It isn’t a mountain that makes this day hard, but the endless up and down. Up one hill, down the next, through Basque pastureland and past white farmhouses with red shutters. All told, you climb over 600 metres, in short stretches your legs won’t forget in a hurry. You’ll be on the road for about 8 hours.
The landscape is open and peaceful. You can feel the Pyrenees slowly getting closer. Ostabat itself is small and quiet, but three French pilgrim routes meet here. Suddenly you’re no longer walking with a handful of people, but with a whole stream of them. Take your time, the Pyrenees aren’t going anywhere.