Ascent to La Rhune from the station at Col de Saint-Ignace

From the Rhune mini-train station, this hike climbs to the summit at 905 metres. The trail crosses moors, pastures and small woods, offering progressive views of the Basque Coast and the Pyrenees. Along the way, pottoks and mountain birds punctuate the ascent. At the summit, the 360° panorama reveals the ocean on one side and the Pyrenean mountain range on the other, rewarding your efforts with a spectacular natural spectacle.

Details

n°85655805

Creation:
29 Sep 2025

Last update:
12 Feb 2026

Last review:
04 Jun 2026

Activity: Walking
Distance: 3.32 mi
Average duration: 3h 40
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: No
Ascent: + 2,418 ft
Descent: - 2,966 ft
Highest point: 2,907 ft
Lowest point: 548 ft

Country: France
Areas: Pyrenees, Basque Country
City: Sare (64310)
Start: N 43.325222° / W 1.601404°
End: N 43.308959° / W 1.63467°
IGN map(s): Ref. 1245OT
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Photos

The bay of Saint-Jean de Luz from the summit

Description of the walk

Park in the La Rhune train car park at Col de Saint-Ignace.

(S) Go behind the station.

(1) Follow the access road to the Rhune railway workshops on the right.

(2) Cross the rack railway track: cross the rails with caution, as there is no suitable crossing. Then follow the path through a wooded area, which winds around twice before returning to the edge of the forest.

(3) Continue up the steeper slope, following the edge of the woods: the ground may be slippery in places.

(4) Start climbing the stairs: some steps are damaged or missing, so take care and find a secure foothold. Reach the start of the plateau, at the Mouiz entrenched camp:a short detour to the camp offers a nice first view of the entire valley.

(5) Continue along the plateau, which offers a first glimpse of the landscape.

(6) Cross the Ruisseau des Trois Fontaines stream, which marks the end of the plateau: take a short break here before leaving. Continue westwards, cross a small wooded area and arrive at a crossroads.

(7) Take the path on the left, pass a small pass, and follow the southbound path.

(8) Begin the final ascent, with more or less tight hairpin bends. The path winds to ease the effort and becomes very rocky as you approach the summit. Return to the rack railway.

(9) Turn right to follow the railway line, staying strictly on the path: it is forbidden to walk on the tracks. Just before reaching the arrival station, cross over, paying attention to trains approaching the summit, and reach the summit (E).

Waypoints

S : mi 0 - alt. 548 ft - Parking at the Rhune train station - Petit train de la Rhune
1 : mi 0.04 - alt. 581 ft - Col de Saint-Ignace (169 m)
2 : mi 0.22 - alt. 702 ft - Crossing the railway line
3 : mi 0.82 - alt. 1,145 ft - Ascent through the forest
4 : mi 1.06 - alt. 1,490 ft - Start of the stairs
5 : mi 1.25 - alt. 1,755 ft - Start of the plateau - Camp Retranché de Mouiz (Sare)
6 : mi 1.89 - alt. 1,749 ft - Ruisseau des Trois Fontaines – end of the plateau
7 : mi 2.21 - alt. 1,804 ft - Trail junction, on the left
8 : mi 2.58 - alt. 2,057 ft - Final ascent
9 : mi 3.15 - alt. 2,687 ft - Section along the railway line
E : mi 3.32 - alt. 0 ft - Summit of - La Rhune

Notes

The Rhune hike is quite busy, especially on weekends and during the high season, creating a lively atmosphere on the trails. At the summit, several restaurants and eateries allow you to enjoy a meal while taking in the panoramic views.

For the return journey, it is possible to take the train from the station, but the ticket price remains high compared to walking.

It takes about 2½ hours for an average hiker, and you can walk back down the same way in about 2 hours.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5

Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5

Route interest
5 / 5

Patrick Duchamp

04 Jun 2026 at 20:22 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant hike, though there is a fair bit of elevation gain.
There are places to eat at the summit.
The descent is quite difficult due to the stony paths.

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xiberotarra

25 May 2026 at 18:23 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely hike with a fairly steep section shortly after setting off. The rest of the route is gentler, provided you stick to the path as suggested by the all-too-sparse signposts (the all-too-many shortcuts are damaging the landscape by causing gully erosion). The example of the Upper Ossau Valley, which has successfully established a single, designated route for climbing to the Col de Soum de Pombie, is one worth following here. Superb views on this clear, warm Whit Monday. Fortunately, a cool breeze, especially at the summit, helped us cope with the heat. The descent is stony, so caution is advised.
Thank you for this route.

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User 25113467

10 Mar 2026 at 08:22 3600

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

You indicate a route from the station, but there is another more interesting route following the GR 10, as follows.
Head for the hikers' car park by turning left 4 km from Ascain at a place called "Trabenea", which is a hotel and restaurant.
Then follow the GR10 to a place called "Les 3 Fontaines" where there is a crossroads.
You then have the choice between the direct route to the summit, which is very difficult as it involves climbing over a pile of rocks, or the slightly longer but easier route, which also involves reaching the railway line but via the GR 10, which continues into Spain.
Note: for the descent, to avoid taking the same route, you can make a circular route via "La Petite Rhune" along a path that also leads back to the car park.

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Tatchi

16 Feb 2026 at 15:12 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 16, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No