Nature
La Rhune hike — the complete guide to Labourd’s iconic summit
Start, route, timings, kit and the train alternative — everything you need to climb the legendary summit of the French Basque Country (905 m).
La Rhune (Larrun in Basque, 905 m) is the most recognisable summit in the French Basque Country (Iparralde). Right on the border between France and Spain, it offers a 360° panorama over the Basque Country, the Landes forest and the ocean, from San Sebastián to the mouth of the Adour.
The classic walking route — from the Col de Saint-Ignace
The Col de Saint-Ignace is the classic starting point, right by the rack-railway station.
Key stages
- Col de Saint-Ignace (169 m) → set off from the station on the path waymarked in yellow (PR).
- Heath and pasture — the path climbs across the hillside, sometimes close to the railway line.
- Pottok grazing area — you’ll come across these small Basque ponies roaming free. Don’t touch them.
- A rockier final section — passing close to the Koralhandia redoubt.
- Summit (905 m) — a 360° panorama.
The little rack railway
The train, which came into service in 1924, leaves from the Col de Saint-Ignace. Original wooden carriages (restored), an average speed of about 8 km/h and 4.2 km of track. An experience in itself.
Recommended kit
- Walking boots
- Plenty of water
- A windproof jacket (the summit is exposed)
- A cap and sun cream
- Walking poles if your knees are fragile
From Sare or Ascain
Other paths climb La Rhune, notably from Sare (Sara) and Ascain (Azkaine), as well as from the Col des Trois Fontaines and the Col de Lizuniaga.
What awaits you at the summit
- 360° views — on a clear day: the Basque Country, the Landes forest, and the ocean from San Sebastián to the mouth of the Adour. The summit is often in cloud in the morning.
- Radio and TV masts — serving the coast from Hendaye to Bayonne.
- Free-roaming pottoks — keep your distance.
- Prehistoric remains — cromlechs, tumuli and dolmens on the slopes. The name Larrun is built on larre (‘pasture, heathland’).
Before or after the hike: what to do nearby
My favourite shot
The summit at dawn: a sea of cloud blanketing the plain, the ocean to the west, the Pyrenees turning pink. To see it, you have to walk up before sunrise, with a head torch.
Happy hiking · Ondo ibili!