The Basque Country

Located at 10 min from Biarritz and the ocean, 30 min from Spain and 40 min from the foothills of the Pyrenees, 

Bayonne is a fortified town of 46,000 inhabitants and is crossed by both the Nive and Adour rivers. Bayonne rubs shoulders with famous resort towns like Biarritz, Anglet, St Jean de Luz and Hendaye as well as the picturesque inland-Basque villages of Aïnhoa, Sare, Espelette and St Jean Pied de Port,... and the unspoiled beauty of the nearby Côte landaise.

The Basque Country also extends into neighbouring Spain where you can visit San Sebastián and its Old Quarter, Hondarribia for its first-class tapas, Bayonne's twin town Pamplona or Bilbao and its famous Guggenheim Museum.

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To get here the Biarritz Pays Basque airport is located 8 km from the city center.

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Bayonne owes its significant architectural heritage to its rich history : "Old Bayonne" with the Cathedral and Cloister of Saint-Marie, the Château-Vieux , fortifications,  chocolate tradition and historical streets.

The heart of old Bayonne offers pedestrian shopping streets bustling all year round with a wide choice of shops which usually open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm. You can discover local Basque gourmet specialties : ham, chocolate, cheese, cold meats and more, and craft products such as Basque linen, and espadrilles. 

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Pleasure is a way of life in Bayonne and its many restaurants offer the best in local cuisine : Axoa de veau (minced veal), merlu koskera (hake), piperade (scrambled eggs with peppers), omelette à la morue (salt cod omelette), chuleta (meat cutlet)... You can also experience the Spanish influence, from delicious tapas in the local Bodegas, to dinner in one of the Basque cidreries (cider houses).

Situated in the town center, Bayonne's enticing covered market les Halles is open every morning selling all the local produces. On Saturday mornings local producers and clothing traders gather here for a vast open air market.