Anglet - Ustaritz - Cambo les Bains - Espelette

After leaving our shop in Anglet, we follow the bike path along the south bank of the Adour river towards Bayonne. This bike path is frequently used by many people commuting to and from work, as well as families enjoying the good weather we have here in the Basque Country. After 4 km, we reach Bayonne and the confluence of two rivers, the Adour and the Nive. After turning right to follow the Nive, we cross the town centre of Bayonne and its central square. This is where tens of thousands of people gather every year in July to celebrate the Fêtes de Bayonne.

After passing through Bayonne, we join the small road following the Nive to Ustaritz. This 12 km stretch is a magnificent and picturesque road that is very rarely used by cars. It offers many beautiful views of the Nive and gives the impression of being a thousand leagues from the city of Bayonne. These first 20 flat kilometres are an excellent warm-up to prepare your legs for what lies ahead.

After passing Ustaritz, the hills begin. Crossing the bridge on the other side of the Nive, we gently climb – a little foretaste of what is to come. Passing through the forest between Ustaritz and Cambo-les-Bains, you start to realise that the flat part of the road is behind you. The road constantly rises and falls, passing through small villages with typically Basque architecture, until you reach Cambo-les-Bains.

After leaving Cambo-les-Bains, you need to ride less than a kilometre on the largest departmental road, the D918, to Itsasu. This road is only larger in comparison with the rest of the roads on this route. It has a wide shoulder, and we stay on it just a few minutes. After turning right onto the D918 at Itsasu, we follow the rue d'Espelette or D249. This road is the highest point of the circuit. At the foot of the mountains, the road constantly rises and falls, passing through dense green forests and lush fields where sheep (brebis) graze. It is an ideal place to stop, take a few photos and get a feel for the Basque Country.

After emerging from the forest, we reach another highlight of the itinerary: the village of Espelette. Famous worldwide for its peppers that bear its name, it is an ideal place to stop to refuel and grab some refreshments for the return journey. We take a quick tour of the village centre to admire the charm of this particular village and to see the bright red, shiny peppers hanging below the windows.

After leaving Espelette, we head back into the climbs. In fact, this is the steepest climb of the day. The Strava segment known as 'Marinenbordako Ko Bideo' may only have an average gradient of 3% over its 1.95 km, but with gradients over 20%, it is certainly not to be taken lightly. Although the climb is steep, it rises through a beautiful forest and along an exposed ridge offering a magnificent view of the Basque Country. From the top of the climb, we follow various ridge lines to the Ustaritz Forest. A warm welcome from the sun if we are riding on a hot sunny day.

About 8 km after Espelette, before the Ustaritz Forest, we have the option to turn left and descend to Lake Saint-Pée. This is a good option if we want to add some distance to our ride, but the climb back up from the lake can be quite challenging.

Once through the forest, we can enjoy the winding descent down to Ustaritz. Once in Ustaritz, we reconnect with the Nive and follow the same route back up to Bayonne, along the Adour and back to the shop. After the roughly 35 km of constant elevation change, these last 20 km are a welcome cool-down for a great day in the saddle.

We hope you enjoy this route as much as we do! :)