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Located at an altitude of 630 meters, nestled in a green setting surrounded by gorges and peaks, the village of Sainte-Engrâce is a charming mountain village in the Basque Country. In addition to its 11th-century Romanesque church, don't miss the famous Kakuetta Gorges or the sublime Verna Cave.

Without a doubt, the Col de la Piedra de Saint Martin or Pierre Saint-Martin is one of the Top 10 in the whole of the Pyrenees. Without exceeding 2000 metres of altitude, it is a very long pass, with a lot of accumulated gradient (due to the innumerable French slopes, the gradient is 1,450 metres), with very hard slopes and several kilometres above 10%, with wonderful landscapes and panoramic views and with little traffic, except for the slopes crossed by the main road (D132 in France, the NA 137 in Spain). It is a pass with many slopes; in Europe there are few other passes that have as many slopes as this one (col de Turini, Passo delle Erbe, would be comparable in number of slopes approximately). I have only climbed it by 2 slopes: (i) my first time was from Lourdios Ichère, crossing the col de Labays and the col de Soudet. Simply spectacular; (ii) I have subsequently climbed the Spanish side on several occasions, which is unique, and which starts from Belagua and crosses the Belagua cross-country ski resort to reach the mountain pass. It is also very beautiful, with a landscape and views different from the north-east side. If I had to choose one of the two, I liked the north-west side better because it is more remote, harder and in my opinion more authentic. It is also a culturally special mountain pass because the Tribute of the 3 cows takes place on its summit every 13th of July, which is considered the oldest treaty in force in Europe. So... you know... you cannot miss the opportunity to come here and enjoy this wonderful jewel of the Pyrenees!!!!

Isaba, also known as Izaba in Basque, is a picturesque village located in the Roncal Valley in the Navarrese Pyrenees, northern Spain. This charming village is known for its rich history dating back to the Middle Ages, when it was a strategic outpost for the Kingdom of Navarre. Isaba offers breathtaking scenery with lush green meadows in spring, colorful autumn leaves and snow-capped mountains in winter.

I would not recommend right now. They recently did a chip and seal so a LOT of loose gravel. I live in the area and even the road to Osse en Aspe.

Built downstream of the Kakuetta gorges, this hydroelectric dam has formed a magnificent turquoise blue water retention. If you stop there, and if you are not afraid of heights, you can go to the footbridge which faces the dam and overlooks the slope with the river which then continues its course at the bottom of the fault.

A very irregular climb, with even a descending passage, which gives the opportunity to recover after a few slightly steeper passages. But not really any big difficulty on this pass.

Culminating at 1,540 meters above sea level, the Soudet pass is one of the first to be encountered from the Atlantic coast. The various climbs that lead to it are relatively long and maintain low average percentages despite a few passages around 10%.

13/11/22 Ski slope, careful balance on a thick layer of gravel + quality of the brakes for the descent. For beginners with good cardio.