From Bidart to Saint-Jean-de-Luz: thirteen kilometres of cliff and the corniche from the sea.

The coastal path is the first stage of the GR 8 along the French Basque Coast: thirteen kilometres from Erretegia beach, in Bidart, to place Louis XIV in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, along the clifftop, coves and beaches. It takes three and a half hours, with lots of steps and short climbs but no big ascents. This plan does it one way, with the car waiting at the end, has fish in Saint-Jean-de-Luz and, from April to October, sees the same coast again from the boat.

The day, hour by hour

8:00 · Departure. From San Sebastián, half an hour to Saint-Jean-de-Luz by the AP-8 and the A-63. Park in the centre and take the Txik Txak bus, line 3, which runs along the coast between Hendaye and Bayonne and calls at Bidart. Check the Sunday timetable the day before: it is the one thing in the plan you do not control.

9:00 · The coastal path. From Erretegia beach to Saint-Jean-de-Luz it is about 13 km and 340 metres of cumulative ascent in short climbs: moderate difficulty, for anyone used to walking. You go along the cliff edge, down to and up from each beach, and pass stretches of track, greenway and the odd quiet road. Halfway is Guéthary, with a railway station: if it seems long, start there. At high tide some coves almost disappear.

12:45 · Lunch at Chez Pablo. You reach place Louis XIV and in five minutes you are on rue Mademoiselle Etcheto, behind Les Halles. Lunchtime service ends at two: book by phone with your arrival time.

14:30 · Boat along the corniche to Hondarribia. The Nivelle V leaves the port of Saint-Jean-de-Luz and skirts, without stopping, the flysch cliffs of Socoa, the bay of Loya, the Abbadia estate and the Deux Jumeaux rocks as far as the mouth of the Bidasoa. An hour and three quarters, €22 for adults and €15 for under-10s. Outside July and August it leaves at 14:30; in summer, at 14:00. Booking is by phone only and in rough seas it is cancelled. Show up at the booth fifteen minutes beforehand.

16:45 · Return. The car is at the harbour. In San Sebastián around half past five.

What to order at Chez Pablo

After thirteen kilometres, the chipirones in their ink, the house dish, or the breaded fried hake. The piquillo peppers stuffed with salt cod work as a starter to share. For dessert, Basque cake. Closed Wednesdays and Thursdays.

With a dog, without the boat or with fewer legs

The path admits dogs; for the boat and restaurant, ask beforehand. From November to March there is no boat: finish the afternoon in the old town and harbour of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, with the church of Louis XIV's wedding, or at the Abbadia castle in Hendaye, which opens in the afternoons. If thirteen kilometres do not appeal, take the train to Guéthary and walk the final half, about two hours.