Itinerary & programme

1. 01

   Day 1: Dax to Hossegor (46 km, 190 m ascent)

   Leave the spa town of Dax for a relaxing first stage under the canopy of the pines. You reach the ocean gently and arrive in Hossegor, the surf capital of Europe, known for its sea lake and its elegant architecture.

   Things to do:

   • Swim and taste oysters at the Hossegor lake

   • Wander the town centre and its Basque-Landes architecture

   • Go shopping at the famous surf brand outlets.

   • Enjoy the magnificent sunset at Santocha beach

2. 02

   Day 2: Hossegor to Bayonne (29 km, 60 m ascent)

   A coastal stage taking you across the southern Landes before entering the Basque Country. You follow immense beaches of fine sand before discovering Bayonne, a city of art and history set where the Adour meets the Nive.

   Things to do:

   • Stop on the Capbreton pier for a view over the ocean

   • Wander the medieval streets of Grand Bayonne

   • Visit the workshop of a historic chocolate maker (a Bayonne tradition since the 17th century)

   • Discover the Sainte-Marie cathedral and its Gothic cloister

3. 03

   Day 3: Bayonne to Saint-Jean-de-Luz (28 km, 320 m ascent)

   A spectacular day on the corniche! After the elegance of Biarritz, you ride facing the vastness of the Atlantic. Arriving in the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, sheltered by its sea walls, is one of the highlights of the trip.

   Things to do:

   • Walk out to the Rocher de la Vierge and along the Côte des Basques in Biarritz

   • Discover the villages of Bidart and Guéthary

   • Swim in the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, sheltered from the waves

   • Visit the Maison Louis XIV on the place Louis XIV in Saint-Jean-de-Luz

   • Treat yourself to a handmade macaron at Adam (founded in 1660)

4. 04

   Day 4: The Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Hendaye loop (34 km, 320 m ascent)

   Explore the famous Route de la Corniche, a balcony over the ocean with its flysch cliffs. You reach Hendaye and its fine sandy beach on the Spanish border, before returning to the corsair town either inland or by the same path.

   Things to do:

   • Explore the grounds and the Abbadia castle-observatory

   • Admire the "Deux Jumeaux" rocks from the Sainte-Anne headland

   • Take the ferry across for tapas in Hondarribia (Spain)

   • Walk the coastal path for vertiginous views

5. 05

   Day 5: Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Cambo-les-Bains (32 km, 460 m ascent)

   The trip heads inland to discover the Basque hinterland. Following the green hills, you reach the spa town of Cambo-les-Bains, famous for its microclimate and its lush gardens.

   Things to do:

   • The typical villages with their red and white façades (Ascain, Sare)

   • Stop in the village of Espelette, famous for the red peppers drying on its façades

   • Visit the Villa Arnaga, the superb home of Edmond Rostand (author of Cyrano de Bergerac)

   • Walk the French and English gardens of Cambo

   • Unwind at the Cambo thermal baths

6. 06

   Day 6: Cambo-les-Bains to Urt (27 km, 410 m ascent)

   Along the imperial road and the towpaths. A peaceful transition between the Basque hills and the banks of the Adour. You ride through picturesque villages, following the water.

   Things to do:

   • Wander La Bastide-Clairence, one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France", and its craft workshops

   • Visit the Belloc abbey and buy their famous sheep's cheese

   • Explore the port and the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church in Urt

   • Walk around the little river port of Urt at sunset

7. 07

   Day 7: Urt to Dax (49 km, 130 m ascent)

   The final stretch to close this Basque and Landes loop. The terrain softens as you cross the Barthes de l'Adour, floodplains where Pottok ponies graze and storks nest, before returning to the Gallo-Roman town of Dax.

   Things to do:

   • Relax at the foot of the Fontaine Chaude hot spring in Dax

   • Visit the Notre-Dame cathedral or the Borda museum

   • Stop for a treat and taste a madeleine de Dax

   • End the day with a spa treatment