8-day trek along the French Pyrenees GR10 (Stage 1)
Join UIMLA-certified leader Emma on stage 1 of the great GR10 Pyrenees trek. Ascend through picturesque green pastures, lovely seascapes and antique Basque villages.
Not specified
Pyrenees
8 Days
Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Fit
Intermediate
Description
Set among the stunning peaks of the Pyrenees, join me on stage 1 of the GR10. Roll with the hills past green pastures, seascapes and beautiful Basque villages. Reach the peak of Cresta d’Iparla at 1,049m, and ascend superb red sandstone ridges.
The GR10, short for Grande Randonnée (Big Walk), is a classic long-distance route along the Pyrenees, past stunning scenery and picturesque villages.
Stretching from the Basque shores off the Atlantic to the southern French beaches of the Mediterranean, the GR10 covers 538 miles (866km). The entire trek would take 2 months! That’s why we broke the whole route into 8 1-week sections.
Stage 1 covers around 7-13 miles (11-22km) each day, lasting around 4 to 8 hours. We begin in the French Basque country commune of Hendaye, and follow the footpaths among beautiful sea views and rolling hills. Walking past picturesque villages the terrain becomes more mountainous as we reach Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.
This 8-day trip contains 7 nights in hotels and 6 days of trekking. And with luggage access throughout the trip, we only need to carry day packs.
Due to the length of walks each day, and the ascents ranging from 300m to 1,260m, a good fitness level is required.
Reserve your place for an unforgettable opening trek on the GR10 in the French Pyrenees.
Price includes
- Accommodation included
- Luggage transfer
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Price details
This is the price to join one of our Group Tours.
Accommodation is on a twin-share or dormitory basis.
Breakfasts and evening meals are included (except on arrival day).
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Hendaye
I will brief you about the coming days and answer any questions you may have at the hotel in Hendaye.
Day 2: Hendaye to Ascain
We begin in style by dipping into the sea at Hendaye Plage, the start of the GR10. We then pass through the village of Biriatou, rising rapidly above the Atlantic. We cross several cols before descending towards the village of Ascain. Depending on availability of accommodation we may need to take a transfer to our hotel.
Day 3: Ascain to Ainhoa
Today we will pass through the villages of Sare and Ainhoa, noted as “plus beaux villages de France”, and we’ll see a lot of traditional Basque houses dating back to the 17th century.
Day 4: Ainhoa to the Col des Veaux
A shorter day but is almost entirely uphill! We have a fantastic climb as we wind our way around Mount Errebí (583m), and then further past the Col des Trois Croix to Soporro (617m). We finally join the spectacular Gorospil ridge, and if the weather is good we can divert from the GR10 and take the ridge walk to the summit. In bad weather we’ll stay on the GR10 to reach the Col des Veaux.
Day 5: Col des Veaux to Bidarray
We pass underneath the Pic Iguzki to reach the Col de Mehatse (716m). We have a series of cols before we begin our steep descent to Bidarray. We’ll pass the Harpeko Saindua cave on the way down, whose limestone walls are said to have healing properties.
Day 6: Bidarray to Saint Etienne de Baïgorry
As we ascend to the superb red sandstone ridge, we reach the peak of the Cresta d’Iparla, at 1,049m. The view is exceptional, stretching from the Atlantic over 62 miles (100km) to your west, to the Pic d’Anie in the southeast.
Day 7: Saint Etienne de Baïgorry to Saint-Jean-Pied-dePort
Today’s climb takes us up to the Col d’Urdanzia (872m), followed by the Munhoa peak (1023m), with a panoramic view of Basse-Navarre down below. We descend through green pastures to the town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, which is also the starting point for the Camino Francès, the most popular version of the Camino de Santiago.
Day 8: Departure day
Our trip finishes after breakfast.
Details
Accommodation 7 nights in hotels |
Meeting point Our hotel in Hendaye |
About the guide
I'm a qualified International Mountain Leader (IML) and I have been leading expeditions for the last 15 years. I have led the Tour du Mont Blanc over 40 times, the Everest Base Camp trek 27 times, Kilimanjaro 10 times, and I have also led trips in Nepal, Peru, Cuba, India, Bhutan, Cambodia, Thailand, the Alps, the Pyrenees, Russia, Uzbekistan and Madagascar, amongst others.
I'm a passionate skier, in 2009 I made the first ski descent of Manaslu, the 8th highest mountain in the world (8156m).
Fluent in French, Russian and Spanish, I also work as an interpreter and love to chat.
What people are saying about -Emma Jack
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