La Maison du Pottok Guided tours in the mountainous countryside from Bidarray

THE HOUSE OF POTTOK – POTTOKA RESERVE

Small Wild Horse of the Basque Country

Guided Tours

In the past, the Pottok (pronounced pottiok), a small primitive horse from the Basque Country, was wild.

With a brown or black coat, like its ancestors depicted on the walls of the Lascaux, Altamira and Isturitz caves, it was found in total freedom on the moors and mountains covered with ferns, gorse and forests all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

Today, the Original Black Pottok is seriously threatened with extinction due to numerous crossbreedings carried out by humans with breeds of domestic horses and ponies, as well as the depletion of its natural habitat, which has been cleared and fragmented.

Genetic studies have been conducted in the Southern Basque Country (Spain) since 1988.

Since 1992 Michel LAFORET, former wildlife filmmaker and photo safari guide in Kruger National Park in South Africa (#mopayasafari.com) has been preserving some of the last original black Pottoks on the Reserve surrounding LA MAISON DU POTTOK in Bidarray in Lower Navarre (France) with a Conservatory Herd and a stud farm.

Retro exhibition of old photos since 1897 at THE POTTOK HOUSE and guided walking tours on the Reserve, the only site in the whole region where you can discover this small horse emblematic of the Basque Country in freedom in its natural environment, with a magnificent view of the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, observation of griffon vultures, Highland cows and Pyrenean goats.

In 1995 in the Southern Basque Country (Spain) the PRIMITIVE ORIGINAL BLACK POTTOK was officially called PONI VASCO POTTOKA and became the subject of an exemplary conservation program, relayed since 2020 by Michel LAFORET on the Pottoka Reserve in Bidarray, to obtain at least 3 complete homogeneous and stable generations in order to consider the ancestral strain saved from extinction.

Due to the summer heat and in order to increase the chances of seeing the horses roaming freely on the Reserve, meet at 3 PM sharp with Michel LAFORET at the start of the communal track at the green mailbox to then climb up to the Pottoka Reserve.

Directions from Bidarray: 1.1 km after passing the Pont Noblia bridge in Bidarray towards Ossès and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port when coming from Cambo-les-Bains, take the left exit from the D918 road, signposted ARNATE – ADARRE, UHAINA RAFTING. This first GPS point will be sent to your mobile phone.

Once you've left the main road D 918, display the second dot on your mobile phone, which corresponds to the green mailbox where a volunteer representative from the association will be waiting for you. As a member of the association, you will be able to use the mountain road restricted to local residents (Pastoral Zone).

Membership fee 2023: €15, Children aged 7 to 12: €10. Please bring exact change in cash, as the association's card terminal doesn't always work properly in this isolated mountain location, untouched by modern overpopulation!

3:30 PM Exhibition of old photos since 1897 at THE POTTOK HOUSE and walk on the POTTOKA RESERVE in the mountains with Michel LAFORET in search of the CONSERVATORY HERD for about 2 hours.

Please note that due to the mountainous nature of the Reserve, the mountain tracks and trails are unfortunately not accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Bring walking shoes or sneakers, a hat, a cap, a waterproof windbreaker in case of rain, binoculars and a camera.

Our canine friends are welcome to roam freely if obedient… or kept on a leash.

Observation of griffon vultures and diurnal birds of prey, Highland cows and Pyrenean goats, with a magnificent view of the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean (weather permitting).

5:30 PM/6 PM. Shop, drinks and Basque Cake at LA MAISON DU POTTOK reserved for members of the association (private site which is not accessible to the general public).

Members of the association are also invited to the various activities planned throughout the year.

Next meetings: Early September and late November “ARRAPA POTTOKA” which means 'Catching the Pottok' gently with treatment and identification of the foals.

Looking forward to the pleasure of counting you among the defenders of the POTTOKA, the last small wild horse of Southwest Europe.

Booking required: www.maisondupottok.com, Guided Tours page.