BAYONNE

Bayonne center

Bayonne was built at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, and is an essential stop-off on your trip. You will get a feel for the liveliness of this city and its rich culture of architecture, gastronomy, sport, traditional dance, festivals, museums, art, bull fighting, etc. It is no accident that it has been named a “City of Art and History”.

The first fortifications date back to Roman times. In the 17th century, Vauban made Bayonne into a fortified city with a citadel. The moats of the former bastions have been turned into pleasant walkways creating vast green areas with botanical gardens.

You will notice the consistent style of architecture in the town centre. It was built in a style unique in France with narrow paved streets creating the typical “two key” houses.  Some façades are no more than one window wide but are several floors high. The colourful timber framing in green, red, grey and blue is what gives the city its charm. Not to mention the many bridges crossing the Nive and the Adour.

There is no shortage of heritage spots to visit, you have the choice of three museums – the Basque Museum presenting the city’s history, the Bonnat-Helleu Fine Arts Museum and the Natural History Museum, as well as the cathedral and its cloister, and the arenas.

This city is the capital of chocolate, with no fewer than 8 chocolate makers. You will have a hard time choosing between chocolate and the famous Bayonne ham, but then again, why choose?
Are you in town for the Bayonne-Biarritz rugby derby? The atmosphere will be highly charged and will certainly leave a strong impression!

This two-facetted town between sea and pine forest is located between Bayonne and Biarritz. You can enjoy all sorts of sports including surfing, golf, treetop adventure trails and cycling; and cultural activities such as the Biennale Internationale d’Art Contemporain and the Théâtre Quintaou, with the “national stage” label, not forgetting the gigantic flea market!

Around the marketplace, a relaxed urban atmosphere fills the bars and restaurants, spilling out onto the streets. Tapas and traditional dishes can be enjoyed on the terraces. Take on the waves at one of the four beaches in this seaside city, then walk through the streets to discover a rich variety of architecture.

Bidart is a charming town with a variety of activities on offer. Laze about on one of the six beaches, take a walk along the Coastal Trail or allow yourself a moment of contemplation from a high lookout point over the sea, the mountains and the sunset. Would you like to learn to play golf? Visit the Ilbarritz International Training Centre.

A food-lover’s town, with a Chocolate Museum and a Gateau Basque festival.
It has a rich heritage, as evident in Villa Arnaga, the former residence of writer Cyrano de Bergerac, which is now a museum. Enjoy peace and simplicity at the heart of this inland town.

This town’s location between the sea, the mountains and the Spanish border allows you to combine several different activities in one day: the beach, a walk and an evening of tapas. The picturesque view over the bays from the cliffs is unforgettable. The strata of sedimentary rock in the cliffs are well worth a look.

A charming fishing harbour, a beach sheltered from the waves, a pedestrian town centre with lovely boutiques, botanical gardens on the Archilua cliff, located on the Coastal Trail, and architectural heritage tours. All of this awaits you in this renowned seaside town.