Pyrenees

Crossing the Pyrenees is more than just a long journey—it’s a change of perspective. Those who traverse the mountains from coast to coast will experience how the landscape, language, architecture, and cuisine gradually transform: from the lush greenery of the Basque Country through the barren limestone massifs of Aragon to the vineyards and cypress trees of the Mediterranean. Four routes lead right through these mountains—each offering a unique perspective, each designed to take several weeks and divisible into individual sections.

Not every trip has to take three weeks. These eight short trips follow a different principle than the major crossings: Instead of traversing the mountains lengthwise, they cross them widthwise—from the north side to the south side and back. That is precisely what makes them so appealing, because the most fascinating stories of the Pyrenees are border stories. Smugglers and pilgrims, shepherds on transhumance, persecuted Cathars, and refugees—they all used the same passes that are now hiking, biking, and scenic trails.

On foot, two routes cross the border: The Baztán Trail connects Bayonne with Pamplona over 105 kilometers in seven stages—through the forests of Labourd, the caves of Urdax, and the green Baztán Valley. Significantly more challenging is the Path of the Bonshommes: 220 kilometers and 9,800 meters of elevation gain over ten days, from Toulouse via Foix and Montségur to the pilgrimage church of Queralt near Berga—following the escape routes of the last Cathars, over the Portella Blanca at 2,517 meters, where France, Spain, and Andorra meet.

The Cycling Through History route takes you from Pamplona to Jaca in five days and 310 kilometers—passing the Leyre Monastery, Javier Castle, through the Roncal Valley, and over the mountain passes around Formigal.

By car, five very different worlds open up: Witches and Other Cross-Border Tales takes you on a six-day journey around Pamplona to the land of the Zugarramurdi witch trials—either by car or e-bike. In the Heart of History: Valleys Without Borders covers 370 kilometers dedicated to the history of the Kingdom of Navarre, from Pau Castle to the Holzarte suspension bridge and on to the arms factory in Orbaizeta.
Secrets of Catalan Art & Vineyards connects Collioure, Cadaqués, and the Dalí Museum with wine tastings and a ride on the “Train Jaune.” Hidden Treasures from Conflent to Garrotxa leads from Perpignan through the Romanesque abbeys of Canigó to the volcanic landscape of Garrotxa. And the Gastronomic Tour through the Basque Country & Navarre, at 150 kilometers, is the most compact route of all—but it includes cooking workshops, market visits, and tours of cheese dairies.

Enjoy the Pyrenees brings together official tourism organizations from France, Spain, and Andorra—including Turismo de Navarra, the Catalan Tourism Agency, the Agence des Pyrénées, and the tourism agencies of the Ariège and Pyrénées-Orientales departments—along with associated partners such as ADT 64, Andorra Turisme, and the Direcció General de Turisme of the Generalitat de Catalunya. The twelve routes were developed and implemented in collaboration with approximately 20 local tour operators on both sides of the border, who know their valleys firsthand.