A walking holiday in the French Basque Country at the western end of the Pyrenees gave me the opportunity to walk up to the Col de Saint-Ignace, or take the historic rack railway to the summit instead.

No contest 🙂

The Petit Train de la Rhune has been carrying visitors to the summit, almost 1,000 metres above sea level, since 1924. From La Ruhne there are spectacular views stretching across the mountains and, on a clear day, all the way to the Atlantic coast.

The journey itself is as memorable as the destination. Covering just 4.2 kilometres in around 30 minutes, the train tackles gradients as steep as 25% using the reliable Strub rack system, while travelling at a leisurely 9 km/h—perfect for soaking up the scenery.

One of the railway’s greatest attractions is its remarkable authenticity. The trains you ride today are the very same beautifully restored wooden coaches and electric locomotives that entered service when the line opened over a century ago. Even more unusual, the railway is one of only four in the world that still uses a rare three-phase electric power system, making it a real treat for railway enthusiasts.

Each train is made up of a compact four-wheeled electric locomotive and two charming wooden coaches. Rather than pulling the train uphill, the locomotive pushes the coaches to the summit before leading them safely back down the mountain. The coaches have an unusual design, with a four-wheeled bogie at one end and a single two-wheeled axle at the other, helping them negotiate the line’s tight curves. Inside, each coach is divided into six compartments seating ten passengers, giving every train a total capacity of 120 people. Everyone has an allotted seat, tickets tell you exactly where to sit.

The railway owes its survival to local support too. In 1978, residents voted against building a road to the summit, ensuring that visitors would continue to reach the top by rail rather than by car.

I will let the photos speak for themselves. Click on an image to access a gallery of larger pictures.

Operating from mid-March to early November, the Little Train of Larrun offers a wonderful combination of history, engineering, and breathtaking scenery. Whether you’re a railway enthusiast or simply looking for a memorable day out, this unique mountain railway is well worth adding to your travel list.