Zubieta in the Basque Pyrenees

Wednesday, 17 August 2022 / Published in Basque Culture and Tradition, Basque Mythology, Ituren carnivals, The Basque Language, Visit the Pyrenees, Walking in the Pyrenees, Zubieta carnivals
Typical farmhouse in Zubieta
Zubieta is a traditional Basque village in the Pyrenees, its contrasts and contradictions, values of equality, honour and 'hard graft' are typical of Basque mountain life.

The Pyrenees with Michael Portillo

Thursday, 21 July 2022 / Published in Basque Culture and Tradition
The Pyrenees with Michael Portillo
'The Pyrenees with Michael Portillo', a portrait of filming behind-the-scenes in Zubieta, a traditional Basque village in Navarre. Here, we work with Michael and learn about his family background and skills as a linguist and presenter.

Basque Children of the Resistance

Friday, 20 December 2019 / Published in World War II Escape Lines
Comet Line children meet in France
Children of the Comet Line resistance network, which operated during World War Two, meet for the first time. 75 years after their work ended. Maialen Larretche, now 90 years old, from Urrugne (France) and Paco Iriarte, now 86 years old, from Oiartzun (Spain) reminisce in their native Basque language.

Comet Line Crossing of the Pyrenees

Tuesday, 20 August 2019 / Published in World War II Escape Lines
pyrenean experience sunset over the valley on our guided walking holidays in the Pyrenees
A detailed description of Jim Allison's escape from Nazi occupied Europe with the help of the Pyrenean escape route known as the Comet Line. First-hand details from the final survivors of the Comet resistance network.

Hiking in the Pyrenees – stunning scenery and ancient Basque traditions

Thursday, 14 December 2017 / Published in Basque Country Walking, Baztan Valley, Visit the Pyrenees, Walking in the Pyrenees
Hiking in the Pyrenees: the Baztan and Bidasoa Valleys
Hiking in the Pyrenees If you are thinking of hiking in the Pyrenees, be aware of the wonderful diversity of landscapes found from one valley to the next. There is no one-shot – one-size-fits-all ‘Pyrenean Experience’. Every valley offers its own unique flora and fauna, history, culture and gastronomy. The Pyrenees from east to west.

The Comet Line

Sunday, 05 April 2015 / Published in Baztan Valley, Walking in the Pyrenees
The Comet Line used Xan Mihura's farm Jauregiko Borda as the first stop over the border on the Baztan Route.
The Comet line escape route, which we cover on our Guided Walking Tours, was a famous resistance network which operated between 1941 and 1944 during the Second World War. Its aim was to help grounded allied pilots and officers to safety over the Bidasoa river into Spain. This escape route has been pieced together with the