The sources of the Bidouze

de fr

This peaceful route through the woods offers walkers the chance to discover a rich natural heritage. The flora and fauna along the route are particularly rich, with white-backed woodpeckers, Alpine longhorn beetles, beautiful specimens of beech trees and a wide variety of ferns. In addition to these natural curiosities, information panels on Basque mythology are dotted along the route. Finally, the arrival at the source of the Bidouze and its resurgence in a porch carved into the cliff will delight young and old alike.

Details

n°63970917
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.91 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 361 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 361 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 610 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 249 m
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Photos

Descent from the summer pastures
Resurgence of the Bidouze
One of the pools in the Bidouze
Trail to the Bidouze resurgence

Description of the walk

In the village of Saint-Just-Ibarre, continue on the D918 towards the Col d'Osquich. Take the road at the Eztigar cider factory and continue to the car park where the walk starts.

(S/E) Leave the car park where the hike starts and take the signposted track marked "Source de la Bidouze" which starts on the other side of the road opposite. Continue through the undergrowth of various tree species. At the end of the track is a picnic area with a few tables. Here, there is a small footbridge crossing the stream.

(1) Cross the river and follow the path that winds upwards. Continue along this beautiful shaded path, enjoying the waterfalls and pools below. At a hairpin bend to the left, continue straight ahead to cross a scree slope in a gully. The obvious trail continues until you reach the foot of a cliff where you will find the porch of the Bidouze resurgence.

(2) Return via the same route to get back to the car park. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 249 m - Car park at the source of the Bidouze - Bidouze (cours d'eau) - Affluent de l'Adour
  2. 1 : km 2.93 - alt. 380 m - Footbridge and picnic area
  3. 2 : km 4.45 - alt. 610 m - Source de la Bidouze
  4. S/E : km 8.9 - alt. 249 m - Car park at the source of the Bidouze

Notes

Markings: Yellow.
Facilities and services: picnic area.
Interpretive signs along the forest trail.

Worth a visit

(1) The white-backed woodpecker
The white-backed woodpecker is a rare and protected species in France. In France, it is found from the Soporro massif in Ainhoa to the Soum de Marti Peyras massif in Arthez-d'Asson. Apart from its larger size and the presence of white on its back, it differs from the black woodpecker in its larger moustaches and smaller spots on its wings.

(2) The resurgence of the Bidouze
The waters of the Bidouze come from a vast underground network located beneath the Arbailles massif. This is a collector of rainwater that seeps into a karst environment before emerging from underground at the resurgence point. These waters then travel no less than 82 kilometres before flowing into the Adour at Guiche.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 6 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
3.8 / 5
User 19010394

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant hike lasting 4 hours, including lunch breaks and other stops (photos, wildlife watching, etc.)
The first part is on a pleasant, easy road. After point 1, where people usually stop for a picnic, the going gets tough. You cross the Bidouze river and set off on a winding dirt track that is quite steep and therefore slippery, especially if it rains (we had very good weather). I recommend walking on the side of the path on the descent, so that you have grass under your feet and can hold on to the trees, gently of course.
After a few minutes of fairly steep climbing, the path becomes rocky and remains slippery as it is in the undergrowth and therefore permanently damp. It is relatively difficult if you are a hiker, but you do need to wear proper hiking boots.
There are two passages to negotiate (rockfall, water) with caution if you are inexperienced, but nothing dangerous.
At the end of the trail, after the waterfall, you can continue on to the cave, but don't miss the fork on the right, which is only marked by a sign on a PVC pipe attached to a tree.

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User 4153167

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on a beautiful sunny Saturday. A little disappointed with the start of the route, which follows a paved track for 1.5 km: not much to see and not very wild.
After the small concrete bridge over the Bidouze, the trail climbs into the forest and you get that real hiking feeling.
Be careful on rainy days as the earthy ground can quickly become slippery. Also watch out for large smooth stones, which offer little grip for your boots.
We were lucky enough to meet some shepherds coming down from the summer pastures with their sheep.
A pleasant hike with a beautiful waterfall at the end.

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matmarlulu
matmarlulu

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Please note: the section after the footbridge is very challenging and slippery. Beautiful finish. Very shaded route.

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CaroG
CaroG

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

The hike is interesting, passing through woods, rocks and a waterfall, and ending at a small cave in a wooded area. However, you need to watch out for mud on the steep sections. Good shoes are essential. Walking sticks are recommended for those who are not experienced hikers. It's a great place to visit, ending not at a wide viewpoint but at the source of the Bidouze river.
On the day we were there, a group of 20 people who were used to making this climb were also present! Bad luck for us. However, this is just a minor detail! The day was beautiful! Definitely worth doing again!

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Pignada
Pignada
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The start is easy on a wide, shaded track overlooking the Bidouze river. The last third is a more technically interesting trail, and the picnic in the cave is a great reward. We didn't do the round trip but returned via the trail that climbs up the eastern side of the valley. You need to turn right about 200 m from the cave when you come back down. It climbs steeply for 200 m and then follows the slope to the Garagogrena pass. There you join a track that appears to have been recently resurfaced by a bulldozer, which I recommend following to the Napale pass and the road that descends, but you will need to leave this to take a track on the left (opposite the first road that branches off to the right) which takes you back to the car park. We left this track (at the Garatalogena pass) when it branches off to the right to pass under the cliff. BEWARE: THE ROUTE IS NOT MARKED, A GPS TRACK IS ESSENTIAL. This took us through a fence to follow a tiny track that descends through a very steep meadow to a farm and the road that leads back to the car park. I do not recommend our route.

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cricri817
cricri817

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The source is magnificent. I recommend it.

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