The best MTB trails around Arnéguy

They have the best accessible toilet within a 20 km radius.

If you come to visit the Iparralde area... you can't miss it. It's worth a visit, either by bike or after the route. It has a lot of activity and life, especially in summer.

As you hike, approach the Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port gate for a truly historic experience. This iconic entrance, known as the Porte Saint-Jacques, welcomes you with its impressive stone arch. Take time to admire the gate’s old-world charm and the stunning views of the surrounding Basque countryside before exploring the cobbled streets of this picturesque town.

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.

It is a beautiful border pass between Spain and France, well known for being part of the most traditional route of the Camino de Santiago. Sportingly, the climb on both sides is easy, although on the French side it is much longer as it starts at a lower altitude. The Spanish side is just 6 km from Burguete, the last being the most difficult with an average gradient of 7%. On this side you pass the famous and well-known monastery of Roncesvalles. The French side is 18 km from Arnegui and an average gradient of 4%. The hardest part is 5 km from the summit, with one kilometre at 7%. The landscape on this side is of lush vegetation going up a very closed valley that hardly leaves room for views of the surrounding mountains. The road is very twisty. It is a port with very good asphalt and a lot of traffic in general... so, be careful!

Roncesvalles, also known as Orreaga in Basque, is a small town in the region of Navarra, northern Spain. It is best known for the legendary Battle of Roncesvalles in 778, where Charlemagne's rearguard was defeated. This historical and spiritual site is also an important starting point for the Camino de Santiago, the famous pilgrimage route to the tomb of Saint James in Galicia. In Roncesvalles you can admire the impressive Gothic collegiate church of Santa María de Roncesvalles, where the image of the Virgin of Orreaga is venerated. Other places of interest include the Church of Santiago, the Chapel of the Holy Spirit and the Museum-Treasury, where you can see relics, paintings and sculptures from different periods.

The Ibañeta Pass, also known as the Roncesvalles Pass, is a scenic mountain pass in the Pyrenees, near the border between France and Spain. At an altitude of 1,057 metres, it offers breathtaking views and a rich historical background. The pass is best known for the Battle of Roncevaux in 778, a legendary event sung about in the epic poem “The Song of Roland”. A menhir marks the traditional site of this battle, emphasising the historical significance of the location.

The monastery complex is an impressive building and worth a visit. There are also two cafés, a hotel and the pilgrims' hostel.