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Pyrenees Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean

Green mountains, white villages
The sense of journey | Hike from high inland peaks towards the unfolding coast.
Challenging routes | To remarkable vistas, with some shorter options.
A unique culture | Expressed through architecture, food, and language.
Birds of prey | Watch their autumn migration from mid-August.
The triumph of arrival | Finally Spain, the sea, and tapas.
What is included
  • 7 nights
  • 5 dinners
    6 picnics
    7 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes
  • GPS navigation
  • transfer on day 6
  • Pyrenees Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean
    Green mountains, white villages
  • Walking route to Biriatou
  • The route to Ainhoa
  • Village of Sare
  • Basque house
  • Local horses known as 'Pottoks'
  • Hondarribia
What is included
  • 7 nights
  • 5 dinners
    6 picnics
    7 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes
  • GPS navigation
  • transfer on day 6

Holiday information

A walking holiday in the French Pyrenees

Traverse rugged green mountains and pass through pretty villages, experiencing a real sense of journey as you discover a distinctive culture and cuisine on this self-guided hotel-to-hotel walking holiday, with luggage transfers.
These green mountains, the last rugged peaks of the Pyrenean chain before it disappears into the waves of the Gulf of Gascony, are a joy to discover. They provide an impressive backdrop to one of Europe’s most traditional, and most beautiful, regions, where peaceful villages nestle in verdant, rich valleys. This splendid walk takes you from the heart of the Atlantic Pyrenees along fine footpaths close to the border to your final destination on the Spanish coast.

You will discover the unique landscape and rich culture of the region, passing through picturesque whitewashed villages where the Basque language, the oldest in Europe, is commonly spoken and traditions still hold firm, and where the national game, 'pelote', a blend of squash and tennis, is played. The local cuisine, too, is distinctive – try 'poulet à la basquaise', chicken in a spicy sauce of tomatoes and peppers. Other specialities include creamy Brebis mountain cheese, made from ewe's milk, served in the traditional manner with a black cherry conserve.

This is one of our more challenging French walks, with some fine ascents and descents each day which are rewarded with magnificent views and, if you are lucky, sightings of birds of prey. This part of the Pyrenees is an important migration route for millions of raptors and other birds as they fly north in spring for the northern summer and south in autumn for the winter. The autumn migrations start in mid-August, beginning with black kites and honey buzzards, followed by black storks, ospreys, hobbys and marsh harriers in September, then red kites, buzzards and sparrow hawks in October.

2027

Please note: due to the closure of the Hotel Manexenea in St Etienne-de-Baigorry at the end of the 2026 season, for 2027 this itinerary will start in Bidarray.


Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights. 

Please note: due to the closure of the Hotel Manexenea in St Etienne-de-Baigorry at the end of the 2026 season, for 2027 this itinerary will start in Bidarray.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.

    This holiday takes you to altitudes of over 1,000 metres, where temperatures will be cooler than those stated above, which relate to the coast.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 12 13 14 16 19 22 24 24 23 20 15 12
    mm 135 115 113 126 114 85 62 97 115 128 162 142
  • Arrival in St Etienne-de-Baïgorry
    Night 1: at Hotel Manexenea (where you stay one night).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of walking.
  • Choice of walks from St Etienne to Bidarray: 8km to 13.5km

    St Etienne to Bidarray: 13.5km, 6hrs; ascent/descent 1000m
    The walk starts with a strenuous ascent first through woodland then through open grazing land to the Harietta Pass on the border with Spain, where you are rewarded with superb views of the Pyrenean chain, and possibly the sighting of a griffon vulture. You then follow the ridge, descending gradually through more pastureland to Bidarray and the Hotel Barberaenea.

    Low-level option: 12.5km, 5hrs; ascent/descent 725m
    A lower-level ridge walk following smugglers' paths along a more direct route to Bidarray, with views across to the imposing Iparla Ridge on one side and plains on the other.

