Top 19 Mountain Passes around Estérençuby

An amazing place with magnificent views and birds of prey soaring just above your head. A spectacular sensation!

One of the most inhospitable and spectacular mountain passes in the eastern Pyrenees, with several slopes, all of them very difficult. The landscape is wild and wonderful. You can breathe absolute tranquility and you can dedicate yourself exclusively to enjoying the views, the horses, the sheep, the cows and the suffering on the bike. The summit is on the border with Spain, although there is no road that crosses the border, so the pass runs entirely in France. I have climbed it on 2 of its slopes. The first time I climbed it on the slope that crosses the Col d'Orgambide, on the D428 road, which starts from Estérençuby. The first 3 km are very easy, until you cross the detour to go up to Artaburu, where the road begins to have slopes of more than 10%. From there, to the summit, the climb is very hard, around 9%, on a very rough and bumpy road, with a lot of humidity and crossing a wonderful beech forest. Once you reach the top of the Col d'Orgambide, you turn right and continue climbing for another half kilometre with a gradient of 11%. There comes a small descent, to face the last 3 kms, the first 2 very hard with several 13% gradients. The last kilometre is very easy and has panoramic views that are simply wonderful. The second time I climbed it on the side that starts from Arneguy and Ondarolle. This side is harder than the previous one, with a central section that is hellish, being 6 kms at an average of 10%, and a very hard km at 12% and 18% gradients!!! The final part is more gentle. You cross the Croix de Thibault in the penultimate kilometre of the climb. The final kilometre is very gentle and with beautiful and exciting panoramic views.

A remote port in the French Pyrenees with narrow roads in perfect condition where you can enjoy the beauty of the green pastures and the absolute tranquility of the place. It is an area where the weather is very changeable and you can have wonderful days or cold and rainy days in summer. It is an alternative road to the Col d'Errozate and connects with Surzai Lepoa. Without a doubt, a magical place and highly recommended.

The views from the top are wonderful. You have to stand quietly to enjoy the beauty, especially on sunny spring and summer days.

It is a beautiful port of about 8 - 9 km for each of its slopes that connects Ochagavía with the sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves in the Irati Jungle, one of the entrances to the forest. It is highly recommended to try both slopes because, although similar in length and hardness, they are very different in terms of landscape. The southern slope of Ochagavía is very open, with views of the valley and the surrounding mountains at all times, crossing mountain meadows. On the other hand, on its northern slope, the climb runs through the Irati Forest surrounded by beech trees. The final part of this slope is clear, although you are inside a very charming gorge. The views from the top are simply wonderful. It is worth stopping carefully, observing the views and taking some photos. It is usually windy, so a windbreaker is essential.

Before reaching Irati there is this hill with a magnificent viewpoint. If you're lucky you'll see the area's semi-wild horses up close. It is a port with a constant slope, it is long and it is beautiful

Not the prettiest place to camp, but toilets in the cabin next door and restaurant nearby. Tickets are available in the shop below.

Located in the heart of the Iraty Forest, the Bagargui Pass is reached via a beautiful 28-kilometer climb from Saint-Jean-le-Vieux. The climb averages 4%, with peaks reaching 11%. At the pass, you'll find the famous Iraty chalets and a grocery store for supplies.