Chapelle de Soihartze

The name Soyarza comes from "so artsaniaren izarra", which means "look at the shepherd's star". Originally, there was a hermitage here. When the last hermit left, the place was abandoned and occupied by animals. One day, there was a violent fire. Everything was destroyed. Well, not quite: from the rubble, the men found a small statuette of the Virgin Mary that was mysteriously intact. In 1845, they built a chapel dedicated to Mary.

The chapel lies on the Compostelle pilgrimage route to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (GR65).

This peaceful spot, surrounded by natural moorland, invites contemplation and meditation. Accessible via a pleasant hiking trail, the Soyarza chapel will appeal as much to heritage enthusiasts as to lovers of nature and wide-open spaces.