Why go
The French Basque Country, called Iparralde in Basque, packs a lot into a small corner of France. In one day you can surf at Biarritz, eat chocolate under the arcades of Bayonne, have lunch in a whitewashed village with red shutters, and ride a cog railway into the mountains with a view of the Atlantic. San Sebastián, one of Europe's great food cities, is under an hour away across the Spanish border.
East of the Basque Country, the Pyrenees run the length of the border with Spain. This page covers Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64), Hautes-Pyrénées (65) and Ariège (09): the Béarn capital of Pau, the pilgrimage town of Lourdes, the glacial Cirque de Gavarnie, the observatory on the Pic du Midi, and the Cathar castles of Ariège. For the Mediterranean end of the range, see Toulouse, Carcassonne & Languedoc.
Different from home
The Basques have their own language, Euskara, unrelated to any other language in Europe, and a strong identity on both sides of the border. You will see bilingual road signs, the red-white-and-green Basque flag and the lauburu cross everywhere. Everyone speaks French, and a few phrases of Basque, like kaixo (hello) and eskerrik asko (thank you), go down well.
The Basque coast
Biarritz
A 19th-century resort made fashionable by Empress Eugénie, now France's best-known surf town. The Grande Plage is the main beach below the casino and the Hôtel du Palais; the Côte des Basques beach is where surfing arrived in Europe in the 1950s and where most surf schools teach. Walk the footbridge out to the Rocher de la Vierge, a rock topped by a statue of the Virgin, then the old fishing port with its seafood shacks. The Cité de l'Océan and the Aquarium cover ocean science for families.
Saint-Jean-de-Luz
A sheltered crescent beach, a working tuna port and a pedestrian center with Basque half-timbered houses. Louis XIV married the Spanish infanta Maria Theresa here in 1660 in the Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste, which has the Basque country's typical tiers of wooden galleries. It is calmer and more family-friendly than Biarritz, and the best base for La Rhune and San Sebastián.
Bayonne
The cultural capital of the French Basque Country, where the Nive meets the Adour. Tall half-timbered houses with red and green shutters line the quays, the Gothic Cathédrale Sainte-Marie is a UNESCO-listed Camino site, and the Musée Basque is the best introduction to Basque culture. Bayonne claims to be the first city in France to make chocolate, brought by Jewish refugees from Spain and Portugal in the 17th century; Cazenave, Daranatz and Pariès carry on the tradition.
Guéthary and Bidart
Two small villages between Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz with surf beaches, cliff-top paths and summer beach bars. The coastal path runs from Bidart to Hendaye.
Hendaye and Ciboure
Hendaye has the region's longest sandy beach and the Euskotren station for San Sebastián. Ciboure, across the harbor from Saint-Jean-de-Luz, was the birthplace of Maurice Ravel and has the Fort de Socoa at the bay's mouth.
Insider tip
Learn to surf on the Côte des Basques at Biarritz or the long beaches north of the city at Anglet, where surf schools run lessons in English from spring to fall. A two-hour group lesson with board and wetsuit is the usual format. Lifeguards watch flagged swimming zones in summer, and surfers have their own areas.
Inland villages: Espelette, Ainhoa and the hills
Ten miles inland, the Basque Country turns into green hills dotted with sheep, white farmhouses called etxe with red or green timbers, and villages built around a church and a pelota court.
Espelette
The village that gives its name to Espelette pepper, a mild, fruity red chile with its own AOP. In autumn, strings of drying peppers hang from the house fronts. Shops sell the pepper as powder, jelly and paste, and the village celebrates the harvest with a pepper festival on the last weekend of October. It is very busy in summer; arrive before 10 a.m.
Ainhoa
One main street of 17th-century houses on the old route to Spain, rated one of France's most beautiful villages. Less crowded than Espelette, with a fine church and fronton.
Sare
A village at the foot of La Rhune, with caves used by smugglers and a gâteau basque museum where you can take a baking workshop.
