Spain via the Basque coast
The alternative route along the coast to Spain is a gentle one.
Cycling along the Adour, you arrive in Bayonne, where you join the La Vélodyssée itinerary, and reach the Spanish border along the ocean via Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz, the pearls of the Côte d’Argent.
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Alternative itinerary, recommended by CTE
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De Namur à Tours par l'Eurovélo3
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The 3 stages of the section « Spain via the Basque coast »
From the hamlet of Cachaou to that of Pascau, the Adour Maritime Greenway offers beautiful views of the river, and in winter you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the majestic flight of the cranes.
Bayonne, known as the “City of Chocolate” in the 19th century and designated a “City of Art and History”, is renowned for its summer festivals, its historic centre where it is a pleasure to linger along the River Nive, admiring the half-timbered houses and strolling through the narrow streets lined with bars and bogedas.
At the mouth of the Adour, in Anglet, the Pignada Forest offers picnic areas in the shade of tall pine trees.
From Bayonne, EuroVelo 3 and the Vélodyssée follow the same route as far as Irun.
Biarritz, a former whaling town that became an upmarket seaside resort in the late 19th century, is renowned for its surf spots.
You head to the village of Bidart with its neo-Basque-style houses and a beautiful view of the ocean from the Sainte-Marie chapel, then on to Guéthary with its quaint little harbour.
A magnificent panorama greets you on this final stretch before Spain : the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, whose stately homes bear witness to a prosperous past linked to whaling and cod fishing, Socoa Fort, and the Corniche road. In Hendaye, renowned for its large, flower-filled beach, you take the greenway known as the Chemin de la Baie, which leads to Irun.
The journey through Spain can continue along the Bidassoa Greenway, which has been created on a former railway line and leads to Doneztebe.
This tour invites you to discover the culinary delights of the Basque Country: the fish stew known as ttoro, the famous Basque cake with black cherries, and sagarno, a light and refreshing cider.
Alternative to the section « Spain via the Basque coast »
From Urt to Came, the route follows a peaceful, bucolic cycle route that partly runs alongside the Bidouze river, which is rich in biodiversity.
From Came onwards, the gradients are short but difficult with a loaded bike. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, in the heart of a mountain cirque, is the first stage town on the Camino Francès.
From Urt to Escos, the Scandiberique follows the same route as the V81Pyrenean Piedmont cycle route.
The association is also proposing a low-relief route along the Adour to reach the ocean and then Spain.