The Voie de la Nive AKA Camino Roncesvalles

[Thorny]

I am placing this in the Camino Frances forum because I do not know where else to put it.
Perhaps an administrator can find a better place for it.
Some background.
When I decided to walk the Camino Frances I thought why not just walk from the airport in Biarritz to St. Jean.
I made inquiries as to weather there was an established trail and was told YES , The Voie de la Nive!!
I began gathering info on this route and found a web site in French and another account of the route, also in French. I could not find anything in English.
I could also not find anyone (other than the 2 old french accounts) who had actually walked this trail.
I eventually made contact with someone who had attempted to walk the trail from St. Jean to Bayonne but became hopelessly lost and ended up taking a bus.
As I am writing this I see more information is available now.

This is my account of walking the Voie de la Nive in late September 2015
I did it in 3 days.
It was a lovely trail
Approximately 80% on paved roads
I got lost everyday but still managed to make it to St. Jean in 3 days .

 

[Thorny]

I am placing this in the Camino Frances forum because I do not know where else to put it.
Perhaps an administrator can find a better place for it.
Some background.
When I decided to walk the Camino Frances I thought why not just walk from the airport in Biarritz to St. Jean.
I made inquiries as to weather there was an established trail and was told YES , The Voie de la Nive!!
I began gathering info on this route and found a web site in French and another account of the route, also in French. I could not find anything in English.
I could also not find anyone (other than the 2 old french accounts) who had actually walked this trail.
I eventually made contact with someone who had attempted to walk the trail from St. Jean to Bayonne but became hopelessly lost and ended up taking a bus.
As I am writing this I see more information is available now.

I do not remember seeing a single trail marker bearing the name 'Voie de la Nive'. Every marker (the ones that were still there ) said 'Camino Roncevalles'
****This is not a complete guide to walking the Voie de la Nive. You will need to bring the other accounts and maps to successfully navigate the route. ****
This is my account of walking the Voie de la Nive in late September 2015
I did it in 3 days.
It was a lovely trail
Approximately 80% on paved roads most of which are secondary, farm or abandoned roads.
I got lost everyday but still managed to make it to St. Jean in 3 days .

I ordered the following maps then cut and pieced the useful pieces back to back and covered the entire creation with clear tape in order to help waterproof it.
I ended up with a double sided map that was approximately 16 X 20 inches (I did not have a map from Bayonne to Ustaritz because it is not necessary, You walk along a paved canal path along the river Nive)

http://vppyr.free.fr/pages_transversale ... index.html
I used the 2 written accounts of the trail, neither of which are in English. I used Google translate to try to understand them.
At times, one account is more accurate then the other. Sometimes I was scratching my head wondering which way to go.
I did this route in 3 steps: Bayonne to Cambo les Bains , Cambo to Helette and Helette to St. Jean .
I would suggest carrying all three accounts plus a compass and map.
Check each intersection for markers and compass headings .
Note: directions concerning the river Nive are given as if you are facing downstream :
Day one: Bayonne to Cambo les Bains
Starting at the junction of the River Nive and the River L'Adour in Bayonne, walk along the left bank of the river Nive. You will shortly come upon a paved towpath.
You follow this towpath almost all the way into Ustaritz. About 5.5 KMs from Bayonne you will pass in front of a cafe on your right, A nice spot to stop for a coffee.
Several KMs further along the towpath you come to a fork in the towpath in front of a large house. Take the left fork which follows the river Nive.
Continue on the towpath until you see an old dam just below the village of Ustaritz. You will now take the small lane to the right. It is signposted with markers for the Camino Roncevalles and the Camino Baztan. Do not return to the River Nive but follow this lane for Approx. 1 KM and you will reach the road into Ustaritz. Turn left and walk into town.
Ustaritz is a great place to stop for lunch. I can recommend 'La Petite Auberge ' on your right about half way thru town.
Continue on this same road and a few blocks past 'La Petite Auberge'. the Camino Baztan will bear right onto the street 'Ferrondoa' Do not follow the Camino Baztan but continue straight ahead for a few more blocks until you reach a T intersection with an old concrete cross. Turn left here onto D250 and follow it down to cross, in quick succession, the river Nive, a canal, and a RR track.
immediately after crossing the track turn right onto a small road that initially parallels the tracks then turns left towards the village of Jatxou. After 1 KM you reach the small village of Jatxou. Turn right and follow the road to the Church of St. Etienne.
When you reach the church there is a small gravel road directly in front that descends steeply. Follow it . The last 'Camino Roncevalles ' marker I saw this day was on this road.
At a point called Portuberria you reach a small road along the RR tracks. There are yellow GR3 trail signs posted here. GR3 runs concurrent with the Camino Roncevalles for a time.
At one point, the yellow marked trail makes a 90 degree left turn and goes behind a house and into a forest and over a small stream. I did not take this trail but continued via the road and eventually came upon the bridge crossing the Nive and Cambo les Banes.
I crossed the bridge then turned immediately right up a steep alley via steps to the village of Cambo. Reaching the top of the steps, I turned left for 2 blocks and stayed at the Hotel 'Cafe du Trinquet' . Recommended .