La Rhune train
A wooden cog railway dating from 1924 climbs slowly from the Col de Saint-Ignace, near Sare, to the summit of La Rhune, about 2,970 feet (905 m) high, on the border with Spain. From the top you see the coast from Biarritz to Spain and the first ridges of the Pyrenees. Allow 2.5 hours for the round trip, including about 1.5 hours at the top. The train runs daily from late March to early November; book a timed seat on rhune.com in summer, since waits at the station can be long. Wild pottok ponies graze on the slopes, and you can hike up or down instead.
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
A walled pink-sandstone town on the Nive and the traditional start of the Camino Francés, the most popular route to Santiago de Compostela. The pilgrim office on Rue de la Citadelle issues the credencial pilgrim passport. Day visitors can walk the ramparts and the citadel, and the surrounding Irouléguy vineyards grow on steep terraces.
Basque culture: pelota and festivals
Pelota is the Basque ball game, played against a wall called a fronton that you will see in every village. The fast version, cesta punta or jai alai, uses curved wicker baskets and is played indoors in a court called a jaï-alaï. Summer tournaments in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Biarritz and other towns are open to visitors, and tourist offices post weekly schedules. Look also for village festivals with Basque dancing, choirs, and force basque strength contests of log-cutting and stone-lifting.
Crossing to San Sebastián
There are no border controls between France and Spain, both in the Schengen area, so crossing is as easy as driving between US states. Bring your passport anyway, since police can run spot checks.
- By Euskotren from Hendaye. The Basque regional train, nicknamed the Topo, leaves from a small station beside Hendaye's SNCF station, with departures about every 30 minutes. It reaches central San Sebastián (Donostia) in roughly 35–40 minutes. Buy a ticket from the machine or use a contactless card. Reach Hendaye by TER train from Bayonne, Biarritz or Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
- By bus. Long-distance buses from Bayonne and Biarritz to San Sebastián take about 45 minutes to an hour. Book online with the operator.
- By car. About 30 minutes from Saint-Jean-de-Luz on the A63/AP-8, which has tolls on the Spanish side. Parking in San Sebastián is in underground garages.
Go for pintxos, the Basque bar snacks served on bread, in the old town (Parte Vieja), the curving La Concha beach and the view from Monte Igueldo. Spain eats later than France: lunch from 2 p.m., dinner from 9 p.m.
Pau and Lourdes
Pau
A gracious city where wealthy British winter residents brought fox hunting, horse racing and, in 1856, continental Europe's first golf club. The Boulevard des Pyrénées runs along a terrace with a panorama of more than 60 miles of peaks on clear days. Visit the Château de Pau, birthplace of King Henri IV, and ride the free funicular from the boulevard down to the station. Jurançon, the local white wine, comes in dry and sweet styles.
Lourdes
One of the largest Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, since a local girl, Bernadette Soubirous, reported visions of the Virgin Mary in a grotto in 1858. Millions come each year, many of them sick or disabled, hoping for healing.
Visiting Lourdes
- The Sanctuary. The Domain of the Sanctuary, with the Grotto of Massabielle, the basilicas and the springs, is free and open daily from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. The main pilgrimage season runs from about April to October.
- Processions. The torchlight Marian procession starts at 9 p.m., and the Eucharistic procession at 5 p.m., on the days scheduled; in the main season they run almost daily. The Sanctuary's website, lourdes-france.org, lists the day's program, including Masses in different languages.
- The baths and water. You can fill bottles at the water taps near the grotto for free. Immersion in the baths has returned on scheduled mornings and afternoons, alongside a simpler "water gesture"; check the day's times on the Sanctuary's site.
- Accessibility. Lourdes is unusually well set up for wheelchair users, with accessible accommodation for the sick and volunteer helpers called hospitaliers. See Accessible travel.
- Getting there. Direct TGVs from Paris-Montparnasse take about 4.5 to 5 hours, and overnight Intercités trains from Paris-Austerlitz have served Lourdes and Tarbes. Tarbes-Lourdes airport has flights from Paris and seasonal pilgrimage charters.
