You won’t feel it in your legs until after lunch. It’s not one steep climb that does it, but all the ups and downs: a little uphill, then back down again, all day long. The highest point stays modest. What counts is the duration, as you’ll be on the road for around seven hours.
The rhythm is relaxed. You walk along small roads and paths past farms and fields, and you can let your mind empty. Towards the end, Navarrenx comes into view, a small town tucked away behind old ramparts. In front of it flows the Gave d’Oloron, and behind that the town wall rises above the water.