The Oilarandoi loop from Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry

Oilarandoi is a magnificent viewpoint overlooking all the surrounding peaks. The nearby Munhoa and, further away, Iparla, Autza, Adarza and many others. At the summit, there was originally a hermitage, which was occupied from 1706 to 1792.
The ruins were rebuilt twice, in 1941 and 1985.
This hike includes sections with significant gradients of between 30 and 40%, but the reward is at the end and the view from the summit is well worth the effort.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.45 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 780 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 780 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 934 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 151 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Coming from Bayonne, head towards Cambo on the D 932, then continue on this road, which becomes the D 918 towards Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. On leaving Osses, take the D 948 towards Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry. Pass the main square and park 100 m further on in the small school car park.

(S/E) Return to the main road, taking care as there are no pavements. Continue to the left and cross the Nive des Aldudes, then immediately turn left onto a small road. This leads to a tunnel.

(1) Go through it and immediately turn right. Follow the signs. From here, follow the red and white markings ofthe GR® 10 to the foot of Oilarandoi. Follow this road until you reach a small road on the right.

(2) Leave the main road and turn right. The slope becomes steeper; pass to the left of a reservoir. A little further on, the road becomes a path that continues to climb up to an antenna.

(3) Just after the crossroads, turn left. The track continues to climb steeply and leads to a road.

(4) On the right, you can see the path you will take on the way back (Oilarandoi direct). Continue along the road on the right and follow it for about 200 m.

(5) Leave the road and take the path that climbs opposite. Pass to the right of a restored barn. A few metres further on, there is another junction

(6) Continue straight ahead. The slope begins to level out. The path arrives at a crossroads.

(7) Continue on theGR®10on the right. It follows a contour line around Oilarandoi. This path, which is sometimes narrow, overlooks a ravine on the left with magnificent views and arrives at the Ahartzako pass.

(8) Leave theGR®10 and climb to the right, heading north to the summit of Oilarandoi.
The path is well marked. After a steep climb of about 200 m, you will reach the ridge.
The chapel and the summit are slightly to the left.
Magnificent viewpoint and, as is often the case, a 360-degree view.

(9) Retrace your steps to the previous crossroads. (8)

(8) Then take the road on the right and follow it for 1.5 km until you reach a path on the left.

(10) An electric fence has recently been installed. Open it and take this path, which is more pleasant than the road.
Note: for those who are unsure, the road leads to the same place.
This path winds through hedgerows and returns to the uphill path

(4) From there, retrace your steps along the path you took on the way up to (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 154 m - Small school car park. Towards the - Nive des Aldudes (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.42 - alt. 158 m - Tunnel
  3. 2 : km 0.73 - alt. 188 m - GR10 on the right
  4. 3 : km 1.55 - alt. 342 m - Antenna. GR10
  5. 4 : km 2.55 - alt. 523 m - Road junction of the loop
  6. 5 : km 2.79 - alt. 552 m - Fork in the path
  7. 6 : km 2.92 - alt. 575 m - New crossroads
  8. 7 : km 3.64 - alt. 629 m - Crossroads. GR10
  9. 8 : km 5.51 - alt. 740 m - Crossroads. Access to the summit - Col d'Aharza ou Ahartzako Lepoa (737m)
  10. 9 : km 6.38 - alt. 934 m - Summit - Oilarandoi (937m)
  11. 10 : km 8.75 - alt. 655 m - Path on the left. Fence
  12. S/E : km 12.45 - alt. 154 m - Small car park at the school

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.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 19 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
xiberotarra
xiberotarra

Actually, I forgot to mention that. Fortunately, it stops halfway up the slope and you can follow the old track alongside it.

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taboulechat
taboulechat

Thanks, xiberotarra, for your comments 👍
It’s a shame that the first climb to the summit is a bit spoiled by the concrete track.😠

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taboulechat
taboulechat

Thanks, xiberotarra, for your comments 👍

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xiberotarra
xiberotarra

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I’ve already reviewed this hike… back in 2020. Six years on, with age taking its toll, the steep gradients at the start of the hike really take their toll. But after about 3 km of fairly steep going, the path levels out, giving you a chance to catch your breath. The climb up to the chapel requires a bit more effort, but what a treat for the eyes at the top. The descent becomes more interesting when you take the path on the left – or rather, the very pleasant grassy track. Good news: there will be pavements at the start; the contractors were continuing the work by laying a nice layer of tarmac on the street this Friday afternoon. Thanks to the author for this lovely circular route.

