La Rhune
Encyclopedia
Larrun is a mountain (905 m) at the western end of the Pyrenees
. It is located on the border between France
and Spain
, where the traditional Basque
provinces of Labourd
and Navarra meet. Its prominence
is 670 m.
Larrun holds an iconic place in Basque
culture. It is covered in dolmen
s, stone circle
s and other neolithic
monuments and was held to be a sacred place in Basque mythology
. It was said to be the home of Lehen Sugea, the first serpent. Later, and perhaps as a consequence of the ancient sacred sites, the summit had a reputation as an akelarre or ritual meeting place for witches. Up until the 18th century, local villages paid for a monk
to live as a hermit
at the top of the mountain to keep witches away and ensure good winds.
The mountain was used by French troops as a defensive position towards the end of the Peninsular War
, but Wellington
's forces drove those of Marshal Soult off the mountain during the Battle of Nivelle
on November 10, 1813, this action leaving France open for Wellington's successful march north to Paris
.
Larrun and the local area were notable smuggling routes used for centuries, including for refugee
s during the Spanish Civil War
and World War II
. Smuggling was of such importance that a local tale tells that the mountain was covered by gold
until evil men came to take it away. They burned the trees on the mountain to reach the gold, but the metal melted and flowed away.
Larrun is now a popular site for walks and hikes and is the first peak encountered on the coast-to-coast Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne
(HRP) walking route. A rack railway
, the Petit train de la Rhune
, takes visitors to the top of the mountain from the French side. Cows, a few pottok
ponies and manech sheep wander the slopes.
Larrun still holds an iconic place in Basque culture, with many inns and restaurants bearing its name and its distinctive shape adorning many souvenirs and logos.
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. It is located on the border between France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, where the traditional Basque
Basque Country (historical territory)
The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast....
provinces of Labourd
Labourd
Labourd is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques département. It is historically one of the seven provinces of the traditional Basque Country....
and Navarra meet. Its prominence
Topographic prominence
In topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height, shoulder drop , or prime factor , categorizes the height of the mountain's or hill's summit by the elevation between it and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit...
is 670 m.
Larrun holds an iconic place in Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
culture. It is covered in dolmen
Dolmen
A dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, dolmain , cromlech , anta , Hünengrab/Hünenbett , Adamra , Ispun , Hunebed , dös , goindol or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of...
s, stone circle
Stone circle
A stone circle is a monument of standing stones arranged in a circle. Such monuments have been constructed across the world throughout history for many different reasons....
s and other neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
monuments and was held to be a sacred place in Basque mythology
Basque mythology
The mythology of the ancient Basques largely did not survive the, albeit late, arrival of Christianity in the Basque Country between the 4th and 12th century AD...
. It was said to be the home of Lehen Sugea, the first serpent. Later, and perhaps as a consequence of the ancient sacred sites, the summit had a reputation as an akelarre or ritual meeting place for witches. Up until the 18th century, local villages paid for a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
to live as a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
at the top of the mountain to keep witches away and ensure good winds.
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
, but Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
's forces drove those of Marshal Soult off the mountain during the Battle of Nivelle
Battle of Nivelle
The Battle of Nivelle took place in front of the River Nivelle near the end of the Peninsular War . After the Allied siege of San Sebastian, Wellington's 80,000 British, Portuguese and Spanish troops were in hot pursuit of Marshal Soult who only had 60,000 men to place in a 20-mile perimeter...
on November 10, 1813, this action leaving France open for Wellington's successful march north to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Larrun and the local area were notable smuggling routes used for centuries, including for refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Smuggling was of such importance that a local tale tells that the mountain was covered by gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
until evil men came to take it away. They burned the trees on the mountain to reach the gold, but the metal melted and flowed away.
Larrun is now a popular site for walks and hikes and is the first peak encountered on the coast-to-coast Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne
Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne
The Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne is a long-distance footpath in the Pyrenees.Like the GR 10 and the GR 11, the path travels the length of the Pyrenees from coast to coast...
(HRP) walking route. A rack railway
Rack railway
A rack-and-pinion railway is a railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with this rack rail...
, the Petit train de la Rhune
Petit train de la Rhune
The Petit train de la Rhune is a metre gauge rack railway in France at the western end of the Pyrenees. It links the Col de Saint-Ignace, some to the east of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, to the summit of the La Rhune mountain...
, takes visitors to the top of the mountain from the French side. Cows, a few pottok
Pottok
The Pottok or Pottoka , is an endangered, semi-feral breed of pony native to the Pyrenees of the Basque Country in France and Spain.It is considered an ancient breed of horse, particularly well adapted to the harsh mountain areas it traditionally inhabits.Once common, it is endangered through...
ponies and manech sheep wander the slopes.
Larrun still holds an iconic place in Basque culture, with many inns and restaurants bearing its name and its distinctive shape adorning many souvenirs and logos.