- Where to stay. Lourdes is often said to have more hotel rooms than any French city except Paris. Most are simple and inexpensive $–$$ and close to the Sanctuary, and many close in winter.
Expect streets of souvenir shops selling plastic bottles shaped like the Virgin. Many visitors find the grotto itself, especially at night, unexpectedly moving whatever their faith.
The high Pyrenees
Cirque de Gavarnie
A colossal natural amphitheater of cliffs nearly a mile high, part of the Pyrénées–Mont Perdu UNESCO site shared with Spain. Victor Hugo called it nature's Colosseum. The Grande Cascade, among the tallest waterfalls in Europe at about 1,390 feet (423 m), falls from its rim. From Gavarnie village, an easy path takes about 1.5 hours each way to the base of the cirque; horses and donkeys are for hire in summer. The road is about an hour from Lourdes.
Pic du Midi
A cable car from the ski resort of La Mongie lifts you to an observatory at about 9,440 feet (2,877 m), with a panorama along much of the range, terraces, an astronomy exhibition and a restaurant. Dated visit tickets, which include the cable car, start at €34 (about $38) and are cheaper booked ahead. In 2026 the summit opened daily from May 30 to November 1, with a midday break, so check picdumidi.com for winter and 2027 dates. The cable car stops in high winds; check the site the day before. A "Night at the top" stay with dinner and stargazing sells out as soon as booking opens.
Pyrenees National Park
Created in 1967 along the Spanish border, the park protects six valleys of lakes, peaks and wildlife, including marmots, isards (the Pyrenean chamois), reintroduced ibex, bearded vultures and a small population of brown bears. The best day hikes start from Cauterets (the Pont d'Espagne and Lac de Gaube), Gavarnie, the Néouvielle massif and the Ossau valley. The park's core zone has strict rules on dogs, drones, fires and camping, with bivouacking allowed only under set conditions; read the regulations on pyrenees-parcnational.fr before you go. The long-distance GR10 crosses the whole range from Hendaye to the Mediterranean.
Col du Tourmalet
The most famous climb of the Tour de France, at 6,939 feet (2,115 m), open to cars and bikes roughly from June to October. Cyclists from around the world ride it; e-bike rentals make it possible for mere mortals.
Ariège castles and caves
The least-visited part of the range. Montségur, the Cathar fortress on a peak where more than 200 heretics were burned in 1244, is a steep 30-minute climb. The castle of Foix towers over its town. Niaux, near Tarascon-sur-Ariège, is an original painted cave with prehistoric bison and horses that still admits small guided groups, so book far ahead.
Skiing
The Pyrenees have about 40 ski areas, smaller and cheaper than the Alps, with a more relaxed, local feel. The largest are Grand Tourmalet (La Mongie and Barèges), Saint-Lary, Peyragudes, Cauterets and Font-Romeu in the east, with Gourette and La Pierre Saint-Martin closer to Pau, and Ax 3 Domaines in Ariège. Snow can be unreliable early in the season; February is busiest because of French school holidays. See The outdoors.
Watch out
Mountain weather changes fast. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August, and snow can linger on high passes into June. Start hikes early, check the Météo-France mountain forecast, and carry layers and rain gear. Mountain rescue is free in France; call 112.
Walking the Camino from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Nearly half a million pilgrims received the Compostela certificate in Santiago in 2024, and most walked only the last stretch in Spain. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is where the classic Camino Francés begins, about 500 miles (800 km) from Santiago. The first day is the toughest: about 15 miles (25 km) over the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles in Spain, with about 4,000 feet (1,250 m) of climbing on the Route Napoléon.
- The high Route Napoléon is closed to walkers from November 1 to March 31 because of snow and fog, and walkers must take the lower Valcarlos route instead. Walkers who ignore the closure regularly need rescuing.
- Reach Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port by TER train from Bayonne, about 1 hr 15 min. In peak season, book the first night's bed in Roncesvalles before you set out.
- Get your pilgrim passport at the pilgrim office in town or in advance from American Pilgrims on the Camino, the US association.
