Jakobsweg Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port–Irun

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (France) → Irun (Spain)
• Length: approx. 73 km
• Stages: 4
• Duration: 3–4 days of hiking
• Regions: French Basque Country (Nive Valley, Labourd) and Gipuzkoa — Border strip along the Bidassoa River
• Highest point: 357 m — the shortest proof that this isn't the GR 10
• Waymarking: Blue scallop shell with a yellow arrow (ACSJPA), some are stamp-sized and incomplete — GPS track required
• Organisation: Friends of the Way of St. James in Pyrénées-Atlantiques — Pilgerbüro Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
• Connection: from Irun, the Camino del Norte — about 820 km to Santiago

Overview

In 2024, more than 32,000 pilgrims started in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, and almost everyone climbed up to Roncesvalles on the first day. The Jakobsweg Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port–Irun does the opposite: He turns his back on the pass and runs west toward the sea—about 73 Kilometers in four stages, as a valley route with a maximum of 357 meters, marked with a blue scallop shell and a yellow arrow by the Pilgrims' Association at the Pilgrims' Office in Saint-Jean. Its official name is Voie Nive-Bidassoa, named after its two rivers: The Nive accompanies you on your way out, and the Bidassoa eventually carries you across into Spain. It bears no saint’s name—it bears the names of two rivers and runs from one to the other along a border.

Its function is so clear that the hiker simply calls it “chemin de liaison”: It connects the three major French trails— Via Podiensis, Via Turonensis, Via Lemovicensis — all of which converge in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, along with the Camino del Norte in Irun. On foot instead of by bus. It’s also an honest route: not a single pilgrim hostel, trail markers that are sometimes no bigger than a postage stamp, and a profile that constantly undulates—the peaks are modest, but the climbs are not. Those who plan this route rather than just endure it will enjoy four days of the Basque Country at its finest: hamlets, fern-covered slopes, red-and-white houses, and towering above it all, the Rhune.

778 through the rock, 1659 divided on the island, 1943 at night across the Bidasoa

This path has no mountains and no chain of title—it has a border. For four days it runs along it; on the fifth, it crosses it, and everything worth telling about it concerns people who wanted to cross over. The oldest story is a legend, and we identify it as such: On the Pas de Roland Near Itxassou, the Nive River has carved a gate in the rock, which, according to legend, Roland’s horse struck with its hoof—or Roland himself with his sword Durandal—in August 778. A few days later, Roland fell at the Roncesvalles Pass—the very pass that the Camino Francés crosses on the first day. This route bypasses Roncesvalles on the left but still passes through Roland’s Hole. By the way, you can’t completely avoid the abbey: The red sandstone church of Bidarray, your first stop along the route, was a commandery priory of Roncesvalles in the 12th century. You can only reach it from below.

The border itself was established on November 7, 1659 made — on the Pheasant Island In the middle of the Bidassoa River, 200 meters long, 40 meters wide, 0.682 hectares. It was there that Mazarin and Luis Méndez de Haro signed the Peace of the Pyrenees, and it was there that they met 1660 Louis XIV and Maria Theresa went there to look for a bride. Ever since then, the island has alternated between Spanish and French administration every six months—and you’re not allowed to set foot on it. You can see it from the bridge on the last day. The fact that such a route attracts smugglers has even been confirmed in literature: In Ascain, your third stop along the way, wrote Pierre Loti at the Hôtel de la Rhune, his novel “Ramuntcho” (1897) about Basques who crossed the Bidasoa at night—and according to the inn’s chronicle, its owner, Jean-Pierre Borda, was himself a “great hunter, great smuggler, and great storyteller.” The inn continues to welcome guests to this day.

And then the game turned serious. By 1941 Until 1944, the escape route led Réseau Comète Allied aircraft shot down from Brussels to Urrugne — Stopover on your last day — and then across the Bidasoa River into Spain at night. On the January 15, 1943 At the Bidegain Berri farm, the 26-year-old Belgian woman Andrée de Jongh Arrested after successfully crossing the border 32 times; Frantxia Usandizaga, a farmer’s wife and widow with three young children, never returned from the camps. After that, the network moved its crossing points to Bidarray of all places—your first stop on the route. The route touches both ends of the Basque “Comète” crossings, and that’s no coincidence: a valley route close to the border has always been the path taken by those who needed to cross unnoticed. On this route, crossing the Bidasoa was a crime for centuries and, in 1943, a death sentence. You do it on a road bridge, in four minutes, with your passport in your pocket.

