"Mareike, I hate you!" Laura just manages to squeeze out before gasping for breath. Then I briefly hear the clicking of the gears and a groan. A ramp that resembles a wall leads up into the forest. In a little house built into the hillside, a man looks out of the window, half stunned, half amused. And I ask myself: what are we actually doing here and how did we end up here?
Laura and I wanted to cycle together again. We had already crossed New Zealand together on mountain bikes and travelled through Oman on road and gravel bikes (TOUR 12/2020). This time, we were looking for a starting point that was quick and easy to reach. Laura had just moved back from Paris to her home country, the French Basque Country - so why shouldn't we start there in Bayonne and ride into the Pyrenees? Especially as Laura, who had recently taken part in the Desertus Bikus cycle rally through desert regions of Spain, was looking forward to seeing green landscapes again. The idea of a tour through the Atlantic Pyrenees was born: six stages, 500 kilometres, 10,000 metres in altitude - that sounded relatively easy. But now, on the morning of the second day, we are already groaning uphill. The small path leads us through the greenery until we end up on gravel - impossible for Laura on her road bike and the end for me too, with my fully loaded gravel bike. Laura uses the pushing section to shoot a short video for the ultra-distance race "Poco Loco", in which she wants to take part. "What I like about bikepacking trips is the unknown, what happens unplanned," I hear her say. What is also unplanned is that at some point we approach a locked gate with "Proprieté privé" written in large letters: private path. Something unplanned happens on every cycle tour - even route planning errors ...
Grey - like the mountains of clouds
The day before, we had started in Bayonne, which has long since merged with the well-known coastal town of Biarritz. Dark grey mountains of cloud had piled up in front of us. They say it always rains in the Basque Country. "When will it hit us?" I asked myself. Certainly sooner or later, but when? But on this day, the clouds were just a threat. We passed dry half-timbered Basque farmhouses scattered across the landscape and a few small villages. The area seemed to be asleep, without inhabitants, without any movement. We drove over the first pass, the 325 metre high Col d'Ipharlatze or "Iparlatzeko Lepoa" in Basque, soon followed by the second summit, the Col d'Osquich (495 metres), which already felt a bit more like a pass. At the top, an abandoned hotel was for sale. I was not surprised. I quickly realised: if you live here, you must like it, or you were born here. At best, both. I wanted to know what reputation the Basques have in France from Laura, who grew up here. "Well, they're a bit like the Corsicans, if you know what I mean...", Laura began. I understood! Proud of their region, their culture, even a bit reclusive. But Laura said that initial rejection was just mistrust, not closed-mindedness. I let the landscape take effect. Even if it doesn't look inviting, it is beautiful: grey-green, leaf-green, grass-green, blue-green, clover-green, fern-green, brown-green. All these shades of green, arranged in different constellations, form patches, combine to form a picture that is only interrupted now and again by a little brown or black: Tree trunks and paths. Otherwise it is green. Only green.
At the end of the day, the picture was interrupted by a place: Mauléon-Licharre. And this place recommended itself with the best catering. An old monastery, converted into a hotel, is idyllically situated opposite a ruined castle. The dinner was excellent, French cuisine with attention to detail. During dessert, I thought to myself: "Hold on to this memory, you'll need it later!" I was proved right. After Schottersackgasse, we find a café overpopulated by flies, where we meet a pilgrim travelling the Way of St. James. Sometimes he sleeps on the floor, sometimes in churches, he tells us. Little do we realise that we will remember this conversation later in the day. Because when we reach Lourdios-Ichére, the last French village before the Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin, which leads to Spain, the sun is already low. It's 6 pm and we could let the day be day if we could find somewhere to stay. But the signs lead to nowhere, and the few people we meet in the village of 150 souls send us in one direction or the other, so that we are already considering resting in the cool church until dawn. But something inside us blocks us. Places radiate whether they welcome someone - this one does not. We drive on.
