56 hiking suggestions in the French and Spanish Basque Country:
• 8 family and tourist walks along the coast, from fishing ports to dizzying cliffs
• 21 discovery hikes for beginners or experienced hikers on iconic peaks
• 20 sporty hikes for experienced mountaineers in wild landscapes and on rocky summits
• 2 unusual hikes in the heart of Europe's largest desert, the Bardenas
• 5 majestic ridges for seasoned mountaineers
The first French-language hiking guide to cover the entire Basque country
At the end of the Pyrenees, in the heart of the Bay of Biscay between Spain and France, lies the Basque Country, or Euskal Herria in Basque. Made up of seven provinces, this mosaic country is above all the land of the Basque language, Euskara, one of the oldest languages in Europe.
To the north, we can distinguish Labourd, Lower Navarre and Soule, which are part of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, constituting the Basque Country Agglomeration Community. To the south, we find Biscay, Gipuzkoa and Alava which form the Basque Autonomous Community. Navarre is in itself another autonomous region of the Spanish state. Each of these two communities is administered by its own government. In this land of contrasts, the Pyrenean landscapes curve and then disappear into the Atlantic waves, the green ocean valleys extend towards the Mediterranean plains, and the agricultural hills border vast forested areas.
For the first time, a practical guide attempts to describe the entire French and Spanish Basque Country, and offers a discovery through these 56 hikes of all levels, undoubtedly the most beautiful. It is as much a tourist guide as a topographical guide. Its approach to the country and its human geography is through walking. We have endeavored to penetrate the most remote and authentic corners.