- Spring and fall are the best seasons. Summer on the Meseta in Spain is very hot.
Suggested itineraries
Five days: Basque coast and villages
- Day 1
Biarritz
Arrive by TGV or plane. Walk the Grande Plage to the Rocher de la Vierge and the old port, then watch the sunset over the Côte des Basques.
- Day 2
Surf and Bayonne
Morning surf lesson, then Bayonne in the afternoon: the cathedral, the Musée Basque, a cup of hot chocolate under the arcades, and dinner in the Petit Bayonne quarter.
- Day 3
Inland villages
La Rhune train first thing, lunch in Sare, then Ainhoa and Espelette in the late afternoon when the day-trippers leave.
- Day 4
San Sebastián
Train to Hendaye and the Euskotren to San Sebastián. La Concha in the morning, pintxos in the old town, Monte Igueldo for sunset.
- Day 5
Saint-Jean-de-Luz
A slow morning on the beach and the port, the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, and a last seafood lunch. Train or fly home.
Four more days: into the mountains (car recommended)
- Day 6
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pau
Morning in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and an Irouléguy tasting, then drive through the Béarn to Pau. Sunset on the Boulevard des Pyrénées.
- Day 7
Lourdes
The Sanctuary by day and the evening candlelight procession. Sleep in Lourdes or move up to Cauterets.
- Day 8
Gavarnie
The walk to the foot of the Cirque de Gavarnie, or the Pont d'Espagne and Lac de Gaube above Cauterets.
- Day 9
Pic du Midi
An early cable car from La Mongie for the clearest views, then the drive over the Col du Tourmalet and on to Toulouse for flights home (about 2.5 hours).
Getting there and around
From Paris
TGVs from Paris-Montparnasse reach Bayonne in about 4 hours, continuing to Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hendaye. Others run to Pau, Lourdes and Tarbes in about 4.5 to 5 hours. The Intercités de Nuit sleeper from Paris-Austerlitz has served the Pyrenees and Basque coast, saving a hotel night; check SNCF Connect for which nights and destinations run this season. Book on SNCF Connect; see Trains.
Flights from Paris to Biarritz (Air France from Charles de Gaulle, Transavia from Orly), Pau and Tarbes-Lourdes take about 1 hour 20 minutes. There are no direct US flights to any of them, but in summer Biarritz has seasonal flights from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich and London, which can make a one-stop connection from the US. Bilbao airport in Spain, two hours from Biarritz, has more European connections. See Flights.
Car or no car
Biarritz, Bayonne, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Hendaye, Pau and Lourdes all work without a car, linked by TER trains and buses. Local buses run to Espelette and Ainhoa, but infrequently. You need a car for the inland villages on your own schedule, the mountain valleys, Gavarnie, the Pic du Midi and Ariège. Mountain roads are narrow and winding; budget extra time. See Driving in France.
| Route | Time |
|---|---|
| Biarritz → Bayonne | About 15 min by train or car |
| Biarritz → Saint-Jean-de-Luz | About 15 min by train, 25 min by car |
| Hendaye → San Sebastián (Euskotren) | About 35–40 min |
| Bayonne → Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port | About 1 hr 15 min by train |
| Bayonne → Pau | About 1 hr 15 min by train or car |
| Pau → Lourdes | About 30 min by train |
| Lourdes → Gavarnie | About 1 hr by car |
| Lourdes → La Mongie (Pic du Midi) | About 1 hr by car |
| Pau → Toulouse | About 2 hr 15 min by car or train |
Where to base yourself
For the coast, Biarritz has the most hotels and nightlife, Saint-Jean-de-Luz is calmer and better for families, and Bayonne is the cheapest and most local. For the villages, a farmhouse B&B near Espelette or Sare gives you quiet nights. In the mountains, base in Cauterets, Luz-Saint-Sauveur or Saint-Lary in summer, or in Pau for city comforts. July and August are expensive and book up early on the coast. See Where to stay.
