Walking Hendaye to Irún

[jsalt]

Hi, is there a pedestrian bridge across the river between Hendaye and Irun? Or at least a pavement (sidewalk) alongside the road? I will be staying in Irun in April, meeting a friend off the train in Hendaye at 9pm in the evening, and walking back to our accommodation in Irun. Is this perfectly feasible? Many thanks!

 

[pasiño a pasiño]

I think the bridge on the Av.d'Espagne is a pedestrian bridge but I never crossed it.

 

[peregrina2000]

I think there are three bridges across the Río Bidasoa. I have walked on one, and I think it was named the bridge of Santiago. Just checking up on myself online, I see that the bridge is currently the site of protests and has been blocked. I hadn‘t heard anything about this, but it seems that a migrant drowned in the river trying to cross into Spain.

Cientos de personas bloquean el puente que separa Irún y Hendaya para exigir "corredores humanitarios para todos"

Desde Irungo Harrera Sarea denuncian que "las vías seguras no matan a las personas", algo que sí provocan "los controles racistas" y defienden "una acogida digna y corredores humanitarios para todos"

www.eldiario.es

Does this mean that the French/Spanish border has a control to keep out immigrants?

 

[SabsP]

Hi, is there a pedestrian bridge across the river between Hendaye and Irun? Or at least a pavement (sidewalk) alongside the road? I will be staying in Irun in April, meeting a friend off the train in Hendaye at 9pm in the evening, and walking back to our accommodation in Irun. Is this perfectly feasible? Many thanks!

Perfectly feasible! And safe.

 

[Ekelund]

I remember walking across the bridge.
I flew into Biarritz, jumped on a bus at the airport and it let me off at the bridge and I walked across into Spain. And continued to the albergue in Irun. Now this was back in 2006, a long time ago.

 

[Mournes]

Hi, is there a pedestrian bridge across the river between Hendaye and Irun? Or at least a pavement (sidewalk) alongside the road? I will be staying in Irun in April, meeting a friend off the train in Hendaye at 9pm in the evening, and walking back to our accommodation in Irun. Is this perfectly feasible? Many thanks!

I walked across the Santiago Bridge from Hendaye to Irun in 2018.I stayed in a hotel near the railway station in Hendaye and it was a short walk to the bridge.The bridge has a sidewalk on either side.No need to walk on the road.
Buen Camino

 

[kcaldaba]

Walked across the Bidassoa Bridge in spring of 2018. I took a cab from the San Sebastian airport to the Hendaye Train Station and started walking, so that I could be sure I walked across the whole country to Muxia and Finisterre.

 

[mspath]

For more re the turbulent history of this crossing see this earlier post.

 

[Lunchmeat337]

Hi, is there a pedestrian bridge across the river between Hendaye and Irun? Or at least a pavement (sidewalk) alongside the road? I will be staying in Irun in April, meeting a friend off the train in Hendaye at 9pm in the evening, and walking back to our accommodation in Irun. Is this perfectly feasible? Many thanks!

































































































































Yes, we crossed it in 2019. Walked from the train station to Irun after getting off the bus from Biarritz.























Hi, is there a pedestrian bridge across the river between Hendaye and Irun? Or at least a pavement (sidewalk) alongside the road? I will be staying in Irun in April, meeting a friend off the train in Hendaye at 9pm in the evening, and walking back to our accommodation in Irun. Is this perfectly feasYestherible? Many thanks!

 

[Plataman]

Hi, is there a pedestrian bridge across the river between Hendaye and Irun? Or at least a pavement (sidewalk) alongside the road? I will be staying in Irun in April, meeting a friend off the train in Hendaye at 9pm in the evening, and walking back to our accommodation in Irun. Is this perfectly feasible? Many thanks!

HI, yes, the walk from Irun to Hendaye is easy walk, short and very pleasant...and there is a bridge! I walked it after spending a few days decompressing in Irun after completing a Camino.....caught the bus in Hendaye to Bayonne, flew out from there to home.

 

[Niels]

Puente de Santiago's the old crossway, pilgrims always have used to cross the border in Hendaye to Irun. Just be sure to take the small detour into Hondarribia outside Irun to the right, when you turn left to cross the ridge. A beautiful small town. You won't regret it.

 

[DonnaM]

Hi, is there a pedestrian bridge across the river between Hendaye and Irun? Or at least a pavement (sidewalk) alongside the road? I will be staying in Irun in April, meeting a friend off the train in Hendaye at 9pm in the evening, and walking back to our accommodation in Irun. Is this perfectly feasible? Many thanks!

Hello, yes there is a bridge across, it's a nice 30 minute walk from train station to the centre of Irun. I did it last year, it's a lovely feeling walking across and seeing the first yellow arrows!

 

[cbacino]

Hi, is there a pedestrian bridge across the river between Hendaye and Irun? Or at least a pavement (sidewalk) alongside the road? I will be staying in Irun in April, meeting a friend off the train in Hendaye at 9pm in the evening, and walking back to our accommodation in Irun. Is this perfectly feasible? Many thanks!

Takes a few minutes to walk from the Hendaye station over the bridge to Irùn.

 

[Walli Walker]

Yes.