Black - like the night
As we climb, it gets darker and darker. When we reach the intermediate summit, the Col de Labays at 1,351 metres, it is inhospitably cold. Apart from us, there is no one else on the road. We reach the top of the pass at five degrees. While we take our jackets and gloves out of our pockets with clammy fingers for the descent, we suddenly see a wobbly cone of light approaching us from the Spanish side in the darkness. It's a lone cyclist with whom we have a brief chat in the middle of nowhere. The cosy dinner of the previous day briefly flashes through my mind. So, on we go! We go our separate ways, each of us plunging into the night: the cyclist to France, Laura and I to Spain.
All around me is black. Laura is already swallowed up by it. Only the sound of the whistling mountain wind accompanies me. The small cone of light from my lamp doesn't penetrate far in the thick fog. An infinity passes until at some point, a very fine, jagged line is drawn in the dark nothingness. It separates a pitch black below from a mere black above. This line slowly climbs higher and higher until I realise: I am now driving into the mountains again. At the very top, the sky is gently illuminated by a few faint stars, until suddenly my headlights hit the town sign "Isaba/Izaba", our destination on the Spanish side. Illuminated streetlights, voices in the streets, neon lights in the bars that are still open, bustling nightlife on the cusp of the coming of some and the going of others. In the hostel, our room key is left with a note on the counter. A white, freshly made-up bed and a hot shower await us. We put our feet up. Life can be so beautiful and simple.
The sky is clear when we have tortilla for breakfast and blue when we leave Isaba. The sun heats up the wide roads on which we work our way up the day's climbs. After the solitude before, it is almost a shock to meet all the people coming towards us from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Hikers, day trippers, pilgrims heading south into the mountains on the Way of St James. Exertion, suffering, bliss, concentration, contemplation, determination, catharsis - all this can be read in their gazes. We cross the Way of St James towards the next mountain range. The walls into which the paths are built tower absurdly steeply in front of us. And again the realisation: those who settle here are shaped by their surroundings. Whoever settles here has made a decision. We have also made a decision: to cross the next pass, which is not even signposted yet. Over small paths, without meeting a soul, we work our way upwards. The sun is blazing and every now and then we come across a herd of cows or free-roaming horses that take no notice of us. After a descent that doesn't make up for the effort of the climb, but offers beautiful views of a mountain world bathed in sunset, we arrive at a secluded hotel on the banks of the River Nive. We had booked a room there hours earlier - in the off-season, at the end of May, without any difficulties, although there is very little accommodation in this part of the Pyrenees.
Yellow - like the mountain flowers
We are not surprised that the following day has more tough climbs in store for us. However, the fact that by the end of the day we have accumulated more than 1,800 metres of elevation gain in just 50 kilometres is our personal record for the density of elevation gain. Anyone who cycles here must like mountains! But despite the hostility of the climbs, the landscape is beautiful. Small yellow mountain flowers punctuate the eternal green. Wooded hills stand like a cone forest in the valley, which we look down on from above and in which goats roam freely. We have to push our bikes for the last part of the descent. We slide over the tarmac on our pedal plates, it's that steep. Tired from the climbs, we take a half-day's rest in the village of Banca. We then leave the high Pyrenean mountains in the direction of the Atlantic. The roads become wider, we pass villages with shops selling ham, cheese and ceramics from the region and arrive in Espelette, which has attracted a crowd of tourists as well as us, perhaps because the town is famous for its piment d'Espelette, a type of chilli with a slightly smoky flavour. The roads are now increasingly gentle over the hills. With gentle ups and downs, which are good for a few pleasurable pedals, we roll towards the Atlantic. A busy coastal road leads to Saint-Jean-de-Luz, where people lie on the town beach or stroll along the harbour. Just a few more climbs through the hinterland, then the river Nive accompanies us to the city centre of beautiful Bayonne. There, the Nive flows into the Adour, where our tour began, but this time the river is bathed in bright sunlight. This reminds me of the clouds at the beginning of the journey: as menacing as they towered, it hadn't rained a drop in the past six days. Despite all the greenery.
Almost all routes lead via Paris. In France, where transport is organised centrally, even the route to the west coast usually goes via the capital. This is time-consuming, but can be made more pleasant if you combine the journey with a short visit to Paris.