Hôtel du Palais
Napoleon III's seaside palace for Empress Eugénie, now a grand hotel on the Grande Plage, extensively renovated in recent years and now part of Hyatt's Unbound Collection.
Seaside hotels in Saint-Jean-de-Luz
A row of hotels faces the beach promenade, from simple family-run places to spa hotels. Book a room with a bay view.
Bayonne town hotels
Small hotels in the old center are the region's best value, and 15 minutes by train from the beaches.
Basque farmhouse B&Bs
Chambres d'hôtes in old etxe farmhouses, often with hearty breakfasts of gâteau basque and sheep's cheese.
Mountain hotels and refuges
Family hotels in spa and ski towns, plus staffed mountain huts for hikers that require reservations in summer.
Food and drink
- Jambon de Bayonne. Dry-cured ham with a protected geographical indication, salted with salt from the Adour basin. Bayonne's ham fair takes over the city around Easter.
- Espelette pepper. Used in place of black pepper in many Basque dishes, including piperade (peppers, tomato and onion, often with eggs and ham) and axoa, a veal stew.
- Seafood. Tuna from Saint-Jean-de-Luz, chipirons (small squid), and ttoro, a Basque fish soup.
- Cheese. Ossau-Iraty sheep's cheese, often served with black cherry jam from Itxassou.
- Gâteau basque. A shortbread-like cake filled with pastry cream or black cherry jam.
- Chocolate. Bayonne's chocolatiers make bars and the traditional frothy hot chocolate served with toast.
- Wine and drinks. Irouléguy reds and rosés from the hills, sweet and dry Jurançon whites near Pau, Madiran reds, Basque cider, and Izarra herbal liqueur.
Rustic inland restaurants called cidreries serve set menus of cod omelet, steak and cheese with cider straight from the barrel, mostly in winter and spring. See Food and Wine.
Seasons and events 2026–2027
- Spring (April–June). Green and fresh, with good surf and few crowds, but rain is frequent: the Basque coast is one of the wettest parts of France. Snow still blocks high mountain trails until June.
- Summer (July–August). The coast is warm and packed, with water around 70°F (21°C). The mountains are at their best for hiking, with all passes and huts open.
- Fall (September–October). Often the best weather of the year on the coast, with warm water and empty beaches. Espelette's pepper festival is at the end of October.
- Winter (December–March). Mild and rainy on the coast, with big-wave surf for spectators. Ski season in the mountains.
Fêtes de Bayonne
For five days each summer, Bayonne hosts France's biggest street party, with around a million visitors over the five days, all dressed in white with red scarves and sashes. Expect parades, Basque sports, bullfights, concerts and nonstop drinking in the streets. The festival runs from a Wednesday to the following Sunday in July. It was traditionally held at the end of July, but the dates have shifted in recent years, and the 2027 dates had not been confirmed when this page was checked. Watch the official site, fetes.bayonne.fr, which also explains the entry pass now required for the festival zone. Hotels for 30 miles around book out months ahead. Families should come for the gentler daytime program, including the children's day.
Other dates to know: Bayonne's ham fair around Easter, Biarritz's surf events in summer, and the Tour de France, which crosses the Pyrenees in July most years. See Festivals & sports and When to go.
Tips for Americans
- Book San Sebastián's famous restaurants weeks ahead; for pintxos bars, just walk in and point.
- The Atlantic here is cold and rough by Florida or California standards. Swim only between the flags.
- Pack a rain jacket in every season.
- If you drive into Spain, your US license works, though an International Driving Permit is recommended. Rental companies may charge a cross-border fee; tell them in advance.
- Spain uses the same euro, plug and emergency number (112). Phone plans with EU roaming cover both countries.
- Many mountain trails are not signed in English. Download offline maps before you go. See Staying connected.
Related pages
- The outdoors for surfing, hiking and skiing.
- Trains and Driving.
- Food and Wine.
- Festivals & sports for the Fêtes de Bayonne and the Tour de France.
- Nearby regions: Bordeaux & the Atlantic Coast (north), Toulouse, Carcassonne & Languedoc (east).
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