La Scandibérique de St Jean Pied de Port à Roncevaux

As you pass through the fortified southern gates of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, for many it is the big day, between fear and haste, the day when you cross the Pyrenees into Spain. In the cycling version, this is a real mountain pass since, from the village of Arnéguy where you leave French territory, there are almost 18 km of climbing that separate you from the point where you cross the Pyrenees. That said, the gradients remain reasonable (between 4.5 and 7% average), you will just have to be patient in the beech forest of the Valcarlos valley and use the most flexible gear ratios of your bike. At the end of the effort, between the Puerto de Ibañeta and the collegiate church of Roncesvalles, you will have plenty of time to recharge your batteries in places that are steeped in history and have been welcoming travellers for centuries.