Navarrenx - Uhart-Mixe

(S) Leave the campsite and head east along the Allée des Marronniers. At the stop sign, turn left onto the Chemin du Gave and continue to the end of the path, near the primary school.

(1) Turn left onto Avenue de France to rejoin the^GR®65. Continue straight on to Rue Saint-Germain (refreshments available on the street). Follow the street to the tourist office.

(2) Head left past the office and continue to the Kazerne (army building). Go under the archway to find yourself on the other side at the Porte Saint-Antoine of the bastioned enclosure. Cross the D947 with care, pass in front of Les Pèlerins de Navarrenx, then cross the bridge over the Gave d’Oloron to continue to the fork.

(3) Turn right, following the ‘Toutes Directions’ sign. Leave the town of Navarrenx via the D115 and continue to the roundabout.

(4) Head straight on towards Castetnau-Camblong and continue to the fork.

(5) Leave the D115 and turn right towards Centre Bourg, then climb up to the left onto a path, marked by a blue barrier, towards the centre of Castetnau-Camblong. You will arrive at a crossroads

(6) Continue straight ahead on the D815, passing between the town hall on your left and the church on your right, and you will soon reach a junction.

(7) Turn left to pass between two houses, heading towards the Domecq Lodge. Continue along Rue des Debantets until you reach the junction with a cross.

(8) Turn left, head down a gravel path running between woods and meadows and continue to the Camblong bridge over the Ruisseau Lausset, then walk a few metres to the fork.

(9) Head up a wide forest track on the right to reach a fork.

(10) Continue north-west. Please note that the route here does not match the map. Then head back down to cross the Harcellane Stream. Walk a few metres until you reach a junction.

(11) Head left (south-west), ignoring the blue signposting. Follow the forest track until you reach a meadow on your right.

(12) Continue through a wooded area until you reach another meadow.

(13) Staying on the road, continue north-west to the signpost.

(14) Turn right towards Charre onto a dirt track climbing towards the wooded hillside and continue to the junction at a place called Hourpetit.

(15) Head south and go down a grassy path, on the edge of the forest, leading to the Gassou dou Boué stream.

(16) Cross the stream and, at the fork, head south-west up a stony track, between fields and meadows, until you reach the junction with the D115.

(17) First turn right then left onto the D115 (refreshments and light snacks available here), then head towards Charre on the Route de Saint-Jacques (D343). Continue to the fork.

(18) Continue to the right (west) along the road until you reach a junction, in front of a hill completely devoid of trees.

(19) Continue south-west until you reach a rest area at a fork in the road.

(20) Continue south-west through the maize fields. Reach the hamlet of Cherbeys at a ‘Give Way’ sign.

(21) Head towards Charre Bourg and continue until you reach a straw storage shed at a junction.

(22) Turn left following the ‘All Directions’ sign, cross the D23 via the underpass on the right before the signpost, then head left onto the path running parallel to the main road to return to the D23 and cross the River Le Saison, which marks the boundary between Béarn and the Basque Country here.

(23) As you leave the bridge, head down a small path on the right that winds through the bushes. Continue to the small village of Lichos.

(24) Turn left at the junction then continue to the right of the cross. Cross Le Borlaas to reach the signpost at the junction with the D2023.

(25) Cross carefully and continue straight ahead. Walk past the village school and carry on to the fork.

(26) Head straight on towards the north-west. At the fork, at a place called Bouhaben, turn left and continue to the picnic table (drinking water available here).

(27) Head right (south-west) along the stony path towards the Lodge de Bellevue. (Please note: you are temporarily leaving the^GR®65to take a shortcut). Cross the meadow to arrive in front of the Lodge de Bellevue. Continue on to reach the D11.

(28) Continue to the right (north-west), pass the Bohotégula Lodge and continue carefully along the verge until you reach the junction.

(29) Head straight on (north-west) along the D11 towards Saint-Palais. (Please note: you are temporarily leaving the^GR® 65 to follow a variant route that takes you through the village of Aroue). Continue into the village of Aroue and proceed to the roundabout.

(30) Turn left, keeping in the direction of Saint-Palais (water point at the church), and continue out of the village. Carry on, taking care on the hard shoulder, until you reach the bus stop in the hamlet of Harrieta.

(31) Turn left and continue along the small road downhill to the fork.

(32) Head south and continue to the T-junction.

(33) Turn right, pass under the high-voltage power line and continue to the fork in the hamlet of Aizagerrea.

(34) Turn right. (You will rejoin the^GR®65here). Stay on this small tarmac road, lined with a power line, until the fork just before the hamlet of Olhaïby.

(35) Turn left and continue along the small tarmac road until you reach the farm at Casabonne.

(36) Carry on to the right and continue to the Jauregiberria farm.

(37) Turn left towards the south. Continue to the boundary marker.

(38) Continue south-west, staying on this small road until you reach the T-junction.

(39) Turn right, then left at the farm, and continue on to the hamlet of Lüküa.

(40) Pass through this hamlet and past a pumping station, then continue south-west until you reach the junction with the D242.

(41) Turn right and proceed carefully along the B-road until you reach the bridge over the Sorhapuruco Erreka river.

(42) Follow the signs for Jondoni Jacobe and Bidéa and continue to the fork.

(43) Turn left towards Larribar. You will arrive at the hamlet of Larraidia.

(44) Continue until you reach the village. Walk past the pelota court and carry on to the bus shelter.

(45) Continue left along the downhill road.

(46) Walk past the church and then a large poultry farm. Continue along the downhill road. Cross the bridge over the D933 and carry on to the hamlet of Etxebarnea.

(47) Turn right and continue until you reach the bridge over the Bidouze.

(48) Continue to the end of the tarmac road until you reach a hairpin bend.

(49) Continue south-west along a stony track which leads you to the D302.

(50) Cross carefully and continue straight ahead towards the Chapel of Soyarza. After about 250 m, leave the tarmac road and follow the stony path that climbs to the left. Continue the climb until you reach the junction with a^{PR® sign.}

(51) Continue the climb to the Chapel of Soyarza (E) where you will find a place to camp for the night. The Chapel has a pilgrims’ reception area and a water point.

Provisions are hard to come by on this stage. Available at (17) – bread and local specialities.
Campsite: Soyarza Chapel. Shelter available in case of bad weather.
Please note, this stage is very long! It is possible to split it into two...
Hike completed by the author on 28 October 2023.

The Navarrenx Bridge (S): To facilitate crossing the river, which until then had been done by fording, the Viscount of Béarn, Gaston VI, granted the charter known as the ‘Pont de Navarrenx’ in 1188. This charter mandated the construction of a wooden footbridge, which was replaced a century later by a stone bridge. The bridge, rebuilt in 1583, was repaired several times before its width was increased to 5.5 metres in 1988.

The Church of Saint-Grat in Lichos (24), which houses a reliquary bust of Saint Grat, the first bishop of Oloron and a native of Lichos. The church features a gallery or gallery.