The start is in the village of Sare. Park in the large car park at the top of the village. This spot is also signposted as a car-sharing meeting point.
(S/E) Exit via the top of the car park (hiking sign) and turn right towards the church.
(1) At the foot of the church, turn right into a narrow lane that winds down past the old cemetery. After a few dozen metres, the lane gives way to a paved path (a remnant from the Napoleonic era). Cross the D4 and continue straight ahead. Walk past a restored dolmen and admire the disc-shaped steles in the new cemetery. The paved path passes two beautiful restored farmhouses. Immediately afterwards, you’ll reach a junction with a small chapel.
(2) Turn left onto the road, which climbs steeply and runs alongside some pretty Basque houses. At the end of the road, head naturally down to the right, then immediately left onto a path that leads into the woodland. Further on, ignore a turning on the right. Cross a stream via a stone footbridge and you’ll soon reach a small road.
(3) Follow this road to the right. Ignore a path branching off to the right, pass a beautiful barn on the left and you’ll soon reach another road.
(4) Cross it and take the path opposite. Walk uphill to the end of a road leading to a house. Follow the path to the right and walk uphill for about 500 metres.
(5) At a three-way junction, continue straight on (ignore an ascending track on the left which is not shown on the map). You’ll reach a wide, flat area from where you can see, to the right, the summit of Suhalmendi with its aerial masts.
(6) Climb to the right up to the summit of Suhalmendi. 360° view, notably of the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz to the north and La Rhune to the west. Ruins of a redoubt used by French troops to fight Wellington’s army.
(7) Begin the descent down the other slope (north-east) along a path that soon turns left and heads north.
(8) At the T-junction (information boards on Basque pig breeding), turn left twice (yellow markings). Walk slightly uphill.
(9) At the T-junction, turn right and head back down. Further on, take a sharp left-hand bend and stay roughly along the contour line. Then turn right, following the markings.
(10) Head left and climb. At a Fork in the road, continue left across open ground and arrive at a T-junction.
(11) First turn left then right to join a path through the ferns and head downhill. Further down, turn right, go through a gate and cross a car park. This brings you to Saint-Ignace station, where the La Rhune rack railway departs.
(12) Follow the D4 to the left, leaving the station on your right. At a hairpin bend to the left, take the first small road on the right. A few dozen metres further on, turn left and walk past two houses.
(13) Look out for a path branching off to the right and follow it up a steep incline.
(14) At the junction, turn left and walk gently downhill through open countryside (beautiful view; you can admire, a little to the left on a hillock, a lovely stone building and, right at the bottom, the village of Sare). Walk past a small barn in good condition and, further down, you’ll come to a second barn on a flat area where you’ll also find the side entrance to the lovely house mentioned above.
(15) Continue straight ahead, descending along the same path. At a level crossing, rejoin the tarmac road and follow it to the village of Sare.
(16) Cross the D406 and follow it to the left, walking alongside a car park. At the end, turn right onto a small, tarmac path with hairpin bends (red and white markings). Walk past the fronton and then turn left. Walk past the church on your left.
(1) Carry on straight ahead and you’ll soon come to the car park on your left (S/E).