COMET LINE / COMETE LINE - Socoa (France) - Ergoien (Spain)
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 19.08 mi
- Elevation gain
- 4,183 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Difficult
- Elevation loss
- 3,678 ft
- Max elevation
- 1,705 ft
- TrailRank
-
37
5
- Min elevation
- -366 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Moving time
- 8 hours 23 minutes
- Time
- one day 3 hours 52 minutes
- Coordinates
- 5128
- Uploaded
- September 15, 2019
- Recorded
- September 2019
near Socoa, Nouvelle-Aquitaine (France)
Viewed 5723 times, downloaded 41 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
Comet / Comète Line escape route during the 2nd World War over the Basque Pyrenees from France (Ciboure) to Spain (Erigoien).
The story of the Basque smugglers, their language and code of honor were vital to their work as resistance workers. Florentino Goikoetxea was the most famous of the Comet guides ...and the route documented is one of the routes he would usually take leading Allied pilots to safety from Nazi occupied France into Spain over the Pyrenees. For the first couple of years, Andre de Jongh, a 24 year old nurse and inspiring founder of the Comet line would accompany him on 32 crossing before she was captured in Urrugne 1943. More information on the Comet line here:
The story of the Basque smugglers, their language and code of honor were vital to their work as resistance workers. Florentino Goikoetxea was the most famous of the Comet guides ...and the route documented is one of the routes he would usually take leading Allied pilots to safety from Nazi occupied France into Spain over the Pyrenees. For the first couple of years, Andre de Jongh, a 24 year old nurse and inspiring founder of the Comet line would accompany him on 32 crossing before she was captured in Urrugne 1943. More information on the Comet line here:
Comments (9)
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Fantastik!!
Kaixo, una pregunta: es posible vadear / cruzar a pie fácilmente el río Bidasoa en ese punto?
Kaixo! Depende de donde y sobre todo cuando! Solian pasar al nivel de San Miguel (el antiguo estacion del tren ) (donde hoy hay canoes etc.). En settiembre pasamos (llegaba hasta 1 metro solamente) .. ahora despues de la llubia supongo que mucho mas.
Zortea
Egun ondo pasa
Georgina
Eskerrik asko georgina
If unable to ford the Bidosa at that location, is there a trail that leads to the bridge down at Endarlatsa? It looks like some maps have a trail along the French bank, but others do not show this trail. Map for reference:
https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=13.1/-1.7753/43.3017&pubLink=6mRJHex9wDTB0KmZ2LwElrWJ&trackId=1789ace2-6af2-4279-893a-f305c0be3079&layer=GaiaTopoRasterFeet
Thank you, Eric
Hi Georgina. Quick question - we want to do the route in June next year over two days, so is there anywhere to stay overnight (hotel, hostel) other than camping after the 1st climb
Hi Tony
Sorry to get back to you so late, I have been travelling in Kenya!
No, there is no hotel immediately at the crossing point of the Bidassoa river which would constitute the end of your first day's walk, but there are hotels either in the village of Bera de Bidasoa (10 minutes away) and or Behobia/Irun which are just (15 minutes away). You would need a taxi to get there but the hotel may be able to call you one nearer the time ... the taxi drivers would most probably not speak English so use the receptionists at the hotels you chose to act as the intermediary. I hope this helps. Buen viaje
Warm regards
Georgina
Tel: 00 34 650713759. www.pyreneanexperience.com
Hi Georgina,
Thank you so much for your reply. Two further questions if you don't mind - Firstly - is the trail reasonably obvious to follow? We are experienced walkers in North Wales so we will be doing this without a - is there likely to be any snow/ice (probably not) around in May? I hope you enjoyed Kenya - I ran a tea business based in Kericho for several years and spent many joyful days watching wildlife near the Tanzanian border.
Tony
Hi Tony, no the trail is not always that obvious ... as loggers sometimes come in and take away the usual paths .... the descent to the Bidassoa river can be a little difficult to follow. But it changes all the time as routes are marked up and then lost again by the vagaries of weather etc. In September there is an organisation that walks the Bidasoa route in 2 days and it may be a good idea to send them your questions or even join up. with them - they are a fun, international crowd and I try and join them when I can. Here is their blog http://cometepaysbasque.blogspot.com and the person to get in touch with is Geoff Cooper and friend of mine. Here is his email: lesamisdureseaucomete@gmail.com
I do offer a one-day walk of the Comete Line route during my Total Basque Mountain Experience walking weeks throughout the year but the whole thing is best done with Geoff's crowd. And the altitude is pretty low just some 1500 metres so the weather should be good here from May to October - and definitely no snow. So you know Kenya? What a beautiful country and lovely people but the disparity between rich and poor is heartbreaking. I spent most of my time in the Maasai Mara. Happy exploring. Best, Georgina.