Sainte-Engrâce: The Church of 1085, the Verna Chamber and the Holzarte Footbridge
Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
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Kakuetta Gorge Walker
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300
XP
+100 France
= 400 total
1 day
Sainte-Engrâce: The Church of 1085, the Verna Chamber and the Holzarte Footbridge
300 + 100 XP
In the Soule, the gorges of Kakuetta were first explored in 1906 by Édouard-Alfred Martel; a kilometre and a half of a gorge just under four kilometres long, 30 to 350 m deep and narrowed at the Grand Étroit to a few metres between its walls, was made walkable, but the site has been closed since a fatal rockfall in 2020 and is being rebuilt as a high-level route. The rest of the valley is open: the church at Sainte-Engrâce was founded in 1085 by the abbey of Leyre in Navarre with a hospital for pilgrims on the road to Compostela, the salle de la Verna has been open to visitors since 2010, and over the hill the passerelle d'Holtzarte, built in 1920 by Italian sawmill workers, carries the GR10 across the Olhadubi gorge 70 m wide and more than 130 m above its floor.
Required Activities
1
of 5
Book the guided tour into the salle de la Verna at Sainte-Engrâce, the huge chamber of the gouffre de la Pierre-Saint-Martin opened to the public in 2010, and pace out how far its floor runs before the walls come back into the light
2
of 5
In the church at Sainte-Engrâce bourg, founded in 1085, account for all twelve carved capitals across its three naves, then put a coin in to light the choir and set the Basque chant playing while you look at them
3
of 5
In the cemetery beside the church, find the discoid stelae — the round-headed Basque gravestones — and pick out the oldest carving you can still read
4
of 5
From the auberge Logibar on the D26 below Larrau, walk the rough 45-minute path up to the passerelle d'Holtzarte and cross its 70 m span, more than 130 m above the floor of the Olhadubi gorge
5
of 5
Follow the D113 the five kilometres from La Caserne up to Sainte-Engrâce Bourg and on to where the road runs out against the cirque de Sainte-Engrâce closing the head of the valley
Book the guided tour into the salle de la Verna at Sainte-Engrâce, the huge chamber of the gouffre de la Pierre-Saint-Martin opened to the public in 2010, and pace out how far its floor runs before the walls come back into the light
In the church at Sainte-Engrâce bourg, founded in 1085, account for all twelve carved capitals across its three naves, then put a coin in to light the choir and set the Basque chant playing while you look at them
In the cemetery beside the church, find the discoid stelae — the round-headed Basque gravestones — and pick out the oldest carving you can still read
From the auberge Logibar on the D26 below Larrau, walk the rough 45-minute path up to the passerelle d'Holtzarte and cross its 70 m span, more than 130 m above the floor of the Olhadubi gorge
Follow the D113 the five kilometres from La Caserne up to Sainte-Engrâce Bourg and on to where the road runs out against the cirque de Sainte-Engrâce closing the head of the valley
Before you go
The gorges de Kakuetta are closed after a fatal rockfall in 2020 and are being rebuilt as a high-level walkway — do not plan on entering the canyon; check with the Sainte-Engrâce mairie before travelling. The salle de la Verna is seen only on a booked guided tour, underground and cold, with a minimum age. The Holzarte footbridge is reached from the auberge Logibar on the D26, a separate drive over the hill from Sainte-Engrâce, then 45 minutes each way on a rough mountain path with drops — not for small children. The D113 up the valley is narrow with tight bends and passing places.
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About Nouvelle-Aquitaine
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Challenge Location
XP Breakdown
Challenge XP
300 XP
France country bonus
+100 XP
Potential total
400 XP
Country bonus earned on completion of your first challenge in France.
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