Saint Jean Pied de Port to Logibar
The Basque Country
Green hills, beech forest, and shepherds selling cheese at the cols you cross — the Basque world before the mountains close in.
GR10 Section 2: Saint Jean Pied de Port to Etsaut
Your walk from
Saint Jean Pied de Port to
Etsaut
You'll walk 124 kilometres east from Saint Jean Pied de Port, taken into the high Pyrenees by way of the beech forests of Iraty rather than the high ridges, with the limestone plateaus of the Pierre-Saint-Martin coming up and the Vallée d'Aspe falling away to Etsaut. A route that crosses from the Basque country into Béarn.
French Pyrenees
France
Trail Essentials
- Start
- Saint Jean Pied de PortPyrénées-Atlantiques
- End
- EtsautPyrénées-Atlantiques
- Distance
- 124 km77 miles
- Total Ascent
- 6,230 m20,440 ft
Difficulty
Demanding
Hilliness
Mountainous
Time to Complete
Hiker
5 days ~24 km/day
When to Walk
Best
Good
Avoid
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
The GR10 Section 2 runs 77 miles east from Saint Jean Pied de Port, the old pilgrim staging post at the foot of the Pyrenees, to Etsaut in the Vallée d'Aspe — through the green hills of the Pays Basque, past the prehistoric stone circles at the Cromlechs d'Okabe, across the suspended footbridge of the Passerelle d'Holzarté, into the limestone country of the Pierre-Saint-Martin, and out across the Plateau de Lhers into Béarn. You climb 6,200 metres across seven walking days. The character is two cultures stitched together: Basque shepherd country giving way to the bigger limestone country of the high Pyrenees, with the language, the cheese, and the cattle changing as you go.
Walking the GR10 Section 2: Saint Jean Pied de Port to Etsaut
How The Trail Unfolds
Your trail divides naturally into three parts — not by day, but by country. You walk the green hills and beech forests of the Pays Basque; you cross the gorges and climb into the limestone of the high Pyrenees; and from there, you descend the long valleys into Béarn.
Logibar to La Pierre-Saint-Martin
Into Béarn
Across the suspended Holzarté footbridge and into a 1,250-metre climb that lifts you out of the Basque country and into the limestone of the high Pyrenees.
La Pierre-Saint-Martin to Etsaut
The Aspe Valley
Lapiaz limestone, the section's exposed high point, then a long descent through cirque and Béarnais stone village down to Etsaut.
Included with every trip
Your personalised
Trail Book
Everything you need for every day of your trail — built around your exact itinerary. Your route, your accommodation, your packing list. Ready before you leave, works offline when you're out there.
Tonight's accommodation
Check-in time, room type, phone number and directions — all in one place
Day-by-day trail description
Route map, elevation profile and written description for each stage
Packing list and pre-trip checklist
Everything you need, nothing you don't. Tick items off as you go
Works offline
Open it once with data and it's yours — no signal needed on the trail
Included with every trip
Your route on every device you use
Your custom GPX file is built around your exact itinerary — day by day, door to door. Load it onto any device or app before you set off and navigate with confidence.
Works with
Talk to a Specialist
Knows the trail. Plans yours.
Craig
Trail Specialist
The GR10 is the trail I point people to when they've walked Hadrian's Wall or the Tour du Mont Blanc and want something rougher and quieter. Pick the right week and you'll have shepherd's huts to yourself. Late June, before the big heat, is when I'd go.
Craig has spent over ten years in adventure travel — most of it talking walkers through trails like this one. He's helped customers plan their GR10 sections, knows where people typically misjudge the high climbs above Lescun and the limestone day on the Arres de Camplong, and has the calls in his pocket from people who've walked it the week before.
Ask Craig about the GR10 Section 2: Saint Jean Pied de Port to Etsaut
If you want to talk through your timing, your fitness, your pace, or anything the planner can't answer — call. Most of our customers do, and Craig's the one who'll answer.
The Practical Side
Before You Book
The things walkers ask us most often — answered plainly, so you don't have to ring to find out.
How fit do I need to be?
This is one of our toughest trails. You'll want to be comfortable walking 18–20 km a day in steep mountain terrain with a daypack and over 1,000 metres of ascent on the bigger days. Days 3, 5 and 6 each climb more than a thousand metres, and the section's high point at the Pas de l'Osque includes a short scramble with a fixed cable. The Explorer pace at nine days gives you the climbs at a slower rhythm, which most walkers find more sustainable than pushing through on Hiker pace.
When should I walk it?
June to September is the trail's best window — long days, dry paths above 1,500 metres, and the high passes clear of snow. Late May and early October are workable but the higher cols can still hold snow into early June and the autumn weather closes in fast. November to April we don't recommend: the route crosses ground above 1,900 metres, the shepherds' huts close, and most of the village accommodation along the way shuts for winter.
Do you include luggage transfer?
Yes — your bag is moved between accommodations every walking day, up to 20 kg per bag. You walk with a daypack carrying water, lunch and waterproofs. One thing worth flagging: a few of the higher stops (the cabane above Pierre-Saint-Martin, the refuge at L'Abérouat) are only reachable on foot, so on those days the transfer goes to the next village instead and your overnight bag stays with you. We'll set this out clearly in your trip plan.
What kind of accommodation do you book?
Small mountain hotels, family-run gîtes d'étape, and traditional auberges in the villages along the route — Auberge Logibar, the Hotel Andreinia at Estérençuby, family inns at Lescun and Etsaut. On the two highest nights you'll stay in a refuge with shared dorms and an evening meal cooked by the gardien; private rooms here are usually not available. Every other night is en-suite, with breakfast included.
Can I walk it solo?
Yes — the GR10 is well-waymarked with red-and-white blazes the whole way, the cols are obvious, and you'll meet other walkers most days in season. The two long-climb days (Logibar to Senta and Senta to La Pierre-Saint-Martin) have stretches of an hour or two where you might not see anyone — fine in good weather, worth checking the mountain forecast before you head up. We book single rooms with a single supplement; the refuge nights are dorm-shared but otherwise straightforward.
What's the realistic total cost?
Our Classic package starts at £889 per person for the seven-day Hiker pace, based on two people sharing. That covers accommodation, breakfast every morning, baggage transfer where possible, a route pack with maps and notes, and 24-hour support. On the trail, budget around €30–40 a day per person for lunches, drinks and evening meals — auberge demi-pensions tend to be the best value and include a hearty mountain dinner. Refuge nights cost a bit more for the dinner-and-breakfast combo.
Still not sure? Ring us on 0131 560 2740 — Craig usually answers.
Still Thinking?
Speak to Craig
If you've scrolled this far, we need to help you get onto this trail. The bit the planner can't help with — "is the pace right for me?", "is August really that busy?", "can we add a rest day in Keswick?" — that's a two-minute phone call. Most people who book the GR10 Section 2: Saint Jean Pied de Port to Etsaut ring first.