Other Names

The trail is named after its two rivers: Voie Nive-Bidassoa — the Nive (Errobi in Basque) takes you out of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port; the Bidassoa is the border river at the end. The club that marked the trail simply calls it “chemin de liaison,” while tour operators market it as Chemin Basque, in German it's called the "Zubringer Camino del Norte," and some signposts say Done Jakue Bidea — The Basque name for the Way of St. James. It’s worth clearing up three common misconceptions: The Camino de Baztan runs from Bayonne to Pamplona, that is, southward. The Camino Vasco del Interior doesn't start until Irun. And the GR 10 Although it connects the same two places, it does so over the mountains—99 kilometers, about 5,000 meters of elevation gain, with the highest point at 1,027 meters. The valley floor is at 357. Incidentally, a “Sentier des Contrebandiers” here is something else entirely: a separate local hiking and horseback riding trail near Baïgorry. As mentioned above, this route still has the better smuggling story.

Who It's Ideal For—and Who It's Not So Ideal For

For you, if you’re in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and want to walk the Camino del Norte without taking a ride there: Four days, and you’ll have walked the connection between two major routes yourself—through the French Basque Country, along a border, with the sea as your guide. It’s also worth it for veterans of the Camino de Santiago: viewed from the west, this mountainous region looks completely different than it does from the Route Napoléon.

To be honest, though, this isn't the route for you if you need pilgrim infrastructure. There are no hostels or gîtes here—you'll be staying in hotels and chambres d'hôtes, which are often closed in small villages during the winter, and you'll need to book each night in advance. You can’t rely on the trail markings either: some of the blue scallop shell stickers are as small as postage stamps, and they’re often missing at the edges of towns—without a GPS track or the maps from the pilgrimage office, you’ll get lost. And don’t be fooled by the term “valley route”: The peaks are modest, but the climbs are not, and the first stage is the toughest. Just how tight the accommodations can get was demonstrated in 2017 by a trail running race with 1,621 participants, which booked up all the pilgrim’s lodging options—you plan for such gaps in advance, not while you’re on the trail.

Route & Landscape

The trail begins at the Nive and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and immediately takes an unexpected turn: Instead of staying in the valley, it climbs over Uhart-Cize and Ascarat into the foothills of the Pyrenees and stays there for about 20 kilometers—simply to avoid the busy valley road. In return, it offers the most expansive views of the entire route. Just before Itxassou he returns to the river for good; in between lie Bidarray with its red sandstone church and the gorge at the Pas de Roland, where the Nive River has carved its way through a narrow gorge in the rock.

From Espelette, in Pimentdorf, the trail crosses over to the river system: into the valley of the Nivelle, via Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle according to Ascain at the foot of the Rhune, just seven kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean. The last day takes us through Urrugne down to Béhobie and across the bridge of the Bidassoa according to Irun. Along the way, you’ll walk on asphalt, gravel roads, and narrow dirt paths, mostly on small country roads through populated areas—a miniature version of the Basque countryside: hamlets, hedgerows, fern-covered slopes, and red-and-white houses. The highest point is 357 meters. That’s the shortest explanation for why this trail isn’t the GR 10.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

The trail-marking club divides the trail into four stages From 15 to 22 kilometers, spread over three to four days of hiking. Sources differ on the elevation gain—the GPS track shows about 1,240 meters of ascent, while the daily figures provided by one organizer total over 2,100: If in doubt, go with the higher figures, because a coarsely gridded track tends to smooth out precisely these kinds of constantly undulating profiles. The first stage is the most challenging; the descent from Suhalmendi before Ascain is unpleasant in wet conditions, and food and drink options along the way are scarce. All stage figures are rounded estimates—the total length of 73 km is the definitive figure.

1. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port → Bidarray (approx. 22 km) — The most challenging stage of the route: via Uhart-Cize and Ascarat, you leave the Nive Valley and head uphill, walking about 20 kilometers along the foothills of the Pyrenees to avoid the busy valley road. In return, you’ll be rewarded with the most expansive views—and, in the evening, a church that belonged to the Abbey of Roncesvalles in the Middle Ages.
2. Bidarray → Espelette (approx. 17 km) — Back to the Nive and through the gorge past the Pas de Roland, the rock cleft that, according to legend, Roland’s horse kicked open in August 778. On through Itxassou to Espelette, where strings of chili peppers hang from the facades of the houses.
3. Espelette → Ascain (approx. 18 km) — From the Nive River basin across to the Nivelle Valley: via Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle to Ascain at the foot of the Rhune. Narrow country roads, hamlets, lush greenery—and in the village, the hotel where Pierre Loti wrote his novel about smugglers, “Ramuntcho,” in 1897.
4. Ascain → Irun (approx. 16 km) — The day at the border: through Urrugne, with its fortified church and the sundial inscription “Vulnerant omnes, ultima necat,” down to Béhobie, and across the Bidassoa Bridge to Irun, where the Camino del Norte begins.

Some sources list the fourth stage as ending as early as Hendaye, the last town in France before the bridge—the Bidassoa River lies between them, so it’s practically the same distance for the day. And for those who want the mountains, there’s an alternative right next to it: the GR 10 To Hendaye, 99 kilometers, about 5,000 meters of elevation gain, three to six days — fantastic, but only for experienced hikers.

Highlights Along the Way

• Porte Saint-Jacques, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port — the city gate through which pilgrims entered from the north, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998; overlooking the city is the citadel, which was rebuilt by Vauban in the 17th century.
• Our Lady of the Assumption, Bidarray — A red sandstone church that served as a commandery priory of Roncesvalles Abbey during the Middle Ages; the choir, apse, and portal are Romanesque, and the nave was extended in 1625. Designated a historic monument since 1925.
• No Roland, Itxassou — the gap in the rock above the Nive Gorge: According to legend, it was created in August 778 by the hoof of Roland’s horse—or by Roland’s sword, Durandal. A few days later, Roland fell at the Pass of Roncesvalles.
• Espelette — The Piment Village: Paprika arrived from Mexico in the 16th century; it took root here starting in 1650, and since the early 2000s, Piment d'Espelette has been a protected designation of origin. In 2015, there were over 3.8 million plants in the appellation.
• Ascain and the Hôtel de la Rhune — It was here that Pierre Loti wrote *Ramuntcho* in 1897, a novel about Basque smugglers who crossed the Bidasoa at night; according to the house chronicle, his landlord was a “Ramuntcho”
• Saint Vincent Church, Urrugne — A Renaissance fortified church with embrasures for muskets; the sundial on the portal reads “Vulnerant omnes, ultima necat”—“All hours wound, the last one kills.”
• Pheasant Island on the Bidassoa River — 200 meters long, 40 meters wide: The Treaty of the Pyrenees was signed here on November 7, 1659. To this day, administrative control of the island alternates between Spain and France every six months; entry is prohibited.
• Irun — The end of this route, the beginning of two others: This is where the Camino del Norte and the Camino Vasco del Interior begin.

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

Almost everyone comes on foot—because three major French routes of the Way of St. James converge in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port: the Via Podiensis from Le Puy-en-Velay, the Via Turonensis from Paris and the Via Lemovicensis from Vézelay, both of which converge at Ostabat. Anyone arriving here has a choice: head up to Roncesvalles on the Camino Francés — in winter via the French Way Winter Route via Valcarlos — or westward along this path. French pilgrimage websites refer to it precisely as the “chemin de liaison” between the Via Podiensis and the Camino del Norte.

If you're not coming on foot, take the train: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is the terminus of the branch line from Bayonne through the Nive Valley, with several trains a day. And before you set out, go to the Pilgrimage Office at 39 rue de la Citadelle — It is also the headquarters of the club that has marked this trail and provides the latest route descriptions. On this route, the topos are not just a bonus—they are essential gear.

