R O A D B O O K

01 Bayonne - Tardets 95 km | 1 400 m D+

On the first day, the Zazpiak Bat trail takes you through three provinces, Labourd, Lower Navarre and Soule. From Bayonne to Urt, there's no difficulty as you follow the cycle path along the Adour. This gravel or asphalt path crosses the départementale 126 several times. The wind often comes from the west, from the Atlantic Ocean, pushing and helping you along these first twenty kilometers. Then it's time to get down to business. At Guiche, we branch off inland and attack our beloved Basque “pétards”, meaning short bumps often with high percentages of around 10% (or even more). The advantage of these climbs is, of course, the scenery. The land rises up like great green waves, with Basque farmhouses hovering atop them. The route leads along small country roads, past isolated farms and small villages with beautiful churches. There aren't many shops here, nor are there any water points, except for the cemeteries. As far as Saint-Palais, make sure you're self-sufficient in food and water. 

Sixty kilometers on the clock, you're in Saint-Palais (Donapaleu), just over halfway along the route. The former capital of the Kingdom of Navarra has everything you need to stock up, eat and even repair or buy patches, cables or whatever else you're missing at the Esco Cycles store. For the rest, there are also supermarkets. From Saint-Palais, we start the climb towards the mid-mountain range. The landscape deepens and breaks up more radically. We sometimes leave the asphalt for long rolling tracks and finish with a cool descent through undergrowth, to reach the espadrille capital, Mauléon-Licharre. The descent requires a little attention, as the track crosses a field and fades somewhat. It sometimes takes on the appearance of a mountain bike track, but there are no major difficulties either, just attention. 

To finish this first stage, we follow the river Saison to Tardets, between fields, on well-maintained, rolling tracks. In Tardets, you'll have every option between hotel, campsite or bivouac and the necessary supplies, supermarket, bar/restaurant, bakery, etc. (no bike store).

02 Tardets - Aoiz 120 km | 2 500 m D+

A big slap in the face on the second day. 

This second stage may look impressive on paper - yes, it's demanding!But the scenery, the quality of the trails and the feed stations along the way make this one of, if not the, most exhilarating sections of the route. For fifteen kilometers, we warm up our thighs on a gradual, gentle slope with sublime scenery as we criss-cross a sort of small green canyon. The asphalt is of high quality, then the pass welcomes us with the first percentages flirting with the ten percent mark. The slope accompanies you for twenty kilometers through a dense forest that will protect you from the heat or, as we experienced, holds back the clouds and loads up the humidity. You'll have five kilometers of gravel tracks, just the right amount of support for this first challenge of the day. After thirty kilometers of ascent, we reach the Col de Bagargiak and the Chalets d'Iraty. A first refreshment point where you'll find food and water. Think the climb's over? You could do with another ladle! 

Another four kilometers of ascent with sublime views of the Basque country to the west and the Pyrenees to the east, enough to bring you through these last few laces with a smile and some great memories. 

Then the tipping point arrives. We turn our wheels towards the emblematic Ory peak and take a magical plunge into the heart of the Selva d'Iraty.The forest becomes dense again, no more asphalt but a beautiful track with large stones. 

A few pine trees appear in places, and the further you go, the more the gravel becomes refined, making for a nice rolling “billiard table”. At the forty-fifth kilometer, don't miss the sign for the “Casas de Iraty”. You enter as if through a back door, through a forest of fir trees, on a rolling dirt single. We jerk our handlebars left and right to slalom between the trunks. Nothing technical, just fun! And then, to spice things up a bit and get back on a wide, clean track, we spend a very short section pushing the bike. One hundred meters for thirty meters of ascent. The reward at the end of the track is the “Casas de iraty”, where you'll find a small café and picnic area with a fountain and stream. Twenty kilometers of rolling track through the forest on the shores of Lake Iraty - a real treat! Back on the road, we pass the old Orbaizeta arms factory, then the track which climbs for a few kilometers, and finally the descent to the Spanish farmlands. Once you reach Roncesvalles, you'll find everything you need. A crossing point on the “camino francés” of the Way of St. James, fountains, bar/restaurant and hotel if required await you. 

From here on, it's all downhill! From Roncesvalles to Aoiz, you can let off the brakes - it slides right down! Watch out, though, for our pilgrim friends, who sometimes don't hear us coming, no doubt caught up in their pious dreams. Small pebbled track, “perfect for sending wood”, small villages lost in the mountains, cool fountains, a few more hills to pass and you're in Aoiz! 

03 Aoiz - Villafranca 115 km | 1 400 m D+

For this third stage, a radical change of scenery. From the green hills of the Basque Country through the dense forest of Iraty, you're now in a sun-drenched region, where yellow and heat are gradually taking hold. In this great agrarian region, we start the stage by criss-crossing the fields of Navarre. Yes, in fact, since our passage at the foot of the Ory we've been in Navarre, the largest Basque province and the most diverse in terms of landscapes. Here, wheat fields, sunflowers, upturned earth and farms are the order of the day, with tractors raising clouds of dust in the distance.As on the French side, we take the little bumps like a rollercoaster, reminding our legs of days gone by and foreshadowing the flattening of the next stage. 

