This is a day that calls for stamina. It’s around 31 kilometres from Lescar to Oloron-Sainte-Marie, and the landscape rises and falls the whole way. No single climb is dramatic, but they add up. You’ll only feel it in the afternoon, when your legs get heavier than you expected.
The highest point is modest, so it’s mostly the distance that will occupy your mind. Allow plenty of time: well over 9 hours is no stroll. The further you go, the more the mountains on the horizon come into play. That’s when you know you’re really approaching the Pyrenees. Oloron lies where two mountain rivers meet, and it’s a lovely place to settle in for the night. Eat well, stretch your calves and let the next day come.