Bandits and shepherds, warriors and pilgrims, frontiers and links forged the identity of this town. Its name evokes its epic and legendary past because it refers to Charlemagne. The events of the battle of Roncesvaux (778) are told in the Song of Roland, an epic poem that immortalised the name of both localities for ever. Another distinguishing feature of the town is its association with the Way of St. James , which crosses the Pyrenees through this narrow, steep valley. Luzaide/Valcarlos is particularly well-known for conserving some of the most spectacular and ancestral dancesof Navarre, called the “Bolantes”. Their measured leaps fill the air with colour; a real spectacle to be enjoyed.