OUR DESTINATION : THE BASQUE COUNTRY
Gure helmuga : Euskal Herrian
With this new catchphrase IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY, the Basque Country Tourist Information Office wants to reveal the wide range of possibilities to enjoy In the Basque Country.
- I𝗻 the Basque Country, in just a short space of time, it is possible to surf the waves at Guéthary, go hiking in the heart of the countryside, stroll around some of the most beautiful villages in France, go shopping at Saint-Jean-de-Luz indoor market, eat some axoa while gazing at the mountains or pintxos while contemplating the ocean, go snowshoe hiking in Iraty, sleep in 5-star hotels or a treehouse…
- I𝗻 the Basque Country is also the promise of traditions and culture that cannot be found elsewhere: music, pelote, songs, as well as carnivals and pastoral plays…It is also, and above all, a way of life and craftsmanship that, today, offers modern and innovative products that draw inspiration from yesteryear’s know-how.
- I𝗻 the Basque Country, don’t forget the gastronomy! Our region boasts a wealth of local products. Producers and restaurant owners work together to ensure quality and showcase our produce: sheep’s milk cheese, Kintoa cured ham, Espelette pimento peppers, line-caught hake…
Map of the Basque Country
Euskal Herriko mapa
Take a stroll on this map to discover all the facets of our territory.
You will see that each territory, town or village is already a journey in the Basque Country!
Along the Atlantic Ocean between the Landes department and the Spanish border, the Basque coast is a treasure trove of diversity, curiosity and beauty to discover.
The surfing spirit and Californian atmosphere are everywhere!
The Nivelle valley is a valley with the first mountains of the Pyrenees on one side and the beginning of a beautiful green countryside on the other.
A few kilometres from the main seaside resorts, life in the villages of the Nivelle valley is gentle and punctuated by the production of Espelette chilli peppers, agriculture and livestock farming, and the practice of leisure activities such as hiking, mountain biking and canoeing
The Nive Valley is the link between the Basque coast and the interior of the northern Basque country. From Cambo-les-Bains to Ustaritz and Bidarray, you will find different landscapes.
The peaks of Mondarrain and Artzamendi offer beautiful walks for hikers and the towpath, from Ustaritz, leads to Bayonne, following the river for 15 km.
The Nive is a favourite place for all white water activities.
The Pays Charnégou is the northernmost territory of the Basque Country.
A few steps from Bayonne, you will discover the first Basque villages such as Urt, Mouguerre, Briscous or La Bastide-Clairence classified among the Most Beautiful Villages of France.
Along the water, your visit will lead you to discover an unusual territory where Gascon is spoken and kiwi fruit is grown.
In the north of the Basque Country, Baigura can be seen from a distance as it is isolated between the provinces of Labourd and Lower Navarre.
At 897 metres, its regular shape seen from the north gives it a soothing Fuji Yama look.
The Valley of Saint Etienne de Baïgorry and the Aldudes corresponds to five municipalities: Ossès, Saint Etienne de Baïgorry, the Aldudes, Banca and Urepel.
Only 10 minutes from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, this valley offers the possibility to discover the gastronomic tradition of our region.
Also known as the Pays de Cize, this is the region of Lower Navarre which revolves around the village of Saint-Jean-Pied-Port, classified as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France.
This region is crossed by the Way of Saint James and the GR 10.
It is also the country of the AOP Irouléguy, whose terraced vineyards can be admired on the mountainside.
The Bidouze Valley, also known as the Pays de l'Ostibarre, is structured around four main communes: Iholdy, Ostabat-Asme, Saint Just Ibarre and Larceveau-Arros-Cibits.
© OTPB
The Pays de Mixe is the area that makes up the north of Lower Navarre. It is organised around the villages of Garris and Saint Palais.
Numerous gastronomic producers line this part of the Basque Country and welcome you to their farms.
This area is certainly the most natural of the Basque Country. The inhabitants speak Souletin Basque, a special version of Basque.
Mauléon is known as the birthplace of the espadrille.
The Iraty mountains are also called Haute Soule, Basabürüa in Souletin Basque. You are here at the highest altitude in the Basque Country.
Its mountain villages, its Souletin dialect, a very particular version of the Basque language, its myths, its pastoralism but also its outdoor activities in the middle of nature make this small territory a real cultural cradle.
Classified as a Town of Art and History, Bayonne is considered to be the capital of the Basque Country. Rich in gourmet and festive traditions, it is as Basque as it is Gascon.
The Fêtes de Bayonne have made it famous beyond its borders.
Saint-Jean-de-Luz is an authentic town with a particularly rich past, the marriage of Louis XIV, the privateers and the influence of maritime life give this renowned seaside resort its character.
With its gastronomy and entertainment, its cultural and natural heritage and its 5 beaches, it combines in perfect harmony all the advantages of a successful holiday.
It has been awarded the Pays d'Art et d'Histoire label.
This municipality of 6250 inhabitants has always been oriented towards the sea. Until the last century, fishing and fish canning provided a living for the entire population. This life has influenced the history of the village and is still anchored in the character of its inhabitants, even if nowadays the economy is more oriented towards tourism.
© Pierre Carton
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is the capital of Lower Navarre. A fortified city at the foot of the Basque Pyrenees, the village was founded in the 12th century.
You will not fail to appreciate its old town, with its cobbled streets, dominated by its citadel. Since the Middle Ages, the village has seen thousands of walkers pass through every year on their way to Santiago de Compostela.
The village of Espelette truly represents the Basque village as one might imagine it. Founded by a noble family, it has become known throughout the world thanks to the cultivation of a spice from the other side of the Atlantic: the Espelette pepper.