In the meantime, it's Pamplona. One of the Basque Country's major cities, famous for its San Fermin festivities, democratized by the writer Emingway. But we strongly advise you to avoid this time of year, unless you're in the mood to race furious bulls through the narrow streets of the Navarrese capital. In short, here, it's a good idea to say “kaixo” instead of “ola”, and “eskerikasko” instead of “gracias”. The native will certainly raise a questioning eyebrow (the fault of your bad Basque accent ;) but will turn his grimace into a smile, happy with the effort made. I don't need to tell you that here you'll find everything you need in terms of supplies.

We leave the big city behind, and even if the terrain becomes “a little” flatter, don't expect a leisurely glide towards Villafranca. The rollercoaster between fields and windmills will gradually structure the landscape. You'll still have two big climbs to swallow, followed by long, rolling downhill tracks to Villafranca. It has to be said, this is perhaps the least interesting stage, a bit like a transitional stage between two points of interest: the Iraty forest and the Bardenas desert. But that's the price you have to pay to enjoy the famous desert!

04 Villafranca - Arnedo 105 km | 800 m D+

One of the most emblematic stages, crossing the famous Bardenas desert. Let's face it, the Bardenas is a gravel paradise! 

A unique place in the world. The desert always has a dreamlike quality, especially at sunrise or sunset. At every little house or canyon bend, you expect Clint to appear with his squinty eyes, his cigarette butt dangling from his lips, threatening you with his vengeful Colt... but none of that, just you, the desert and a few exhilarating slopes, singles in the middle of gullies and the wide open spaces of America... sorry, Navarra, for pedaling with your hair blowing in the wind! 

Let's close this bucolic parenthesis. We advise you to leave early in the morning to do this part: 

Reason n°1: to avoid the summer heat 

Reason n°2: to avoid the tourists, who aren't usually the earliest risers.

Note for the Bardenas: you're in a nature park, so it's forbidden to sleep in a bivouac inside it. And we advise you to comply with the orders of the Guardia Civil, which are quite strict...

After a good dust bath and some cowherd apprenticeship, you'll take a lovely track along the Elbre, the most beautiful way to enter Tudela. As in Pamplona, you'll find everything you need here. By the way, this is the “flattest” stage of the tour. Only 800 m of D+. But as you can imagine, it's going to climb at some point! So this time, we're back on the road. It's a way of balancing out the route, as the series of trails is tiring in the long run, and the long ribbon of asphalt between Tudela and Cintruénigo is a welcome way of lengthening the average and cutting through the somewhat similar landscapes. At Cintruénigo (don't ask us why it's called that...), you'll have enough to fill your water bottles before tackling a section of tracks through what is beginning to be the Riojan vineyards. We attack the eastern part of the appellation and make a slight departure from the rules (sorry purists), since yes, we're leaving the Basque country for a few kilometers. But is it really serious? If we tell you that the wine is delicious and the prime rib perfectly mastered? We'll let you be the judge of that... but we certainly enjoyed ourselves! 

We end the stage on a pretty riverside greenway and reach the town of Arnedo, capital of the shoe industry... Some things you just don't make up... here too, supermarket, pharmacy, bike store, etc...

05 Arnedo - Laguardia 75 km | 1 350 m D+

On this fifth day, we begin our ascent towards the Atlantic coast. We're back on Basque soil, in Alava to be precise. It's a short stage, but it's spiced up by some steep sections and attractive descents. To get around the wall to the north of Arnedo, we take the road to Villar de Arnedo, then turn off onto a gravel road to Bergasa. After this village, a gradual climb through vineyards and almond groves begins. Eventually, the track straightens out at over ten percent, sometimes forcing us to push the bike along rocky paths. We skirt the vineyards, protected by fences, and end up in the western Rioja valley. Here, the landscape opens up again to the mountains to the north, and we begin a long descent towards Ventes Blancas. Then the track becomes flatter, and we drive along small country roads until we reach Logroño, capital of Rioja. 

Then we ended this short day on the white roads of the Riojan vineyards. For our part, with the storm threatening and the desire to balance out the trail, we ended the day on the road to roll gently down to Laguardia. A pleasant option after the stony climbs at the start of the day, and one that will preserve your body for the day ahead. 

06 Laguardia - Bilbao 130 km | 2 000 m D+

The big chapter in this tour of the Basque Country.

With the second day, this one marks one of the most demanding sections of this tour. Not only in terms of length and elevation gain, but also in terms of technical navigation and trails. 

