The Hergarai Valley

Ergaraiko Ibarra

Not to be missed
A story from the valley
Culinary tradition
The legends
Hiking
Agenda

Hergarai valley, part of the Pays de Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, is the entrance to Iraty forest, through Saint-Jean-Le-Vieux. In this valley, you can find the villages of Mendive, Béhorléguy and Lecumberry.
The Gamia pass, a well-known place to stop for a gastronomic break, and the Bascassan hamlet with its citadel, are also places that will make your holiday memorable.

Not to be missed

Saint Sauveur chapel

Xalbadoreko Kapera

The Saint Sauveur d'Iraty chapel can be found on the D18 road, in the direction of Iraty forest. A commemorative plaque reminds us that this was a place of passage from 1942 to 1944 for Belgian resistance fighters who were heading to join the allied forces.

Iraty Agour ecological cheese dairy

Gasnategia

On the road to Iraty forest, the Agour cheese dairy was built using wood from the surrounding beech forest. It’s the perfect opportunity to learn more about the making of Ossau-Iraty sheep’s milk cheese and pastoralism.

Musée Basque du pastoralisme et du fromage – Agour

The Gamia pass

Lepoa

At an altitude of 500 m, the Gamia pass is located above the village of Bussunarits-Sarasquette.

Etxola

Artzainak

You will discover the life of a shepherd, without folklore or bias, through three unique experiences. You will be able to share a meal with a shepherd. Etxola serves local produce, mostly charcuterie, talos, piperade… Simple, delicious local food.
You will, of course, have an opportunity to taste the famous summer cheese. You will see each step of the manufacturing process, to understand the flavours and awaken all the senses by pairing the cheese with other produce. You will also be able to partake in the shepherd's daily tasks. Starting at Etxola, where a small shared salting room can be found, which allows shepherds from the Iraty plateau to refine a selection of their cheeses. The shepherds will invite you to visit their kaiolar to experience their lifestyle: milking the sheep, making the cheese, driving the flock to the pastures…

Etxola sur le plateau d'Iraty

Bascassan chapel

Bazkazaneko Kapera

Saint André de Bascassan chapel is located in the commune of Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan. The chapel is famed for its magnificent painted ceiling, and its “benoîterie” (the home of the “benoîte”, most often a young woman, who was the church guardian), which is one of the last four remaining in the northern Basque Country.

Iraty fish farming

Arrainak

The Ahaxe fish farm is located on the road to Iraty, 7 km from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Plan a visit to learn more about non-industrial trout farming.

A story from the valley

maison de la benoîte - entrée de la chapelle de bascassan — OTPB

Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan

Located in Ahaxe-Alciette-Bascassan village are twin chapels. The most renowned is Saint André de Bascassan chapel, in the Bascassan quarter. This 12th century chapel is one of the last to still have a benoîterie. This small house adjoined to the chapel was home of the benoîte, who looked after the church and cemetery Marie-Louise Cadiou, the last benoîte in the northern Basque Country lived in the Bascassan benoîterie until 1991.

Her presence still lingers through her neighbours’ recollections of her and a wire, connecting the first floor of the benoîterie to the chapel’s only bell. Marie-Louise, always full of ideas, had set up this wire, allowing her to ring the bell (which was part of her job), whilst remaining in bed! The chapel’s magnificent altarpiece and painted ceiling are a highlight of the visit.

Mendive and Béhorléguy

Not far from Bascassan, in Mendive, Iraty forest still bears the traces of its sawmill industry. In the 1920s, the Mendive sawmill operated using the forest’s beech trees and employed almost 400 people in the valley.

Béhorléguy village is dominated by the Béhorléguy peak, easily recognisable by its needle-like shape. Watch where you step in Béhorléguy, as the village also contains the Apanicé chasm. This chasm, which is over 300 m deep, is a joy for potholing enthusiasts.

Culinary tradition

The legends of the Hergarai valley

Ergaraiko Legendak

vue sur entree chapelle saint sauveur de mendive - pays basque — OTPB

The legend of Xaindia

Xaindia, a young servant girl who worked in a large house in the valley, went out one night to search for a tool she’d left in the fields. Unfortunately, she was kidnapped by the night spirits! As she was being whisked away in the air, the young girl spotted a small chapel below her, and, as a last resort, she said a prayer asking for help. Miraculously, the spirits then abandoned her at the Saint-Sauveur d'Iraty chapel. In popular Basque culture, the only way to thwart a spirits power is through Christian religion.

Here is another who was caught in this trap.

Basajaun and the shepherd

Basajaun, the lord of the mountain, supposedly lives in the Iraty mountains. It was rumoured that he owned a magnificent golden chandelier. One day, a reckless and somewhat greedy shepherd decided to steal the chandelier. When Basajaun noticed the theft, he went after the young thief. On seeing Basajaun rapidly catching up with him, the thieving shepherd decided to hide his loot in the Saint-Sauveur chapel. Basajaun could never enter the chapel, and it is said that the chandelier can still be found there today.

The laminak

Laminak are elves in Basque mythology. Afraid of sunlight, they are considered to be great nocturnal builders. Legend has it that in just one night they were able to build the fortified house of Donamartia in Lecumberry.