Larrun Mountain

Address: La Rhune (Larrun) summit / Col de Saint‑Ignace area, Sare / Ascain, Pyrénées‑Atlantiques, France

Larrun (also known as La Rhune) is a 905-metre mountain on the Franco-Spanish border in the western Pyrenees, located in the French Basque Country. It is a prominent local landmark noted for its summit views and traditional pastoral landscape.

The summit is commonly reached by a small historic rack railway or by walking trails from nearby villages such as Sare and Ainhoa; the summit area includes short, well-used paths and viewpoints. The mountain is culturally and recreationally important to the surrounding Basque communities and is frequently visited by day-trippers.

It sits close to the Atlantic coast in Pyrénées-Atlantiques, a short drive from coastal towns and easily reached from hinterland villages that serve as the usual access points.

• Summit elevation: The mountain’s summit reaches 905 metres above sea level and is one of the most accessible high points in the French Basque Country.
• Access and views: Popular access methods are the short rack railway and a network of marked walking trails; the summit provides wide views including coastal and Pyrenean panoramas on clear days.

What to See#

• Petit Train de la Rhune: A historic rack railway that climbs from the village station to the summit area, offering easy access to the top and panoramic viewpoints.
• Sare trailheads: Trailheads around the villages of Sare and Ainhoa that provide multiple hiking routes to the summit along ridgeline paths and pastoral landscapes.

Larrun (La Rhune) sits on the Franco-Spanish Basque border near the village of Sare, a short drive from Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Biarritz. By car drive from Biarritz or Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Sare/Col de Saint‑Ignace (local departmental roads); there is parking at the train departure point and in Sare.

A popular option is the Petit Train de la Rhune that departs from the Col de Saint‑Ignace near Sare; you can reach Sare by regional bus or by car from Saint-Jean-de-Luz (about 10-20 minutes). The mountain train takes visitors to the summit (train ride about 30-40 minutes); there are also marked hiking routes from Sare to the summit.

• Take the historic rack railway (Petit train de la Rhune) from Sare if you prefer a scenic, easier ascent to the summit - it departs regularly in tourist season and saves a steep climb.
• If you want solitude, hike one of the marked GR ridgeline routes instead and start early; the summit is popular with tour groups midday, so early departures avoid the busiest periods.