Le Gartzin and the Erentzazu Tower

de fr

A circular route starting from Ibardin to climb the Gartzin (also known as Lartzin) and then walk around the Erentzazu.

Details

n°4348471
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.78 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 830 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 830 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,335 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 955 ft
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

The entrance to the tunnel
The gallery
A loophole
The summit of the Garxin

Description of the walk

Park in the second car park on the right before reaching the ‘ventas’ area in Ibardin.

(S/E) Head back down to the roundabout at the pass and turn right towards Bera. At the first right-hand bend, turn left towards Okalarre and follow the road until you come to a wide track on the right.

(1) Turn onto the track on the right: this is the Haute Route Pyrénéenne. Follow it until you reach the first pidgeon hunting huts.

(2) Turn left onto the path heading north to go round the Gartzin.

(3) Turn left towards the south-west to climb up to the bunker.

(4) Return via the same path.

(3) Turn left to continue towards the Okalarre restaurant, passing it on the right. At the T-junction, turn right, then take the tarmac track branching off to the left, towards the Elzaurdia inn, as far as the border, and descend along the ridge to the right for 100 m.

(5) Turn left along the hillside to rejoin theGR®10Pyrenees Crossing.

(6) Turn left to head back up towards the pass, which is overlooked by the Redoute des Émigrés.

(7) Turn right towards the Col d’Ibardin to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,070 ft - Las Ventas car park in Ibardin
  2. 1 : mi 0.48 - alt. 1,115 ft - Pyrenean High Route - Col d'Ibardin
  3. 2 : mi 1.15 - alt. 955 ft - Path to the left of the line of pidgeon hunting huts
  4. 3 : mi 1.55 - alt. 1,142 ft - Path on the left towards the summit
  5. 4 : mi 1.7 - alt. 1,257 ft - Gartzin
  6. 5 : mi 2.76 - alt. 1,145 ft - 350-metre contour line on the ridge
  7. 6 : mi 3.06 - alt. 1,112 ft - The Pyrenees Crossing (GR°°®°°10)
  8. 7 : mi 3.39 - alt. 1,260 ft - Pass overlooking Ibardin
  9. S/E : mi 3.78 - alt. 1,070 ft - Las Ventas car park in Ibardin

Worth a visit

Visit the Peña Rata bunker; the tunnel is clean thanks to a central channel that drains the water.
The tunnel is deep, has several exits and leads to a chamber offering a view of the Rhune through a loophole.
A head torch is useful to avoid bumping your head in the narrow passage, which is cramped in places.

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

4.2 / 5
Based on 3 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
User 12488982

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

good hike with difficult elevation gain on a small section

Machine-translated

JEAN LUC MOUESCA
JEAN LUC MOUESCA

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very well-explained tour.
Splendid views.
A very positive point: "discovering the tunnel and its arrow slits".
Avoid this hike when wild boar hunting is in progress, which was the case this Sunday. You fear that a wild boar will charge out at any moment as soon as you hear the barking of hunting dogs getting closer!

Machine-translated

Pascal (Arbonne)
Pascal (Arbonne)

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The first section of the route (the Gartzin loop) features numerous muddy sections, which aren’t always avoidable.
The route up to the summit of the Gartzin leads to a cave overgrown with vegetation; it’s impossible to reach the top this way. You’ll need to follow a path a little way beyond the marked route.
Also worth noting is a tricky descent to reach point 5, as it is quite steep and very slippery even with very good footwear, and features fairly large rocks. You need to stay focused on where you’re putting your feet!
Finally, the last descent beyond point 7 across a meadow is also tricky and requires a fair bit of concentration.
I’d recommend doing this walk after a good spell of dry weather so you can enjoy the lovely scenery in peace.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Xoldoko Gaina from the Col d'Ibardin

Local authority
Xoldoko Gaina depuis le Col d'Ibardin
↔3.86 mi ↗+892 ft ↘-879 ft ◔2h 35 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Urrugne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
Popular for its ventas and other Sunday shopping, the Col d'Ibardin is also the starting point for easy, scenic walks along the Atlantic coast. One of these involves a visit to Lake Xoldokogaina and is suitable for families. As most of the climb is concentrated at the beginning of the walk, it is advisable to take a leisurely pace to reach the highest venta, then the Manddale slopes. The view is already very wide and encourages contemplative breaks. As you round a grove of conifers, the entire Xoldokogaina massif comes into view, a complex of moors and shady valleys, a true paradise for pottoks! It's time for the long descent to the lake, where you can take a break in the shade of hundred-year-old oaks.