Journey
Railway
An express train (Thalys, TGV or IC) runs from Cologne or Frankfurt am Main to Paris in four hours. Coming from the north, it stops at Gare du Nord, coming from the east, at Gare de l'Est. After changing stations in the city centre to Gare Montparnasse, a direct train runs from there to Bayonne in just under four hours - if you book early, you can get tickets for 49 euros. For the cross-border journey, you need an International Cycle Card for 9 euros; it includes a parking space reservation.
Bus
Flixbus (www.flixbus.de) or the Spanish company ALSA (www.alsa.com) travel from Gare de Bercy in the east of Paris to Bayonne in ten to eleven hours; an overnight journey is possible. Bikes can be packed and transported in the storage space.
Flight
Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne Airport (BIQ) is served by Air France flights from Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Munich or Düsseldorf, with a stopover in Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG).
Car
The journey from Germany to Bayonne is a long one, 1,400 kilometres from Frankfurt am Main; Paris is a good place for a stopover.
Best time to travel
From the end of May to September, you are most likely to have pleasant cycling weather. The climate is often changeable and rainy on the coast, but there can also be drier phases in the mountains. In June, there can still be frost on the peaks at night, while it can warm up to almost 30 degrees during the day.
Accommodation
Mauléon-Licharre | Day 1
Domaine Agerria
Idyllically situated on a small wine-growing hill, the Domaine is located in a former monastery from the 19th century. It emphasises its cuisine; it is best to book a table in the restaurant on arrival! Alternatively, there are brasseries in the village, which is a short walk away. Double room with breakfast from 78 euros.
Isaba, Spain | Day 2
Hostal Lola
Charming, modern hostel in the lively Spanish village of Isaba, surrounded by mountains. Very friendly staff, plus an inviting breakfast buffet, including Spanish tortilla. Double room with breakfast from 78 euros.
Estérençuby | Day 3
Les Sources de la Nive
Hotel with restaurant, the only one far and wide. Double room from 69 euros, breakfast costs 9 euros per person.
Banca | Day 4
Logis Hôtel Erreguina
Double room from 65 euros, breakfast 9.50 euros per person.
Louhossoa | Day 5
Hôtel du Trinquet
In the lovingly furnished hotel, a double room costs from 58 euros, breakfast 9.50 euros per person.
Food & Drink
As a region with a strong cultural identity, the Basque Country also has its own cuisine. Dishes such as axoa, a beef or veal stew with allspice, or piperade, often served as a side dish of sautéed tomatoes and sweet peppers with onions and garlic, can be found on menus. Bacalao is the typical fish dish of the region. Fromage de brebis, sheep's milk cheese, which is produced on many farms in the mountains, is also a must. Cheese made from goat's milk is also a local speciality. If you like meat, try the famous hams (jambon) or lomo, a local sausage made from pork loin. Not to be missed: the gâteau basque - a crumbly cake, available in different variations, for example with a black cherry or almond cream filling.
Don't miss it!
Fêtes de Bayonne
Before the first weekend in August, the city turns red and white for the Fêtes de Bayonne. For five days, Bayonne is transformed into a festival centred around Basque tradition, music, food and its imaginary King Leon, who is woken up every day at 12 noon as a puppet on a throne in front of the town hall. Since the 1990s, participants have dressed in white with a red scarf, following the example of the twin city Pamplona.
Bike service
Bayonne
Cyclable Bayonne
In the mountains, it is advisable not to have a puncture and to take repair materials and spare inner tubes with you.
Info
Literature & Maps
Travel guide "Pyrenees", 672 pages, Reise Know-How Verlag 2018 23.90 euros.
Michelin road map Local (sheet 342) "Basque Country - Pyrenees", 1: 150,000, distribution: Gräfe & Unzer 2022; 9 euros.
