A lot is known about the Basques on the Spanish side of the border, but few of us visit the places in Aquitaine, on the French side, which are just as proud, full of history, and because of their natural features, also attractive to the young and active.
Activities and relaxation
Biarritz
The most famous city of the French southwest is a lively center with a unique blend of French and Basque culture. During the time of Napoleon III. the former fishing town was turned into a bathing resort and soon gained a reputation as one of France's most fashionable holiday resorts. But the glitz and glamor has moved to the Cote d'Azur, and most Biarritz residents agree that it's for the best, as the beaches of the former aristocratic gathering place are now full of tanned beauties in designer swimwear and freestyle surfers whose bermuda shorts haven't seen the washing machine in at least a season. or two. The tradition of spa tourism is continued mainly by thalassotherapy centers, the most popular being Thalmar and Thalasse Biarritz in the Sofitel Hotel, both located right next to the coast, offering guests a beautiful view of the sea while they gather new strength with mud wraps or wrapped in seaweed. It is more affordable to visit the public swimming pool with heated sea water, which is also located along the coast.
Surfing paradise
Today, Biarritz is best known as the surfing capital of France and one of the best surfing areas in Europe. The Hawaiian sport was first introduced to the city by Peter Viertel, a Hollywood screenwriter, who in 1956, during the filming of the film The Sun Also Rises, ordered a surfboard to be transported from California. Riding the waves was an instant hit with the locals and Biarritz soon became a surfing center, thanks to the deep and turbulent waters of the Bay of Biscay, which provide high waves. The most important surfing holiday in the city is the annual surfing festival, which attracts thousands of enthusiasts.
Tours and purchases
Bayonne
Just eight kilometers from Biarritz lies the administrative center of the Bayonne region. Only a quarter of an hour's drive from the center of one city to the center of another city brings us to a completely new world. Bayonne is a little-known but charming town with a cathedral, old timber-framed houses, located at the confluence of the Adour and Nive rivers. Although the inhabitants of the two cities constantly tease each other and are eternal rivals, they are united by the pride of the Basque tradition. The rich heritage is reflected in restaurant menus, in the Basque language spoken by many residents, and in one of the fastest games in the world, called pelota. In Bayonne, they are also proud of the oldest bullring, which is full of spectators in August and September. Bayonne actually combines three cities divided by water. On the right side of the Adour River lies Saint-Esprit, where after the expulsion from Spain and Portugal, the Jews were able to settle, bring cocoa beans with them and start trading in chocolate, for which Bayonne is still known today. On the peninsula between the rivers lies Petit Bayonne, a traditional Basque quarter, where you can also visit two of the best museums in the region, the Musée Basque, which showcases Basque history and customs, and the Musée Bonnat, an incredibly rich collection of the painter Léon Bonnat, which displays the works of El Greco, Delacroix and Degas. On the north side of the Nive River lies Grand Bayonne, the ancient heart of the city with its Gothic cathedral, beautiful old palaces and tempting chocolate shops.
Restaurants
San Sebastián
Since we are in the homeland of the Basques and only a few kilometers from the Spanish border, it is worth going to the tourist center of the northern Spanish coast and, for many, the culinary capital of the world, San Sebastian, for at least one lunch or dinner. The small Basque town has more Michelin stars per inhabitant than any other city in the world. Juan Mari Arzak, who took over the family restaurant in San Sebastián in 1966, is considered the father of the New Basque cuisine, which combines traditional local recipes with the influences of the new French cuisine, but allows himself a lot of freedom, even to the extent of using liquid nitrogen in his kitchen . Arzak founded a small fraternity of local chefs, including Pedro Subijano, who runs the Akelarre restaurant. In thirty years of operation, the genius masters have made San Sebastian famous as a gastronomic destination without precedent in the world.
Hint
We follow the wind
If we come to Aquitaine by car, we can head north from Biarritz towards Bordeaux and let the wind blow along the wild beaches of southwestern France. New friends and good advice will be easily found at the Natural Surf Lodge camp with a hammam, hammocks and a treehouse, i.e. everything we need for a perfect vacation and planning new adventures. Hossegor, north of Biarritz, is another popular surfing center where you can spend the night at the Shifting Sands Surf Camp. Every year in September, the best in the world compete in the Quiksilver Pro France competition in the waves of Hossegor. We will test our skills at Mimizan Plage, where there are excellent conditions for beginners and experts, and we will find a break at Pura Vida Lodge & Surf School. A real little discovery is the beach of Lacanau east of Bordeaux, where the nature and the possibilities for windsurfing and surfing the waves are absolutely divine, and rest in the P & V Lacanau Holiday Village is also divine, where you can rent just a room or even a whole house in a beautiful pine grove. From Lacanau, we are only a short drive away from one of the most important wine centers in the world, Bordeaux.
