In the Basque Country. 55 km south-west of Biarritz. St-Jean-Pied-de-Port owes its name to its location. at the foot of the Cize passes including the famous Roncevaux pass. a port meaning pass. Inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1998. the Porte Saint Jacques is the historic entrance for pilgrims on their way to Compostela who. coming from the Madeleine district of St-Jean-le-Vieux. cross Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port towards Roncevaux.