Walking Lake Xoldokogaina from the Ibardin Pass

Visorando Member
Lac Xoldokogaina à partir du Col d'Ibardin
↔4.35 mi ↗+367 ft ↘-371 ft ◔2h 20 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Urrugne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
Lake Xoldokogaina, also known as Lake Ibardin, is located at an altitude of 330 m in the Arola Valley, surrounded by the Xoldo, Munhoa and Onéaga mountains. It was created in the early 1930s as a water reserve. Swimming and fishing are prohibited. A hike starting from the car park, below the ventas (traditional Basque restaurants) when arriving from the pass, provides access to the lake and offers beautiful views of the Basque coast and the surrounding mountains. The trail crosses pastureland where you may encounter pottoks and betisoak. The Ibardin Pass offers exceptional views of the Spanish and French Pyrenees. The site is ideal for relaxing by the water or enjoying a picnic.

Walking Lake Ibardin, Xoldoko Gaina, Manddale from the Col d'Ibardin

Visorando Member
Lac d'Ibardin, Xoldoko Gaina, Manddale depuis le Col d'Ibardin
↔8.23 mi ↗+1,903 ft ↘-1,877 ft ◔5h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Urrugne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
This hike is actually a trilogy of the most beautiful places to the west and north-west of the Col d'Ibardin. The Col d'Ibardin (the French-Spanish border ridge) is well known for its ventas and restaurants, which attract many visitors all year round. But it also offers beautiful walks thanks to its tracks and hiking trails. What is proposed here is a long route that passes through the three main points of these places and offers the most beautiful views of this region over the surrounding peaks, such as the Trois Couronnes to the west and the Rhune to the east. There are also magnificent views of the ocean and the towns of Bayonne, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Hendaye, Hondarribia, Irun, etc.

Walking The Gartzin bunker in Ibardin

Visorando Member
Le bunker de Gartzin à Ibardin
↔2.52 mi ↗+522 ft ↘-535 ft ◔1h 35 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Urrugne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
This hike takes you to a large bunker that runs through the mountain and was part of the defensive structures built along the border during Franco's time to prevent a possible invasion from France. But the views of the surrounding landscape are very beautiful.

Walking Ibardin–Manttale–Zigorriega circular, returning via the Spanish side

Visorando Member
↔3.66 mi ↗+1,079 ft ↘-1,063 ft ◔2h 35 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Urrugne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
A short walk, starting from the Ventas d’Ibardin, which nevertheless offers magnificent views. The first section follows the ridges of Manttale and Zigorriaga, with views of the ocean to the right and the Spanish mountains to the left. The second section involves returning to the ventas, following an easy track on the Spanish side. This fairly short walk can be completed in a morning, allowing you to enjoy a meal in one of the many restaurants. 

Walking Loop at the Col d'Lbardin

Visorando Member
Boucle au col d'lbardin
↔7.41 mi ↗+1,594 ft ↘-1,621 ft ◔4h 50 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Urrugne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
A beautiful hike that combines superb views and varied trails. Definitely do it in good weather to enjoy the landscapes that await you.

Walking Mandalle and Col des Joncs from Ibardin

Visorando Member
Mandalle et Col des Joncs depuis Ibardin
↔3.26 mi ↗+876 ft ↘-873 ft ◔2h 15 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Urrugne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
A lovely hike above Ibardin, offering the chance to climb a few peaks, including Mandalle, and enjoy a 360° view of the surrounding peaks and the sea.

Walking Irungo Soro

Association / Club / Walk leader
Irungo Soro
↔4.93 mi ↗+1,076 ft ↘-1,073 ft ◔3h 10 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Urrugne (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)
A circular passing by the Zigorriaga viewpoint and the redoubt of zigzag on the Manttale.

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.