 

[Felipe]

Alternatively, if you are tired or there is bad weather, you may consider the intercity rail, Eusko tren that goes every half hour or so. It could be also useful if you want to make a short visit to San Sebastián or move along the coast.

 

[Eamonrodden]

Hi, is there a pedestrian bridge across the river between Hendaye and Irun? Or at least a pavement (sidewalk) alongside the road? I will be staying in Irun in April, meeting a friend off the train in Hendaye at 9pm in the evening, and walking back to our accommodation in Irun. Is this perfectly feasible? Many thanks!

Easy safe walk. I have walked it. Pedestrian section. Enjoy the Camino. Good Albergue in Irun

 

[dick bird]

I think there are three bridges across the Río Bidasoa. I have walked on one, and I think it was named the bridge of Santiago. Just checking up on myself online, I see that the bridge is currently the site of protests and has been blocked. I hadn‘t heard anything about this, but it seems that a migrant drowned in the river trying to cross into Spain.

Cientos de personas bloquean el puente que separa Irún y Hendaya para exigir "corredores humanitarios para todos"

Desde Irungo Harrera Sarea denuncian que "las vías seguras no matan a las personas", algo que sí provocan "los controles racistas" y defienden "una acogida digna y corredores humanitarios para todos"

www.eldiario.es

Does this mean that the French/Spanish border has a control to keep out immigrants?

In theory, there shouldn't be any controls - that's the whole point of the Schengen Agreement (and nobody is to further mention Schengen on this thread, please). That is why we pass between Spain and Portugal or France without even being aware of entering another country. But they are still separate countries, as Covid clearly demonstrated. All I can think of is that the border force in either Spain, France or both are trying to intercept anyone in the country who has entered illegally and using the border crossings as a kind of net or convenient screening point. Very sad, if that is true. It is also unusual, I think, for migrants to be heading into Spain from France, as opposed to into France or into Spain from Morocco. Obviously there is more to this story.

 

[dick bird]

I think there are three bridges across the Río Bidasoa. I have walked on one, and I think it was named the bridge of Santiago. Just checking up on myself online, I see that the bridge is currently the site of protests and has been blocked. I hadn‘t heard anything about this, but it seems that a migrant drowned in the river trying to cross into Spain.

Cientos de personas bloquean el puente que separa Irún y Hendaya para exigir "corredores humanitarios para todos"

Desde Irungo Harrera Sarea denuncian que "las vías seguras no matan a las personas", algo que sí provocan "los controles racistas" y defienden "una acogida digna y corredores humanitarios para todos"

www.eldiario.es

Does this mean that the French/Spanish border has a control to keep out immigrants?

France: Eastern Pyrenees is the new crossing point for migrants arriving from Spain

In the eastern Pyrenees, on the border between France and Spain, the number of migrants arriving is increasing. French authorities said they intercepted a record number of 13,000 people in 2021 in Cerbère, the first French village after the border. In the nearest big city Perpignan, associations...

www.infomigrants.net

Just found this. Apparently, large numbers of migrants try to enter France from Spain rather than vice versa, and the French authorities and local communities are very concerned about it, although for very different reasons.

 

[jsalt]

Thanks all!
Next question:
I have all afternoon to spend in Irún, after arriving on the bus.
Any suggestions on how to spend the time before meeting my friend in Hendaye at 9pm?

 

[mspath]

By chance have you considered staying the night in Hendaye near the gare and walking back to Irun next morning? The Hotel/Restaurant Santiago on the rue de Santiago is convenient to the gare and pleasant/relaxed. The Résidence Terminus, 42 Rue du Commerce, is also fine and even closer to the gare.

 

[peregrina2000]

Thanks all!
Next question:
I have all afternoon to spend in Irún, after arriving on the bus.
Any suggestions on how to spend the time before meeting my friend in Hendaye at 9pm?

Have you been to Hondarribia? It’s a cutesy touristy town, lots of old stone buildings with flower pots, parador, lots of cafés for sitting and watching people. It’s a very short bus ride from Irún and the buses are very frequent.

 

[jsalt]

Have you been to Hondarribia?

Yes, when I walked from near Bordeaux, and took the ferry from Hendaye to Hondarribia.
Agree, pleasant place to spend a couple of hours.
Looking more for something to do in Irún itself.

 

[jsalt]

By chance have you considered staying the night in Hendaye near the gare and walking back to Irun next morning?

Thanks, will bear in mind for a future trip! Six of us are already booked and paid in Irún.

 

[mspath]

Thanks, will bear in mind for a future trip! Six of us are already booked and paid in Irún.

Thanks for your update. I hope that all of your group have a great journey.

PS: There is an archeological museum

Oiasso Museoa - Oiasso Museoa

museo arqueológico que reúne los restos de época romana hallados en Irun, la antigua Oiasso que citan las fuentes romanas.

www.oiasso.com

Stay safe, Carpe diem and Buen camino.

 

[Doingit]

Have you been to Hondarribia? It’s a cutesy touristy town, lots of old stone buildings with flower pots, parador, lots of cafés for sitting and watching people. It’s a very short bus ride from Irún and the buses are very frequent.

just checked it out . looks like a great stop. I'm arriving from.Bordeaux to Hendaye on my way to Burgos to resume my camino . I just found this thread. Now the plan is to goo there and spend the night before heading to Burgos.