Rural life

Livestock farming

Farming occupies an important place in Sare. There are over 20 large and 40 small farms whose main activity is livestock.
Half of all farmers also have another job, either in cottage industries or other fields.

In all the municipality has:

  • 1 100 cattle for meat and milk,
  • 11 000 sheep for milk and lamb
  • 400 pottok (small wild Basque ponies)


In Sare there is a mosaic of meadows and corn fields.


The municipal forest covering 1 250 ha is managed by the O.N.F. (French Forestry Commission) and is populated with the following species: French oak, northern red oak, chestnut, maple, birch, ash, tulip trees, hazel, speckled alder, locusts, holly trees, hawthorns, Algerian fir trees, Laricio pines, Corsicana varieties, Californian Douglas pines, larches, wild cherries, plus Weymouth (originally from North America) acacia or North American robinia, Lawson cypress and plane trees have all colonised the lower slopes of La Rhune.


Descending from the steep summits which surround the village is a network of 150 torrential flow streams which converge towards the centre of the basin and flow into the Nivelle. Sare belongs to the Nivelle catchment area.

Amongst the most remarkable, it is worth mentioning those on the south-eastern and southern slopes: Lizuniako erreka, Hiruetako erreka descending from Lizarrieta, plus  Tombako erreka and Ourioko erreka, carving out the cliffs in the limestone ridge which goes from the pigeon hunting towers as far as Zugarramurdi.

This set of streams forms the Lurgorrieta which flows into the Nivelle at Cherchebruit.


Minnows, eels and trout populate the rivers.
Griffon vultures, kites (both royal and black), Egyptian vultures, common ravens, herons, woodcocks and skylarks share the sky.
Hares, rabbits, deer, wild boar, foxes, badgers, squirrels and stone martens are also present in the surrounding countryside.

Fruit picking

Mainly at the end of the summer walnuts, blackberries and wild sloe (patxaran), and in autumn chestnuts, boletus and chanterelle.