Iraty, Forest and Station
Snow, walking, biodiversity, Iraty - the green heart of Pays Basque
The Irati Forest covering 17,000 hectares on its 3 slopes is the largest beech forest in Europe.
At the heart of Pays Basque, between 1,300 and 1,500 metres altitude, enjoy unique views over the mountains of Haute Soule and Navarre. Accessible from one side via Saint Jean Pied de Port and from the other side via Larrau, a truly amazing change of scene !
Iraty
A different colour for each season, a different activity for each season : walking, fishing pastoralism in spring; horse riding, mountain biking and tennis in summer; mushroom picking and watching migratory birds in autumn; Nordic skiing and snowshoe trekking in winter.
Iraty brings together beauty and serenity in a magnificent setting.
And don’t forget that with its 2 cross-country ski pistes (26km), 21km of snowshoe/ walking trails, electric mountain bike hire, Iraty is also the winter sports resort of Pays Basque.
Other attractions include the GR10 hiking path, Pantano d’Irabia a lake beside a dam and an ideal picnic spot, the Grottes d’Arpea, Orbaiceta and its forges.
Last but not least, Ossau Iraty cheese ! See how pastoralism works in the Pyrenees and the sheep which are of major importance and the pride of the region.