 

[Thorny]

Day Two: Cambo to Helette:
Retrace your steps down the alley and across the bridge over the Nive. Take the 1st road to the right D410 (sign to sanitarium) follow this road 1 KM then turn left onto rte D10. Travel D10 for 100 meters then turn right onto a small road C2. This road goes down almost to the right bank of the Nive . After 1.3 KMs take a small road that leaves the bank of the Nive to climb to the left (do not go down to the Nive) . Travel 1.2 KM and turn right then 250 meters later, turn left (these turns are marked). You will pass the Pasteosena, Aguerregareya and Ordokia farms . You will then come to a stop sign (look for a pottery sign on your left) Turn right at the stop sign then 100 meters later turn left. Follow this road to D252. Turn left and follow this into the village of Macaye ( a little over 1 KM)
Continue on D252 thru the village of Macaye to a place called Elizddea . Turn right at the store and go uphill. 500 meters past the Zuhurtta farm, turn left and descend on the road to the Zahiola farm. Go straight thru the intersection for 50 meters then take the right track (Bagura sign), go up a hill, turn slightly right then down to a 4 way intersection. You will see a stream straight ahead. It's a nice place to have a break but the trail does not go here. At the intersection turn left on a dirt road that climbs slightly. You will then cross a small stream. Shortly after the stream is a fork in the road , take it...... (I couldn't resist) Take the left fork and you will pass the Curutzaldea farm. Turn left onto the paved road and follow it thru the 1st intersection to the Manta farm. Just past the farmhouse take the dirt road to the right. It goes behind the house. You will come to a Y . Take the left fork (more straight then left) Do not take the right fork even though this track is the more used track.
After 300 meters you will reach D22 . Turn right onto D22 for 1.3 KMs . You will come to a bus stop and picnic area. Take the small road down to the left for 1.3 KMs to the town of Helette .
The town hall is next to the post office. Ask at the town hall for the key to the Alburgue.

 

[Thorny]

Day Three: Helette to St. Jean:
Leave Helette on the small road near the traffic circle. It is the narrowest road and it starts uphill then flattens out. after 500 meters you will come to an iron cross. take the right fork towards the southwest . you will pass beneath a water tank then soon reach the Harretchea farm. Continue on the dirt road between the fields until you cross D22. Almost opposite a small road starts, follow the small road (I believe left) that climbs the hill past the Harregua farm. After 2.5KMs you will reach a shady junction with a cement cross. Turn left into the farm Bechindegula, walk straight up the driveway. You will see a red gate at 11 O:clock with a pallet attached to it. Go thru this gate and into the sheep pasture. Follow the fence line to your right for Approx. 100 meters, then climb the back fence. Once on the other side you reach a meadow and a small, grass covered, farm road. Follow this grassy road (if you look closely under the grass you can see bits of pavement) to the Miranda farm. After the Miranda farm turn right past the farms Pochulua and Larranda. At the fork turn left Approx. 400 meters to the town of Irissary.
***Note*** I spent 45 minutes wandering the tiny village of Irissary, trying to find the trail to St. Jean. I stopped in the post office to ask directions and was told that there IS NOT a way to get to St. Jean other than the highway. One resident even followed me in her car insisting that the only way to get to St. Jean was via highway. I eventually found the trail but the 1st marker I found was on a telephone pole Approx 500 meters past the village. ***
Depart Irissary on the small road that takes you behind the plot in front of the church . This road goes E-SE then S-SE . This road passes the Bidegaraya, Lacadia and Goyhenetchea farms , ever climbing.
The road turns to dirt then a trail. The path leads past a hunting station on your left. Follow this trail uphill and you will come to a flat area. You are now in forest. A hunting land . It is very confusing here and there were almost no trail markers found. What I did was when I came to a junction, I followed the trail that was the more used, more worn. BUT, use all the written guides and your map and compass to traverse this wooded area.
At one point you will be on a small paved road and yellow markers will go to your left down a gravel trail. Do Not follow the yellow markers. Eventually you will see Camino Roncevalles markers again.
You will turn left and go down hill to the farm Erramondegaray and into the village of Mandos. After Mandos you reach the D22 road. Turn right and follow it into St. Jean.

This is the way I did it. I hope it helps in some small way.

 

[Stephen]

Sounds like you've done a good piece of trail blazing there. Your posts will be invaluable for anyone thinking of starting in Bayonne/Biarritz.

 

[Kiwi-family]

We walked from SJPdP to Bayonne, and like you got hopelessly lost, but thought it was a lovely gentle route. We must have used the same French directions and certainly did find them to be wanting!