with UR BIZIA RAFTING since Bidarray Discovered of the valley of Nive

THE NIVE RIVER

The Basque country is the country of the Nives, but it is also and mainly a region with its character: Euskal Herria. Euskara is spoken in seven provinces, three of which are in France: the Labourd, the "Basse Navarre" (lower Navarre) and the Soule. The Nive is a left affluent of the river Adour and it crosses the first two provinces between green ills. It is a nice river for water sports with a grade 2 difficulty, rising to 3 at times of "middle waters".

HYDROLOGY

The "Grande Nive" has its source in Saint Jean Pied de Port at the "Pool des trois eaux", where the Nives of Estérençuby, Valcarlos and Laurhibar meet. The Aldudes Nive joins it 10 km below in Saint Martin d'Arrossa, turning it into a year-long rafting river. As it is mainly a pluvial river, you had better avoid the long periods without rain to navigate the Nive's affluents.

LOCATION

In the department of Pyrénées Atlantiques (64).
You will find it on a Michelin map, yellow series, number 85, fold number 3.

to river map

to the courses description

to the different river grades