Iparla from Bidarray via the ruined sheepfolds

A magnificent hike on the^GR®10trail in the dizzying haunt of vultures.
From the summit, on a clear day, you can see the Pyrenees mountain range as far as the Pic du Midi de Bigorre... and on the other side, the ocean as far as the Landes coast.

Please note: the start of^{the GR®} 10 behind the sheepfold is no longer accessible. The owner has prohibited access to his farm.
Another route has been set up, which is 2 km longer and just as steep as the original hike.

Details

n°347285

Creation:
22 Aug 2016

Last update:
01 Oct 2021

Last review:
06 Apr 2026

Activity: Walking
Distance: 12.56 km
Average duration: 6h 15
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 919 m
Descent: - 915 m
Highest point: 1,047 m
Lowest point: 144 m

Country: France
Areas: Pyrenees, Basque Country
District: Bidarray (64780)
Start/End: N 43.265223° / W 1.350495°
IGN map(s): Ref. 1345OT, 1346OT
Hour-by-hour weather

Avalanche risk assessment bulletin

Discover Visorando Premium

Downloads

Open in the mobile app

Download GPX GPX

Download PDF PDF

Photos

Description of the walk

By car: from Bayonne, take the D918 towards Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. When you reach Bidarray, turn right to cross the bridge over the Nive and turn immediately left to go up to the village centre. Park in the large car park by the pelota court.

(S/E) Leaving your car, continue on the same road towards the west and after 100 metres turn left (south) onto the^GR®10. Follow the very clear markings. Pass a few houses then climb up into the forest to the Col de Pagalepoa.

(1) About 300 metres after the Col Pagalepoa, leave the^GR®10which climbs opposite and turn right onto the path that runs along the hillside and leads to the ruined barns (a nice place for a break).
Then turn left and take the path that climbs due south.

(2) Pass the BK42 marker and continue to the ridges to rejoin the^GR®10.

(3) Take it on the right. About 200 metres further on is the only water source on the route. Be careful to refresh yourself but do not drink!
Continue along the ridges, pass the Col d'Iparla and arrive at the summit marked by a large marker. The view is breathtaking!

(4) To return, follow the same path in reverse and head back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 144 m - Parking at the pelota court.
1 : km 2.24 - alt. 521 m - Leave the GR on the right
2 : km 3.78 - alt. 715 m - Marker BK42
3 : km 4.31 - alt. 810 m - Recovery GR
4 : km 6.33 - alt. 1,047 m - Pic Iparla
S/E : km 12.56 - alt. 144 m - Parking at the pelota court.

Notes

Variation implemented following the diversion of^{the GR®10}at the start of the hike.

No drinking water on the route.
Exposure to the sun for 3/4 of the route.
Do not set off in rainy weather... not interesting in overcast conditions.
Although not dangerous, this route follows a ridge with a significant drop.

On both the outward and return journeys, it is possible to continue on the^GR®10between (1) and (3), but the slope is steep!

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5

Based on 24 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5

Route interest
4.8 / 5

User 4357442

06 Apr 2026 at 09:06 7200

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 05, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Stunning views; it’s a steep climb but well worth it.

Machine-translated

raym64

31 Oct 2025 at 16:45 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike.
Magnificent landscapes.

Machine-translated

Alex2910

08 Sep 2025 at 10:11 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Great hike,

Machine-translated

Anne-Valerie

11 Aug 2025 at 10:23 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It was beautiful, but there was no water along the route and a climb of about 900 metres at the start, with very few trees at the end.

Machine-translated

MBove

26 Nov 2024 at 11:26 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, best done in good weather as the wind can blow very strongly on the ridges. Magnificent panoramic views. Excellent opportunities to observe vultures. The descent is a bit challenging.

Machine-translated

cocottejean33

18 Aug 2024 at 11:47 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The start of the hike is very steep and difficult on rocky terrain.
The rest is fine. We really enjoyed the scenery, and the detour off the GR10 after point 2 is fine. However, the signposting between the sheepfold and the GR10 junction to climb to the peak is a little unclear. There isn't really a distinct path.
It was a very beautiful hike that took us 5 hours. Thank you

Machine-translated

bernard16600

15 Apr 2024 at 08:09 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

......

Machine-translated

Bientzat

10 Jul 2023 at 10:04 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 19, 2038
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

hike completed alone on 17 June 2023. There have been some changes since the description was posted. At the start, I crossed a meadow with a metal gate at the entrance and exit, then we no longer climb through the forest to the Pagalepoa Pass. A new path has been laid out, which is not pleasant: earthy, steep and stony. This makes the start quite difficult, even in dry weather. This was confirmed to me by local people. After that, there were no difficulties. Your efforts are rewarded with a magnificent view and, in my case, a festival of vultures at the end of the morning. On the way back, when you reach the metal gate, a simple sign instructs you to go to the village, prohibiting you from crossing the meadow (which I did not respect, taking care to close the gates as is customary).

Machine-translated

Pottoka40

19 Sep 2022 at 09:52 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Simply magical, highly recommended

Machine-translated

Altis

16 Sep 2021 at 16:44 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2009
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A parish-specific to Brittany, very pleasant route, well signposted, and indeed quieter than the GR, allowing you to take a well-deserved break at the sheepfolds. It's moments like these that make me love hiking, thank you.
The view from the summit makes all the effort worthwhile.
My only regret is that it is not a loop, and that the descent seems a little long, especially for the knees.

Machine-translated

Lilie6264

30 Aug 2021 at 18:36 7200

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike that I adapted using my map:
- the first departure point indicated was incorrect, so we had to turn back because the path was blocked. We set off again on another route to catch up with the GR10 (we lost almost an hour) to point 1, where we rejoined the PR (nice break at the ruined sheepfolds before being in full sun)
- then we followed the classic route along the ridges and returned via the Lacho Pass to make a loop rather than a return trip. Fortunately, we had a map because it was quite poorly signposted.
The landscapes are magnificent and grandiose. The weather was on our side with a beautiful clear view of both coasts.

Result: 16 km and 1,008 metres of elevation gain

Machine-translated

User 794292

05 Apr 2021 at 17:24 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice hike. The beginning of the hike is on a fairly wide, stony dirt path. Much less natural than via Trabenia. But the landscape changes and it's very pleasant.

Machine-translated

caleche4

22 Feb 2021 at 09:17 3600

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

As already mentioned, the circuit starts 150 metres further than the initial starting point, at the intersection on the left. There is a short tarmac section, then the climb to the Pic d'Iparla begins. Having done both suggested routes (Indic 1), I strongly recommend taking the detour via the PR. There is no point in taking the GR, except that it is dangerous and accident-prone. The view is the same further on! Otherwise, the view is superb from the ridges.

Machine-translated

AlainHastingues

23 Sep 2020 at 17:18 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Please note that the circuit no longer starts on the left at the car park exit. You must follow the signs to complete the loop.

Machine-translated

hendaye

20 Jul 2020 at 11:14 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This route is relatively unfrequented because people tend to follow the GR rather than the PR described here
The IGN map still shows the start of the route as being at the sheepfolds
On the way back, we descended via the GR out of curiosity: a painful experience and one we regret.

Machine-translated