    Road option: 8km, 3hrs; ascent 360m/descent 375m
    This route takes place entirely on quiet country roads, which may be suitable if the weather is very poor.
    Enjoying the views en route to Bidarray
    St Etienne to Bidarray: 13.5km
    Low-level option: 12.5km
  • Choice of walks from Bidarray to Itxassou: 14km to 17km

    Over Artzamendi: 17km, 7hrs; ascent 950m/descent 1000m
    Follow the GR10 for a spectacular ascent to the summit of Mount Artzamendi (926 metres). On a clear day, you have views of both the High Pyrenees and glittering Atlantic. You then descend across high grazing lands and through woods to the River Nive, which you follow to Itxassou, passing the Pas de Roland, a hole in the rock which, according to legend, was cut by Roland to let Charlemagne's army pass through. Your accommodation in Itxassou is the Hotel du Fronton.

    The Plateau Vert: 14km, 5.5hrs; ascent 690m/descent 740m
    A lower-level walk which crosses the Plateau Vert underneath Mount Artzamendi, descending via grazing land and expanses of bracken to the River Nive, joining up with the main route for the final section to Itxassou.
    The route from Bidarray to Itxassou
    Over Artzamendi: 17km
    The Plateau Vert: 14km
  • Itxassou to Ainhoa: 15km, 6hrs; ascent 840m, descent 845m
    The route leads uphill through pasture land to the wilder uplands, heading over the Pic de Mondarrain (749 metres) from where you can see Artzamendi to one side and La Rhune in the distance on the other. As you descend, there are good views of the whitewashed villages on the plain below, with the Atlantic beyond. Your destination is the Hotel Argi Eder in Ainhoa, arguably the prettiest of Basque villages.
    Itxassou to Ainhoa: 15km
    The route from Itxassou to Ainhoa
  • Ainhoa to Sare: 13km, 4.5hrs; ascent 330m/descent 405m
    This is a gentler walk, with fewer ascents and descents than previous days. You follow tracks and country lanes alongside a series of streams, ascending gently to a low ridge which you follow along the Franco-Spanish border, passing a couple of tiny hamlets, before descending into Sare, where you find your next hotel, the Hotel Arraya.
    Ainhoa to Sare: 13km
    A traditional farm
  • Sare to Biriatou: 18km, 6hrs; ascent 460m/descent 1250m
    You walk to the station and from here take the cog railway (pay locally) to the summit of La Rhune (900 metres), which affords views of the Bay of Biscay, the forests of Les Landes, and the Pyrenean chain. From the summit, you walk into Spain, crossing the Ibardin Pass back into France for a series of ascents and descents as you walk from pass to pass and on to Biriatou, just a couple of miles from the coast. Here, your hotel is Les Jardins de Bakea.

     
    La Rhune summit to Biriatou: 15km (total walk distance: 18km)
    Sare to Biriatou route
  • Biriatou to Hondarribia: 17.5km, 6hrs; ascent 395m/descent 830m
    On your last day you are taken by taxi across the border to meet a panoramic path overlooking the Spanish port of Hondarribia; follow this coastal path all the way down to the port to reach your final night’s accommodation, the Hotel Obispo.

    Your arrival at the sea brings a real sense of achievement and to make this extra special, we recommend upgrading to a more spacious superior room, with views across the bay. Charming Hondarribia sits on the mouth of the River Bidasoa, its modern waterfront hiding the atmospheric Old Town. Wander along the streets of the Barrio de la Marina district to find traditional, wood-beamed Basque houses with flower-bedecked balconies alternating with bars that offer excellent seafood and tasty pintxos (Basque-style tapas).

    Add an extra night here and you also have time to visit the elegant Spanish resort of San Sebastián, or opt for the longer version of this holiday which includes a two-night stay in San Sebastián.
    Biriatou to Hondarribia: 17.5km
    Coastal path to Hondarribia

Accommodation

You stay in a different hotel each night – all are warm, welcoming and comfortable and provide good, distinctive regional cuisine.

