descent is steep and stony, with loose stones underfoot. Wear good shoes.
Very busy on both the ascent and descent.

Worth a visit

See the little Rhune train on the way up or down (do not stand on the tracks). In the final section, enjoy the steep gradient!!!

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 4 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
Kapten
Kapten

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We did this hike with a few variations last week. The start of the Rhune is indeed a bit rocky, but given the descriptions in previous reviews, we were expecting quite a struggle; in the end, it’s just the sort of descent you find pretty much everywhere. Be careful not to trip, but it’s nothing complicated for anyone with the basic balance required for any hike.

The route described here is very straightforward and well-marked; you simply need to follow it. We’d left our car at the station. These were the two reasons we decided to take a detour at various points, as the path was getting a bit monotonous and we needed to get back to the car.

So, for those looking for a bit more adventure, take the path that runs behind the Altsanga ridge (you can climb up to the ridge for a lovely view) and then head towards the fortified camp at Mouiz. This dates back to 1813 and saw fighting during the Napoleonic Wars with Spain. From there, you can either turn back to rejoin a wide path, or continue along the cross-country trails, which are perfectly accessible and far more enjoyable.

The views offered by both the original route and the alternative we took are splendid, and after enduring the overcrowding at La Rhune, finding yourself on a pleasant descent, far from the crowds, is a real treat. A quick shout-out to all the pottoks we came across along the way.

This hike, whichever route you choose, is, in my view, a must for anyone taking the train up to La Rhune, provided they are able to walk back down, as it allows you to appreciate things that the summit alone cannot offer.

Machine-translated

Zoomy
Zoomy

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello,
Hike completed on 22 October 2023. The directions were easy to follow, but do take great care at the start – there are a few sections where you need to place your feet carefully. Otherwise, the beauty of the landscape makes you forget any minor inconveniences!!!!

Machine-translated

mikelitos
mikelitos

Hello, thank you for your review. We also enjoyed this walk, which isn’t particularly difficult (as you can see from the description, it covers the elevation gain and the length of the walk). That’s why I was surprised by the rating given by the previous hiker (Vandeput).
Thanks again and happy hiking.
Mikelitos

Machine-translated

GallifreyanCat
GallifreyanCat

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 25, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

What a lovely walk! Thank you very much.

Machine-translated

Vandeput
Vandeput

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The difficulty is more like medium to difficult rather than 'easy'.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Larrun Ttiki

Association / Club / Walk leader
Larrun Ttiki
↔6.63 km ↗+377 m ↘-377 m ◔3h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Bera (Navarre)
A beautiful circular route for visiting Petite Rhune (Larrun Ttiki) and passing close to Venta Yasola.La Rhune will be visible above us.

Walking La Rhune

Association / Club / Walk leader
La Rhune
↔12.40 km ↗+761 m ↘-761 m ◔5h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Ascain (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
This hike will take you to one of the first peaks in the Pyrenees, offering views of the entire French and Spanish Basque Country.

Walking La Rhune, a loop from the reservoir

Visorando member
La Rhune, en boucle depuis le réservoir
↔8.72 km ↗+679 m ↘-672 m ◔4h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Sare (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
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.

Walking Miramar and Trois Fontaines from the quarries

Association / Club / Walk leader
Miramar et Trois Fontaines depuis les Carrières
↔7.60 km ↗+442 m ↘-446 m ◔3h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Ascain (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
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.

Walking Larun Txiki and the Awakened Stones

Visorando member
Larun Txiki et les Pierres Réveillées
↔12.12 km ↗+681 m ↘-682 m ◔5h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Ascain (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
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)

Walking The Rhune loop via the Ihizelai plateau and the Miramar ridges

Visorando member
La Rhune en boucle par le plateau d'Ihizelai et les crêtes du Miramar
↔9.39 km ↗+783 m ↘-775 m ◔4h 55 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Ascain (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
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.

Walking La Rhune from the Col de Lizuniaga via Venta Negra

Visorando member
La Rhune depuis le Col de Lizuniaga en passant par la Venta Negra
↔10.13 km ↗+733 m ↘-734 m ◔5h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Bera (Navarre)
Nice hike to the top of La Rhune, along the pigeon fields, on the south side, avoiding the crowds and the little cogwheel train.

Walking Around Bera

Association / Club / Walk leader
↔7.23 km ↗+270 m ↘-450 m ◔2h 50 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Bera (Navarre)
A ridge route above the town of Bera, taking you from the Col de Lizuniaga, on the French-Spanish border, to Bera. The Haute Route des Pyrénées is not yet very high at this point.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.