Flavours and colours of the Basque Country

Fairly easy walks on good trails, with varied but often rocky terrain.
This trip is designed for those looking for an active holiday. A reasonable level of fitness is required. Expect 4h00 to 5h00 of walking per day. Ascent rate*: +300m per hour.

*Please note that walking times are averages and cover only the time spent actually walking, excluding breaks.

This is a centre-based trip, so you only carry what you need for the day in a small backpack or shoulder bag, along with your picnic lunch and walking snacks.

Minibus transfers.

Groups of 3 to 14 participants.

Guide gratuities are optional and at your discretion. To reward outstanding service, a suggested guideline is 5–10% of the total trip cost. Local currency is preferred.

7 days, 6 nights, 5 days of walking.

Guiding

Walking holiday led by a state-qualified mountain walking guide specialising in the Basque Country.

Approximately two weeks before departure, you will receive joining instructions specifying the meeting time and place, your guide’s name and contact details, and the address of your first accommodation.

Accommodation

6 nights in comfortable guesthouses with a swimming pool, spa and outdoor spaces ideal for relaxing, sharing a double room.
Single rooms are available on request, at an additional charge and subject to availability. Private parking is available for those arriving in their own vehicle.
At Maison Iputxainia, you will feel right at home! The whole family is on hand to look after you. Josiane, Jean-Michel, Jean and Mathieu prepare delicious meals, welcome you and take you into the mountains.

Important: If you stay at Maison LAIA, single rooms are double rooms for single occupancy (please allow for the additional charge).

Hotel classification

In France, more and more hotels and guesthouses are choosing not to have an official rating, including establishments that were still rated a year or two ago. This does not mean their quality has declined—far from it. Many guesthouses offer charming rooms.
If, for example, we indicate a comfort level of “3* or equivalent”: this means that the establishment does not necessarily have an official rating, but offers comfort comparable to a 3* hotel.

Meals

• Generous buffet breakfast (subject to the health regulations in force at the time of your stay (tea, coffee, milk, bread, butter, homemade jam, little treats from the chef…)
• Evening meals often feature Basque specialities and include a starter, main course and dessert. Refined cooking that introduces you to the local cuisine.
• Picnic lunches included

The holiday runs from Sunday to Saturday. Departures from April to the end of October.

Meeting point / End of trip

Start

Arriving by train: Meet your guide at 17:25 outside Bayonne SNCF railway station.

Arriving by car: Meet at Maison IPUTXAINIA from 18:15.

YOU MUST let us know your means of transport and arrival time one week in advance by text message to 06.10.97.16.54.

On day 7 at around 08:45, after breakfast. Transfer to Bayonne railway station (arriving by 10:03 at the latest) for those who arrived by train: you can book your return train from that time onwards.

You can add an extra night before or after your stay.

By plane

Biarritz Parme Airport (25km): daily flights to Paris, London, Lyon and the Clermont Ferrand hub.

By train

Bayonne railway station is served from the main French cities:

• TGV from Paris (Strasbourg, Lille, Rouen and others are linked to Paris by Intercités trains)
• TGV and Intercités from Lyon and Marseille, via Toulouse
• Intercités from Toulouse
• Intercités and TER from Nantes, via Bordeaux

Check timetables: https://www.sncf-connect.com/.

By car

From Bordeaux, take the A63 motorway, 207km. From Toulouse and Bayonne, take the A64 motorway, 293km, then at Bayonne take the A63 motorway, exit 5 towards Cambo-les-Bains.

Parking your car

If you are travelling in your own vehicle, we recommend parking it at your accommodation in Ascarat: Iputxainia guesthouse.

A number of our trips offer opportunities for swimming, either along the route or at the end of the day. It would be a shame to miss out. However, we emphasise that you alone must judge whether it is appropriate to swim; any swimming is therefore your own responsibility and at your own risk.

Member of Agir pour un Tourisme Responsable (ATR)

Since 2012, Grand Angle has been a member of ATR, the leading association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips – on foot, by bike and on snow – to invite everyone to discover the world differently: with curiosity, respect and kindness.

With a seat on the board of directors since 2018, we actively help the sector move towards more meaningful practices. In practical terms, we are committed to:

• Transparency in our practices and prices
• Respect for our partners and local communities
• Protecting the environment on every trip

We also share the values of the Traveller’s Ethical Charter, which encourages everyone to take simple steps to protect the places they visit and create opportunities for rewarding encounters.

Travelife Partner

Since 2025, Grand Angle has held Travelife Partner status, an international label that certifies our responsible environmental, ethical and sustainable management practices, both within our company and in our work with partners and the organisation of our trips.

This label, the second level of a rigorous international certification scheme, recognises our practical efforts to support responsible tourism. We are actively working towards the next level, Travelife Certified, in accordance with our sustainable development policy

In this section, you will find links to products from our partner Alpinstore, a French online retailer specialising in outdoor equipment, based in Annecy.

For carrying your belongings

• A comfortable 30 to 50 L backpack with a hip belt for carrying your personal belongings and picnic lunch during the day
• One bag for luggage transfers: a backpack, a travel bag in good condition or a suitcase that is not too bulky. One bag per person, with a maximum weight of 15 kg

Find out how to pack your hiking backpack in our magazine.

For hiking

For maximum comfort, choose a layered clothing system: warm base layers (leggings + top), such as “Carline” or “Capilene” (hollow fibres that wick away perspiration) + a sweatshirt or fleece jacket + a mountain jacket and overtrousers with a waterproof, breathable membrane (such as Gore-Tex or equivalent) for bad weather. As a general rule, except in hot climates and countries, avoid cotton, which holds moisture close to your body (and takes a long time to dry), and choose suitable synthetic fabrics instead.

• Hiking boots with ankle support, a deeply treaded sole, a supportive heel counter and good waterproofing
• Comfortable hiking socks (at least 3 pairs)
• A fleece
• Comfortable walking trousers (made from quick-drying technical fabric)
• Comfortable technical shorts
• Technical T-shirts or base layers (made from quick-drying fabric)
• A long-sleeved shirt
• Walking poles (telescopic), which are very important for making walking easier. Discover all the benefits of hiking poles in our dedicated article or how to choose your hiking poles

Please note: synthetic technical clothing performs very well. New merino wool clothing is also available; it performs very well, is comfortable to wear and has the added benefit of resisting odours from perspiration!

For your picnic lunch

• Your own cutlery (containers provided)
• 1 or 2 water bottles (a minimum total capacity of 1,5 L) – mandatory –; an insulated flask for winter

For protection from sun and rain

• Sunscreen (high protection)
• Sunglasses
• A hat, cap or bucket hat
• A rain poncho or a waterproof jacket, such as a softshell or Gore-Tex jacket, and possibly waterproof trousers

After your hike

• A pair of running-style trainers for the evening
• Changes of clothes and underwear
• A toiletry bag and a small towel
• Swimwear and a towel for wellness facilities (if specified) or swimming
• A small first-aid kit: personal medication, surgical masks, hand sanitiser, plasters, sterile dressings and a bandage, gauze, disinfectant, arnica pellets and aspirin, etc. (Please note that this list is not exhaustive and should be adapted to your own medical needs.)

Find these tips in our article #“What to pack for a hike”.

This list is intended as a guide and should be adapted to your trip and the season in which you are travelling.