Along the Garonne, to Lourdes and on to Hendaye
Via Garonne and the Pyreneen foothills
August and September 2024 took me to Toulouse, where I started by walking days, south-west along the Via Garonne, which follows the Garonne river through many small and historic villages in France, and ending in the fabulous elevated village of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges.
I then followed the foothills of the Pyrenees, passing Lourdes, one of the major centres in the Catholic faith, before continuing to the Atlantic coast and the French-Spanish border – all in all 11 days with fabulous views towards the Pyrenees and the green, rolling countryside.
On this trip I went from close to 40C the first days, to heavy rain and below 10C on some stages. But I was also lucky, as I’d planned to cross the Pyrenees at Somport, but changed my mind just before travelling. The day I was supposed to cross, there was torrential rain in the whole region (also where I was), but the only road passing Somport was washed away and some walkers were stranded.
It was a pleasant but solitary walk. I only met other walkers after Saint-Palais, and only for a few kilometers as they walked towards Sant-Jean-Pied-du-Port.
The map below represent what I planned to walk, and is fairly, but by no means 100% accurate in relation to what I actually walked. However, each blog contains a map of what I actually did walk.
Finally I create this site for me, so that in the coming years, when I probably no longer can walk on long trips, can recall via words and pictures the adventures I have had. If it is useful or inspiration for anybody else, that is an added plus! Feel free to contact me for information or questions.
Toulouse to Santander blog
Day 1: Toulouse Airport to Muret 
August 26, 2024 A long first day, with a 7am flight from Copenhagen, leaving Toulouse airport by 10.30. The first five days follow the Garonne river from Toulouse towards its source in the Spanish Pyrenees. In total the river runs 529km with its mouth at the Gironde estuary, north of Bordeaux, I will be walking ca. 150km along… Read more >
Day 2: Muret to Carbonne August 27, 2024 Today it was hot. 11C when I left at 8.00, 33C when I arrived at the hotel at 16.30 after 34km and over 1.000m elevation - before even reaching the Pyrenees. I left Muret without seeing a statue for Clement Ader, despite seeing several other statues of (very) historic people (men). Walking back towards the… Read more >
Day 3: Carbonne to Boussens August 28, 2024 A (very) long and (very) tiring day in the sun, with a lot of it walking on hard surfaces, at times on roads with some, but not heavy, traffic. A total of 35km and only 500m in elevation. So at least it was flat. Todays destination was 66m above the start. Temperatures hit 33C from… Read more >
Day 4: Boussens to Saint-Gaudens August 29, 2024 A longer walk than expected after I made a rookie error, but otherwise a pleasant day walking mostly along paths; 29km and 730m elevation. As I was staying on Boussens, I'm not on the official path that goes north of the town. Instead of tracking back to the path I took the main road out… Read more >
Day 5: Saint-Gaudens to Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges August 30, 2024 I am my own worst enemy. I was supposed to walk 22km, but ended up doing almost 30km, as I chose a different route that added 5km, and then walked a 3km diversion for lunch (which is the positive way of saying that I missed a turn and didn’t realise before I was close to… Read more >
Day 6: Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges to La-Barthe-de-Neste 
August 31, 2024 Van Morison sang “There will be days like this” and Paul Simon “Slip sliding away”. They pretty much sum up my day. Although a short day, 24km with 650m elevation, it was a day of challenges. It rained through the night with lightening every 5-10 seconds. Even the French had never seen anything quite like… Read more >
Day 7: La-Barthe-du-Neste to Bagneres-du-Bigore September 1, 2024 It was a wet start to a long stage, 34km (of which 1km was following wrong paths) with almost 1000m of elevation and a highest point today at 850m. It had rained all night, and rained, albeit lightly, for a couple of hours after leaving the B&B. As La-Barthe-du-Neste isn't on the official route, I… Read more >
Day 8: Bagneres-du-Bigore to Lourdes September 2, 2024 Today I experienced the great and worst of walking. Spectacular (an understatement) views, good walkable paths and clear signage. But also paths so overgrown and often muddy that one could discuss whether they can be considered paths at all, and worse, paths in the middle of nowhere that were closed - without warning and without… Read more >
Day 9: Lourdes to Lestelle-Betharram September 3, 2024 After yesterdays marathon 12 hour effort, today was a short day, only 17km and 380m in elevation. I slept late, and the lady at breakfast took a pity on me, and gave me two of everything at the French breakfast (2 coffee, 2 croissant and 2 pieces of baguette). I spent the morning walking around… Read more >
Day 10: Lestelle-Betharram to Arudy September 4, 2024 It rained all night. It rained all morning. It rained most of the afternoon. 30mm in 24 hours and on a day where I walked 29km and an elevation of 850m. Luckily I didn't have to check-out before 12 o'clock, but I hoped that the rain at least eased up before that, given the length… Read more >
Day 11: Arudy to Oloron-Sainte-Marie September 5, 2024 It’s downhill from the Pyrenees foothills towards the Atlantic coast. Whilst today had an overall elevation of over 500m, I walked downhill pretty much all day, from 420m in Audry to 220m in Orolon. Over the past few days, the scenery has barely changed - lots of forest, farmland, corn fields and a few villages… Read more >
Day 12: Oloron-Sainte-Marie to Navarrenx September 6, 2024 Another rainy day and another day downhill towards the Atlantic coast. A 22km walk, 300m elevation and a 120m fall in elevation from Oloron to Navarrenx. It was raining and 13 degrees when I went for breakfast and never reached over 20 degrees the whole day. Not even comparable to back home in Copenhagen where… Read more >
Day 13: Navarrenx to Saint-Palais September 7, 2024 Today I’m tired, both because of walking, but equally because I have spoken French all day. Another day primarily along roads, 28km and 600m elevation. My day of speaking French started at breakfast, with the owner of the hostel. We talked about many things, but what he stressed as being most important was that I… Read more >
Day 14: Saint-Palais to Louhossoa September 8, 2024 A day of many ups and downs, six climbs and descents, with a long descent into the pretty Basque village of Louhossoa with is characteristic red and white houses. All in all 36km and almost 1.000m in elevation. At Saint-Palais other walkers walk to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and the Camino Frances, whilst I will follow a so… Read more >
Day 15: Louhossoa to Saint-Pee-sur-Nivelle September 9, 2024 A shorter and relatively flat day, as the terrain become flatter as I near the coast. Only 22km and despite some fairly strenuous climbs, a total elevation of 650m. The climbs were steep but fairly short. It's still fairly muddy, with the puddles the full width of the path in several places. The day started… Read more >
Day 16: Saint-Pee-sur-Nivelle to Hondarribis September 10, 2024 My last day in France, as I head towards the Atlantic and the French-Spanish border. A 31km day, with 3 initial climbs with a total elevation of 650m, and thereafter, it was pretty much flat all the way. Leaving after breakfast, the day started with a pleasant walk along the Nivelle river before starting the… Read more >