Atlantic Pyrenees
The Pyrénées-Atlantiques department is located in the far south-west of France and borders Spain. The largest city is Pau (76,000 inhabitants), followed by Bayonne (52,000), the start and finish of our six-day stage tour, which is only a few kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean. The highest point is the Pic Palas at 2,974 metres, a little to the south-east of our route. The Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin (1,765 metres), the highest pass on our route, is the closest we get to the 2,044-metre-high Pic d'Arlas. A large part of the département is taken up by the French part of the Basque Country. Basques speak their own language: Basque, or "euskara" as they call it. According to current research, the language does not belong genetically to any language family and is today the only isolated language on the European continent. In France, Basque has had the status of a cultural asset worthy of protection ("patrimoine de la France") since 2008; French remains the only official language.
If you want to cycle through the Basque Country and the Pyrenees, you need to be able to climb and love solitude. Toxic gradients of up to 20 per cent are not uncommon. However, as the passes are not that high and mostly wooded, there are often no breathtaking views of the vast mountain world. There are some here and there, but the charm of the route lies more in the unspoilt nature of the region, which is far removed from mass tourism. The roads are mostly of good quality and not very busy. Accordingly, the catering infrastructure is limited - you should always have enough food and drink with you for the day.
Day 1
Bayonne - Mauléon-Licharre
107 kilometres | 1,360 vertical metres | max. 13 % gradient
From Bayonne with its lively life on the banks of the Nive, the route soon leads into quieter climes. Following the course of the Adour river, the route remains flat at first and finally reaches the highest point of the day, the Col d'Osquich at 495 metres above sea level, via four climbs. The village of Mauléon-Licharre with its castle, village square and a few restaurants around the mayor's office ("Mairie") invites you to stay the night.
Day 2
Mauléon-Licharre - Isaba
109 kilometres | 3,000 vertical metres | max. 19 % gradient
The Pyrenees get closer and closer in waves until you have to make a decision in Lourdios-Ichère. You can either book a room in advance in the last French town before the day's climb, which you then head for, or you can cycle over the summit to Spain, as we did, for lack of a place to sleep. Over the Col de Labays at 1,351 metres, you head up to the Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin (1,765 metres), where Spain awaits on the other side.
Day 3
Isaba - Estérençuby
84 kilometres | 2,650 vertical metres | max. 20 % gradient
The day on which one pass follows the next. First the Puerto de Laza, then the Port de Larrau (1,578 metres), over which the border between Spain and France runs. Your legs will start to feel tired by the time you reach the Col de Bagargi, which has gradients of over ten per cent for several kilometres. Finally, the road leads below the Errozate summit at an altitude of almost 1,300 metres. At dusk, the view over the mountains during the descent into the Nive valley is captivating.
Day 4
Estérençuby - Banca
49 kilometres | 1,840 vertical metres | max. 21 % gradient
The day starts with a climb through the forest. What looks unspectacular becomes an effort for the already strained legs. At an altitude of over 1,200 metres, the route leads to the Col d'Arnostéguy (1,236 metres), and on the other side of the mountain there is sudden hustle and bustle! A stage of the Way of St James sends pilgrims up the mountain. Thank them for a refuge with large ice cream sundaes on the route! A second ascent is lonely again, but with brutal gradients and partly on gravel. Steep hairpin bends lead to Banca, a village with just over 300 inhabitants - and a fish museum.
Day 5
Banca - Louhossoa
31 kilometres | 200 vertical metres | max. 10 % gradient
Rest day. We used the day to pay tribute to the home office concept and leave the newly renovated room in a family hotel mainly for meals. A transfer in the evening takes us a few kilometres towards the coast on wide roads that are once again much busier. Now we pass places that almost resemble towns again. We make a stop at the "Poterie Goicoechea" pottery in Ossès, where vases and crockery can be viewed and purchased. We feel back in civilisation, with all its comforts and inconveniences (traffic).
Day 6
Louhossoa - Bayonne
91 kilometres | 1,200 vertical metres | max. 17 % gradient
The Atlantic is calling. Before that, however, we head towards Espelette, a small tourist town known for its "Piment d'Espelette", on undulating roads. From there, we head towards the coast on wider roads with little traffic. A fairly busy road by the sea leads in waves to Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a coastal town with a beach where you can take a break. Afterwards, the hinterland awaits with a few intermediate climbs. The last five kilometres are along the banks of the Nive to the centre of Bayonne.
