19 The extent to which heat recorded in orogens reflects thermal conditions inherited from 20 previous rift-related processes is still debated and poorly documented. As a case study, we 21 examine the Mauléon basin in the north-western Pyrenees that experienced both extreme 22 crustal thinning and tectonic inversion within a period of ~30 Myrs. To constrain the time-23 temperature history of the basin in such a scenario, we provide new detrital zircon fission-24 track and (U-Th-Sm)/He thermochronology data. The role of rift-related processes in 25 subsequent collision is captured by inverse modeling of our thermochronological data, using 26 relationships between zircon (U-Th-Sm)/He ages and uranium content, combined with 27 thermo-kinematic models of a rift-orogen cycle. We show that the basin recorded significant 28 heating at about 100 Ma characterized by high geothermal gradients (~80°C/km). Our 29 thermo-kinematic modeling and geological constraints support the view that subcontinental 30 lithospheric mantle was exhumed at that time below the Mauléon basin. Such a high 31 geothermal gradient lasted 30 Myr after onset of convergence at ~83 Ma and was relaxed 32 during the collision phase from ~50 Ma. This study suggests that heat needed for ductile 33 shortening during convergence, is primarily inherited from extension rather than being only 34 related to tectonic and/or sedimentary burial. This should have strong implications on tectonic 35 reconstructions in many collision belts that resulted from inversion of hyper-extended rift 36 basins.