Continue the pilgrimage?

This trail ends in Irun, and the Camino del Norte runs along approximately 820 kilometers of the Cantabrian coast through San Sebastián, Gernika, Bilbao, and Oviedo, until it joins the Camino Francés It takes about five weeks. Historically, the Northern Route was the alternative route when Moorish rule made the paths through the interior dangerous; today, few people take it—most recently, just under five percent of all registered pilgrims, about one-tenth of the traffic on the Camino Francés. In return, you’ll face more climbs, more rain, and fewer places to stay.

From Irun, there is a second, lesser-known option: the Camino Vasco del Interior, also known as the Tunnel Route. It leaves the coast behind, climbs up the Oria Valley to the medieval rock tunnel of San Adrián, and continues through Vitoria-Gasteiz to Miranda de Ebro, where it joins the Camino Francés—some scholars consider this to be the oldest section of the Way of St. James. So anyone who turns west in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port hasn’t decided against the Camino Francés. They’ve simply bought themselves a week to think it over again.

Preparation & Practical Information

The best time is May through September, or, more broadly, from April through October. You can also do it in the winter—but then you’ll have to complete each stage while it’s still light out, many houses in the villages are closed, and snow or ice can block certain sections. Because it No pilgrim hostels In this case, booking isn't an option—it's a must: You'll need a hotel, a gîte, or a chambre d'hôtes for each night in Bidarray, Espelette, Ascain, and finally in Hendaye or Irun.

About the markings: Pay attention to the blue scallop with a yellow arrow the ACSJPA; in some places, also follow the yellow arrows with “Done Jakue Bidea” signs. The white-and-red stripes next to them are part of the GR 10 and lead into the mountains—don’t confuse them. And don’t rely solely on the trail markings: Some of the stickers are as small as postage stamps and are missing at the exits of towns. Pick up the latest trail maps at the pilgrim office and bring a GPS track with you. The Pilgrim's Passport (Credencial) It's best to order it online in advance—it's also available at the pilgrim office; you'll hardly get any stamps along this section of the route, but things return to normal starting in Irun.

With the Camino Ninja App You're in good hands—she has the entire route on board, and you can put together your own stages and plan suitable accommodations right away. On a route without a network of hostels, that's half the preparation.

What the journey will cost you

Without hostels, the budget is higher than on the Camino in Spain: In hotels, gîtes, and chambres d'hôtes in the French Basque Country, you can realistically expect to spend around 70 to 80 euros per day with meals included (estimate—one travel report puts the cost at 150 euros for two people). For those who don't want to organize it themselves: A French tour operator offers the four-day hike as a package deal with five nights starting at 520 euros (As of August 2026). Spread out over four days, both remain manageable—it’s the price you pay for walking the connection between two major trails yourself instead of driving it. Be sure to plan your meals: There’s not much available between the stage locations; the stores are in the villages, not along the trail, and water is scarcer than you’d expect in such a green area.

Getting Here

To begin with: You can reach Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port by train via Bayonne — From there, a branch line runs up the Nive Valley several times a day; Bayonne itself is connected to Paris and Bordeaux by TGV. Anyone traveling via the Via Podiensis If you're arriving on foot, you don't need to make any arrangements.

About the goal: Irun is a Spanish long-distance transportation hub; the one across from it Hendaye French terminus; the Basque commuter rail line to San Sebastián runs back and forth between the two. The San Sebastián Airport is located in Hondarribia, right next to Irun—close enough that directions for this route are simply listed as “directions to the airport.” Alternatively: Biarritz on the French side.

• Railways in France: Paris/Bordeaux → Bayonne → Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port; schedules available at [sncf-connect.com](https://www.sncf-connect.com).
• Railways in Spain: From Irun to San Sebastián, Madrid, and Barcelona; see [renfe.com](https://www.renfe.com) for schedules.
• Suburban train: Hendaye ↔ San Sebastián with [euskotren.eus](https://www.euskotren.eus).
• From German-speaking countries: Connections via Paris or Bordeaux; see [bahn.de](https://www.bahn.de) for schedules.