Family Way

Discover the Basque Country with a bike 

Date: Departure every day

Bicycle Freedom / Greedy Stages

6 stages / 5 nights / 4,5 days riding

A stay with guide from the 6 to
July 11, 2008


Competences of the agency Open Eyes specialized in the organisation of bike trips associated to our knowledge of the area, enable us to propose you to discover all the aspects of the Basque Country, as well littoral as interior, along roads without major difficulties  and accessible to the greatest number. An authentic way, in the heart of a beautiful area, to discover its inhabitants, its culture, its landscapes and, of course,its typical food!

Day 1 : BEACHES and FORESTS, OF BIARRITZ To ANGLET : 15 Km.

Arrival at the beginning of afternoon at the hotel. We propose to you this afternoon a beautiful preparation, between beaches and forests, just to warm up thighs and calf muscles and to sharpen your appetite. Along a splendid very new and very sympathetic network of riding tracks, the course takes you along to discover the treasures of architecture in Biarritz the elegant one,  the beautiful surging beaches and the forests of maritime pines of neighbouring Anglet. Dinner and night in Biarritz.




Day 2 : THE ATLANTIC COAST : GUETHARY and ST JEAN DE LUZ : 45 km.

Along the coast, you discover beautiful beaches and to cross the small typical ports of Bidart and Guéthary to finish your parcours going along the exceptional bay of Saint Jean de Luz.. After having left the littoral, you benefit from the valley of the Nive, with the curves softened by the river, to penetrate the interior Basque Country. In the background, beautiful typical villages and foothills. Dinner and night at Espelette the gastronome, your village stage for the two next nights.

















Day 3 : ESPELETTE, ITXASSOU and CAMBO LES BAINS : 28 Km.

Sympathetic small circuit to discover the very beautiful village of Espelette and its neighbourhoods. A local inheritance of exception: architectural ("etche" traditional Basque houses), natural (valley of the Nive and "Pas de Roland") and of course culinary, with pepper of Espelette and Itxassou, emblematic village of the cherry the jams of which accompany sheep cheese. Some "spiced" slopes but not of major difficulties on the course. Dinner and night at Espelette.
The legend of Espelette: "happiness is comparable to the flavours we put in our everyday life..."

















Day 4 : ST JEAN PIED DE PORT : 13 Km + train.

Departure by bike towards the station of Cambo where you will travel by the small regional train (splendid course in bottom of valley of the Nive) towards Saint Jean Pied de Port, the infatiguable sentinel of the "Wearing of Cize", guardian of a single historical inheritance, with medieval environment and the superb houses of pink likings. Return by train then by bike towards Espelette. Free dinner. Night in an hotel of Espelette













Day 5 : VALLE of the NIVE and BAYONNE : 35 Km.

This morning, on the way towards Bayonne and the Atlantic coast! Leaving Espelette the first undulating kilometers offer superb points of view of the interior countryside until Ustaritz where you find the very beautiful and flat tow path along the Nive for a direct arrival in the historical center of Bayonne. Town of Art and History, the discovery of the maze of small streets coloured with the varied shops is a true pleasure. After your visit, you buckle the few remaining km for a return to Biarritz by the cycle paths in the forest and along the beach without major difficulties. Dinner and night at the hotel.

Day 6: BIARRITZ.

Leasy morning, beach or shopping, free choice "à la carte" to make the most of this last morning of the voyage.

OFFER
- 5 nights in an hotel of character (double room) in half-board.
- 5 tasty dinners.
- 5 breakfasts.
- Transfers of luggage.
- Technical assitance.
- The road book.
- Train A/R with St Jean Pied de Port

Not included
- Drinks of the meals.
- The personals expenditure.
- Personal insurance.
- Renting of the bike.

Intermediate Level

Access: Biarritz TGV Station and Airport .

PRICE

The stay in freedom from 550 € / person (base double room)

Options:
- Lunch: 40 €
- Rent a Bike: 65 €
- Individual Room: 75 €

The stay with guide from 610 € / person (base double room)

Information and Reservations:
Velo Passion Pays Basque
19 Hameau de l'Océan
64210 BIDART
FRANCE
Contact: Nicolas
Tel/Fax: 0033 559 547 845
Portable: 0033 688 811 647
e-mail: velopassion.pb@free.fr