In some places, we work with more than one hotel, as/if shown below. All are hand-picked by us and, unless there is a price implication (in which case we will contact you to discuss your options), we will tell you which one we have booked for you on your booking confirmation.

Extend your stay

Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
Currency converter

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  • 7 nights: 01 April 2026 - 31 July 2026, 01 September 2026 - 31 October 2026, 01 April 2027 - 31 July 2027 & 01 September 2027 - 31 October 2027

    Start varies according to season* | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price *
    1 - 30 Apr 2027 From £1243
    1 - 31 May 2027 From £1293
    1 - 30 Jun 2027 From £1333
    1 - 25 Jul 2027 From £1373
    1 - 30 Sep 2027 From £1413
    1 - 25 Oct 2027 From £1223

    * Final price is subject to change due to the customisable nature of our holidays and is dependent on accommodation availability for the dates selected. We will contact you to confirm the final price. Single supplements are applicable on many of our holidays. Please contact us for full details.

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Price will be tailored to the date of your visit if staying in Ainhoa on a Monday or Tuesday (restaurant closed).
    Price will be tailored to the date of your visit if staying in Sare on a Monday or Tuesday (restaurant closed).

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Biarritz, Bordeaux or Bilbao
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  you may need to fly to an airport not listed. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Bordeaux (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Aberdeen - Bordeaux (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Belfast Intl. - Bordeaux easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Bordeaux (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Biarritz easyJet 
    Bristol - Bilbao easyJet 
    Bristol - Bordeaux easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Bilbao (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Edinburgh - Bilbao (via Barcelona) Vueling 
    Edinburgh - Bordeaux Ryanair 
    Edinburgh - Bordeaux (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Bilbao (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Glasgow - Bordeaux easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Bordeaux easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Biarritz easyJet 
    Gatwick - Bilbao British Airways,  easyJet,  Vueling 
    Gatwick - Bordeaux British Airways,  easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Bilbao British Airways,  Iberia,  Vueling 
    Heathrow - Bilbao (via Madrid) Iberia 
    Heathrow - Bordeaux British Airways 
    Heathrow - Bordeaux (via Brussels) Brussels Airlines 
    Heathrow - Bordeaux (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Bordeaux easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Biarritz Ryanair 
    Stansted - Bordeaux Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Bilbao easyJet 
    Manchester - Bilbao (via Barcelona) Iberia 
    Manchester - Bilbao (via Heathrow) Iberia 
    Manchester - Bordeaux easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Manchester - Bordeaux (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Biarritz (via Paris CDG) Air France 
    Newcastle - Bilbao (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Bordeaux (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Bordeaux (via Paris) Air France 
    Outward route Airline
    Southampton - Bordeaux (via Paris) Air France 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  you may need to fly to an airport not listed. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Unless otherwise stated, connecting travel by rail or bus tends to be from the city centre station, rather than from its airport, and connections between the two should be paid for locally.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.
     

    Connecting travel options - flying via Bilbao

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    coach Bilbao bus station to Irun bus station (2h25), taxi Irun to hotel (1h30) TBA 1200
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Irun (0h20), coach Irun bus station to Bilbao bus station (1h45) TBA 1300

    Connecting travel options - flying via Biarritz

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    direct taxi Biarritz airport to hotel (1h) TBA flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    direct taxi hotel to Biarritz airport (0h45) TBA flexible

    Connecting travel options - flying via Bordeaux

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Bordeaux to Bayonne (1h50), taxi Bayonne to hotel (0h50) TBA 1400
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Hendaye (0h30), rail Hendaye to Bordeaux (2h20) TBA 1500
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

Please note: any reference to maps in customer reviews is now out of date – we no longer provide these. For information on this, please see our FAQs page.


 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to France, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The official language is French. The currency is the Euro. French time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
Pyrenees Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean
7 nights
Pyrenees Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean
7 nights
Hotel-to-hotel walking
Grade: Moderate-to-challenging
Last fetch time is : 9/6/2026 7:00:49 AM

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