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cgarnier64
cgarnier64

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely parish-specific to Brittany walk with beautiful views of the surrounding landscape. It goes uphill and then downhill without any particular difficulty (it was a little slippery in the shaded areas because it had rained recently). Few animals and even fewer walkers.

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Matperes
Matperes

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 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 hike, with much of the climb taking place in the shade.
Magnificent views of the mountains...

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FREDBOCQUET
FREDBOCQUET

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pretty route surrounded by horses, cows, sheep and vultures at the summit (harmless).
it's not exactly a walk in the park, but it's definitely worth the detour

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agnes2009
agnes2009
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 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 loop completed in 4½ hours, including a short picnic break!
Parking is easy in the car park.
As described, the first climb and the arrival at the summit are steep but doable, even for me, and I'm not a regular hiker or particularly athletic!
Of course, a steep climb means a steep descent, which is logical!
I really liked the section between points 4 and 8, a small path with a beautiful view!
It was very windy at the summit, which is to be expected! The view is impressive even with the clouds.
The section on the road between points 8 and 10 didn't bother me at all. It's a very small road, very pleasant, with no cars!
We came across cows and sheep along the way! And birds of prey flying very close to us at times!
Thank you for this route!!!

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Marinaa
Marinaa

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike on 29 December, taking 3 hours and 15 minutes. The weather was fine, with blue skies, but bring a hiking jacket as it is windy at the summit!
Most of the elevation gain is at the beginning of the hike and then on the last kilometre before the summit. There is a beautiful view of Munhoa, one or two kilometres before the ascent of Oilarandoi: my favourite part! At the Aharza pass, 1 km before the summit, we came across more hikers who had parked at the pass and were climbing to the summit. Until then, we hadn't seen anyone. When we reached Oilarandoi (933 m), there was a very pretty chapel with a table for eating.
The descent involves walking about 2 km on tarmac, but the hike is still enjoyable because the view is splendid: you can mainly see the peaks of Iparla, and we came across a few horses by the side of the road.
I highly recommend this hike, which is very well marked, but I advise following the GPS on Visorando to avoid taking the wrong path.
Enjoy your hike!

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Micas
Micas

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike completed on 13/10/24
Lovely route, easy to follow, thank you. Splendid views at the summit and along the way. Busy, as many walkers park at the Col d'Aharza to climb to the summit. It might be better to take a path in the gully just before the pass to finish and reach the summit without anyone else around.

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Bientzat
Bientzat

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 14 September in ideal weather conditions. Perfect visibility to enjoy the view from the summit. The climb is quite steep from the start, and some sections of the climb have been eroded by recent rainfall. The loop around the summit is pleasant. The climb to the chapel is the last effort to enjoy a remarkable view. I noticed a wood pigeon hunting post near point 3, not far from the antenna. Be careful during hunting season.

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marcheur1
marcheur1

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a lovely walk to do in good weather to enjoy the 360° view.

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lasserre
lasserre

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello, it was very busy that day because the Euskal Raid races were taking place in a parish specific to Brittany!
Magnificent view from the summit

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Gigault Yves
Gigault Yves

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk to the Olarandoi Chapel, not too crowded. A very enjoyable and well-organised route. Thank you.

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BUBU33
BUBU33

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
We went on a family hike (with children aged 7 and 11) during the April 2023 holidays, when the weather was beautiful, even hot! We set off from the Saint Etienne campsite. The start of the route wasn't particularly interesting, but it gave us a chance to see the old bridge and visit a few shops (better on the way back).
Then we did the circuit in the opposite direction to what is explained above. In hindsight, it might be better to do it that way In any case, I think it was one of the most beautiful hikes we've done in the Basque Country so far. We hardly saw anyone, the view from the top was superb, and the children loved the chapel bell. However, be careful as it's windy up there, so if you want to have a picnic, you'll need to find a sheltered spot...
In terms of difficulty, it's just the distance and elevation gain, because the rest is not technical at all when compared to the Rhune trail at the end, BUT at the top it's much prettier and quieter!
It took us about 6 hours, including meal breaks.
In short, if you're passing through this area, this is a hike not to be missed!
See you soon!

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