What better way to warm up and get into the mood than a mountain pass? The Herrera pass is seven kilometers long. After criss-crossing the vineyards for eight kilometers, we attack this climb, which will take us 450 meters over a little more than four kilometers. The gradient rises from 7 to 10% throughout, without respite. A fine reward at the end, with a breathtaking view over the western Rioja valley, a fitting way to say goodbye to the Spanish kingdom of Bacchus before heading off towards Vitoria-Gasteiz. This is followed by a long, well-deserved descent to the pleasant village of Pipaon. The vegetation changes, and we return to the deciduous trees we left behind several days earlier in the Iraty forest. After the little village, we fork again between the trees, fir trees replace the beech and some clearings seem to us to inspire British Columbia, only the Grizzlys are missing... so much the better. It's at this point that the navigation becomes a little more tricky, as we cross fields and tracks broken by 4x4s and, above all, very wet winters. You have to be careful and take your time, as this part of the route is easy to loose and can quickly become a living hell! Once out of the 4x4 tracks, you catch up with a white track built for a quarry and reach the small village of Fuidio. One more climb along paths between fields and we're on the heights of Vitoria. Once over the small summit, a fine gravel track opens up. In the distance, the capital of Alava stretches its silhouette from east to west, and we speed into the heart of it. 

So far, the route is fairly isolated. With the exception of village fountains, you won't find any shops or even bars/restaurants. The villages are tiny, with between ten and a hundred inhabitants. So, starting from Laguardia, make sure you're completely self-sufficient. On the other hand, here in Vitoria, it's ravito time! Like any big city, everything's here, including bike stores. 

Take a break, the rest is just as exciting as the beginning! You leave Vitoria, take the farm tracks and drive along the freeway for a good ten kilometers before reaching the village of Murgia. A fountain and a few shops for those who may have forgotten something in the capital, and off we go to the Gobera nature reserve. It's a pleasant start through pines and hardwoods on a clean, fine gravel track. The reserve is popular and, like many parks in Spain, well laid out, with parking lots, picnic tables, etc. We follow a small river where you'll find several natural baths. The locals come here to enjoy the coolness of the water, and for us, it's a good stop-off point to cool down on hot days, or to soak the legs for recuperation. We cross the little river several times before tackling a beautiful climb through the pines. The slope is over 10%, but very clean. Then it's on to the Nervion valley, the river that flows through Bilbao into the Atlantic Ocean. After a long and demanding day like this, the last thirty kilometers on asphalt feel good. Hands that have been hard on the brakes are rested, and legs are unwound in a pleasant continuous effort. Finally, the arrival in the capital of Bizkaia. 

07 Bilbao - Zuamaia 100 km | 1 500 m D+

Entering Guipuzcoa. 

Continuation and end of the ZBP, after a long stage the day before, we suggest you take to the road to unwind your legs, which are beginning to tire. Even so, there's still a lot of climbing to do and several small passes to cross. Here, Zazpiak Bat Packing takes you into cycling territory, so whatever the weather or the day of the week, you'll find people riding. We leave Bilbao on the main road towards Loui. Then, at the top of the village, you climb up to take a road that seems to lead to nowhere. We come across strange constructions, parking lots, tunnels, all abandoned, before descending towards San Isidor and further on the Berreaga-Mendi golf course. An eclectic mix! We then head for Guernika, via the Gerekiz pass. A gradual pass for just 2 km, followed by a short, fast descent to Muxika. Just three kilometers along the BI-635 and we're in Guernika. The famous village, site of the tragedy painted by Picasso between the two world wars. 

At this point, we're about halfway through the stage, and in Guernika you'll find food and water, but no bike stores. Hang on, there are still a couple of nice bumps before you can enjoy a nice ice cream by the beach. This time, we're leaving the departmental roads and signposted passes for small mountain roads. From Guernica to Nabamiz, a nice constant gradient of around ten percent takes you up for just over six kilometers. You become isolated in the mountains of Bizkaia, and rarely come across the huge Basque farmhouses where families once lived for generations. Then, the village of Nabamiz perched at the top of this beautiful hill, a water refreshment station and the gentle descent to Aulesti. Be careful on the way down, as the gradients are just as steep as on the way up, and even if you don't come across anyone and are tempted to open up your trajectories, you're never safe from that good old Basque with the unbreakable beret, climbing the hill in his good old smoking Pajero! Don't blame them, the slopes are steep and you need momentum! Finally, as a lovely “goodbye” to these much-loved “raidards” (loved, loved... at this level of the trail, it's still debatable, I grant you) the last bump. More or less the same profile as the previous one, except that the distance is shorter, so the percentages are a little spicier. This time, it's the typical mountain road made of large concrete slabs completely embedded in the trees. At the top of the road, we exult, saying to ourselves, “At last, the descent! We reach Ubilla at top speed and take the main road to Ondarroa. Can you feel them? 

Yes, it's the sea spray and the full-on offshore wind that are keeping us from making headway. For once, the wind is almost pleasant. Seagulls are replacing kites and vultures, and the traffic is getting a little heavier. 

All that's left is to take the coast road to wherever you like. Oh yes, just outside Ondarroa you've crossed into Guipuzcoa! Well done, you've linked the seven Basque provinces... the Zazpiak Bat Packing contract has been fulfilled, so you're free to pull as far as you like!