© Yoni
Guéthary is the smallest village on the Aquitaine coast.
As soon as you enter the main street, after discovering the centre of the village, the iodine air will draw you irrevocably towards the ocean as the ultimate goal of your visit, but before that, take your time for a little tour.
With its 5,000 hectares, Urrugne is the largest municipality on the Basque coast. Its borders extend from the ocean to the first slopes of the Rhune and it even shares a border with Spain. The village is organised into neighbourhoods that are very different from one another.
The large natural spaces, the mountains, the cliffs of the Corniche Basque... make this village a great playground for outdoor activities.
Classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France, Sare is also one of the most beautiful villages in the Basque Country.
Situated at the foot of the Rhune, Axuria and Ibanteli peaks, you will find in this village a rich history and a real local atmosphere where the traditions of festivities, sports and smuggling have been passed down through the ages.
The small village of Tardets is ideally situated in Haute Soule at the foot of the chapel of La Madeleine, 20 minutes from the Kakuetta gorges and the start of the hike to the Holzarte suspended footbridge.
Many unusual discoveries are possible, such as the Centre on Basque Mythology, where the history of this small bastide and the many Souletine legends will be revealed to you.
The walls of La Bastide Clairence tell you 700 years of history.
Founded in the Middle Ages under the name of Bastida de Clarenza, the village has retained the structure of the bastides of the south-west with its main street and its central square, the Place des Arceaux.
At the foot of the Iparla peaks, Saint Etienne de Baïgorry is one of those Basque villages that we love.
You can discover its history by walking through the village.
Crossed by the Nive des Aldudes, sportsmen will be delighted: between hikes, GR10, and mountain bike trails. Saint Etienne de Baïgorry is also, since 2016, the first Trail Station of the Northern Basque Country.
Situated between the Nive valley and the Navarrese border, Ainhoa is classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France.
This 12th century bastide-street, created to welcome pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, combines the green of its hills with the white and red facades of its old houses. In the surroundings, beautiful walks offer you the opportunity to discover the chapel of the hawthorn and the numerous streams and undergrowth.
Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle is a very large village organised into districts. The village has known great historical events and was at the centre of the witch-hunt that hit the Basque Country. Beyond this disastrous period, it was in Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle that the chistera wicker glove was born.
Today, Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle is a charming village with its lake which has become the main place for walks and activities.
Saint Palais is, so to speak, the central point between the three provinces of Labourd, Lower Navarre and Soule.
As you walk through the streets, you will discover traces of its royal past, as the former capital of the kingdom of Navarre. The village has preserved many traditions, including its Basque strength festival, which is renowned throughout the region.
The wonders of Cambo-les-Bains appear along the tree-lined and flowery alleys, the Basque villas and the art-deco residences. A set of gardens and alleys, decorated with magnificent hydrangeas, has earned it the reputation of a Garden City.
Cambo offers the peace and quiet of the interior of the Basque Country while being just a stone's throw away from the summer excitement of the Basque coast!
South of the Adour, the Pays de Bidache is at the crossroads of Gascon and Basque culture. It is also known as Charnègou or Xarnegu country, which means crossbreeding.
You enter a river country, then gently undulating as you move southwards. In the distance you can see the mountain range of Lower Navarre and Soule.
Situated at the foot of Mount Ursuia, Hasparren has a town with beautiful half-timbered Labourdine houses.
Its name comes from the Basque Ahaitz-barren(a): ahaitz the height and Barren the interior. Over the years, popular tradition has transformed ahaitz into haritz, the oak tree, and this beautiful tree has become its emblem.
Ascain is a peaceful village classified as a green resort, on the banks of the Nivelle. The centre of the village is concentrated around its small pediment.
Originally a small trading port, Ascain has gradually become a village with many skills and craftsmen.
Located at the foot of the Rhune, it is one of the favourite starting points for hikers.
Located at the foot of the Iparla peaks, Bidarray is one of the gateways to the province of Lower Navarre, in the northern Basque Country.
Nature lovers and hikers are in the right place: rafting on the Nive river, hiking on the GR10 trail or watching griffon vultures. Bidarray has also preserved its local traditions and legends.
Arcangues is a village bordering two communes that enjoy an opening onto the Atlantic Ocean, Biarritz and Anglet.
The commune has 3107 inhabitants and covers more than 1700 hectares.
The hilly and green landscapes give an impression of harmony and calm, the right balance between nature and rural life.
The village of Mauléon is dominated by its fortified castle. The town has grown up around it but has for many years moved down the hillside to establish itself alongside the river Gave.
This town is known as the cradle of the espadrille and for its festivities which are sung in our Basque songs.
Launched by the Empress Eugenie, Biarritz has a mild climate and a beautiful coastline with jagged curves and rocks. Sporty and invigorating, for a long time now, it has offered its greens to ball players, seduced surfing fans from all over the world with its rollers, and given its credentials to thalassotherapy and fitness.
© K Pierret Delage
Nicknamed "Little California" for its state of mind, its art of living and its surfing culture, Anglet is a natural, sporty and dynamic town. Its 4.5 km of unspoilt sandy coastline and its 230 hectares of pine forests make Anglet an ideal playground for lovers of wide open spaces and contrasting landscapes.
© Pierre Chambion
In the heart of the Basque Coast, with a 5km coastline, Bidart is ideally situated to (re)discover the Basque country and to soak up the art of living specific to our destination.
© OT Hendaye
With its bay protected from heavy swells and its range of activities during the school holidays, Hendaye is the ideal destination for family holidays in the Basque Country!
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