Overview

The Basque country was once a more or less single entity, occupied in turn by the Romans, Vandals, Visigoths and Arabs...But in 1512 the Basque country was split in two along the French-Spanish border, with three provinces allotted to the French side and four to Spain. For many years, the Basques would fight for their independence from Spain and from France, but as you can see today, those efforts did not succeed. Today, the Basque country is mainly a rural region, which is very catholic, with many religious rites and with a strong growth in tourism.

The French Basque Country is famous for its beaches and shiny modern architecture…and for its spirited, industrious natives. It's also exceptionally beautiful: Bright white chalet-style homes with deep-red and green shutters dotted across lush, rolling hills and picturesque towns; the Pyrenees Mountains soar high above the Atlantic. While the French side of this area seems French first and Basque second, the region has its own special identity, combining Basque and French influences.

Areas

There are 3 basque sections/arrondissements in the French territory: Labourd (which is the beautiful coastal area and vicinity), Basse Navarre (or Lower Navarre) and La Soule - all which offer incredible landscapes from the Atlantic Ocean to the high peaks of the Pyrenees mountain range.

Labourd is the coastal area of the Basque Country. It stretches from the borders of Gascony to the Pyrenees and Spain; from the long beaches in the south of Landes up to the steep coasts of Anglet starting in Biarritz and stretching up to Hendaye, to steep-sided cliffs. The coast is 7-miles long with famous seaside resorts and typical ports such as Biarritz, Hendaye, Saint Jean de Luz, and Bayonne, the gateway to the Basque country. The attraction of this area is the several quaint villages such as Ascain, Sare, Ainhoa, and Espleletter, famous for peppers. In the middle of green countryside lies traditional rural architecture with lovely green and red Labourd houses, squares and pediments, churches and galleries.

Lower Navarre (or Basse Navarre) boasts a great architectural heritage as a result of its tumultuous history. It has untouched landscapes, tranquil valleys, pastures and forests. It is the kingdom of shepherds and farmers as well as an idyllic place for hikers.

There are several distinct and interesting valleys: The Haute Vallée de la Nive in the West, the Pays de Cize and its capital, Saint Jean Pied de Port, in the east. This landscape is made up of deep valleys. Visit Saint Jean Pied de Port, St Martin d’Arrossa, Irouleguy and its vineyards, Saint Etienne de Baigorry, Ossès. In the center of this region is the Vallée de la Joyeuse, an agricultural area, and its capital, Saint Martin d’Arberoue where you can find a variety of landscapes.

Soule is the smallest and least populated area of the Basquc country. The area is the size of a valley, the Saison Valley (Gave de Pau is a tributary of the Saison River) stretching from Pic d’Orhy (highest Basque peak) in the South, to the Hospital Saint Blaise in the North. This is a mountainous region with steep valleys and lush forests, and where you will see shepherds and their herds roaming the pastures. It is the region of the Espadrilles (canvas sandals) and sheep cheese. You will find all the Basque culture and traditions here, including folk dances and songs and saints celebrations.

Language

Euskara is the traditional language spoken by the Basque people. However, after the 20th-century, the language has seen a stong decline, mainly during the dictatorship of Franco who prohibited it. The Basque language is nowadays extensively promoted and used in both French and Spanish Basque areas.

Basque is a complicated language to learn. There are many local dialects spoken around the region and the rules are hard to relate to as it has no common roots with contemporary languages. For this reason, the Basque Language Acadamy has developed a standardized version called Batua, nowadays taught in schools and used for any official communication.

Not all Basque people speak Batua or a local Basque dialect, and in a time where the primary criteria to be considered as Euskaldun (Basque) is the ability to speak the language. It is not unusual to have basque only speaking schools or hear parents only speaking in Basque with their children.

Although, everyone will also speak either French on the French side of Basque Country. And oftentimes, a bit of English too.

Pilgrim Routes in Basque Country

Walking the Camino de Santiago is one of the most popular pilgrimages in Europe. It attracts thousands of international tourists in the Basque Country each year with two of the most popular itineraries passing through. The most important one - the “French Way” - that Pilgrims usually start in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French Basque Country, crosses the Pyrenees chain towards Pamplona before reaching the Rioja, Meseta and ultimately the Galicia region.

On the North coast the “Camino del Norte” starts in general in Hendaye to San Sebastian and Bilbao before heading south to Santiago de Compostella. This walk can also be started in Bordeaux or Biarritz via the Biscay Bay Coastal walk.

Cuisine

The food in the French Basque Country is heavily influenced by both French and Spanish traditions of food. With the sea on one side and the Ebro valley on the other, the area offers a huge diversity of local produce. From the freshly caught seafood to the mountain products such as sheep cheese and ham, or even river trouts, local pepper, vegetables and fruits, it is all rich and delicious.

There is a distinct difference between Basque seaside cooking and Basque inland cuisine, naturally incorporating the ingredients most natural to the location. However, the biggest difference of all is between the sides of the modern border, where the food has taken on more local French or Spanish influences.

But Basque cuisine is about more than the ingredients, it is also about the way you eat and share your food, a tradition that has been passed on to southwestern France. People often cook together, and then share the food from large plates on the tables.

In more recent decades, many chefs from this region were strongly influenced by the nouvelle cuisine that became so famous in France, and they created their own version of this new line of fine cooking called “nueva cocina vasca”. Like its French counterpart it was very radical in its form, but very traditional and true to its origin when it came to substance. Like in France, new versions of older dishes were born - lighter and often less rustic.

Surfing

Biarritz is known as the “birthplace of European surfing” after the Parisian high-society tried this new sports in the ’50s and made it popular. The city of the Kings and more largely the Bay of Biscay, offer fabulous opportunities for surfing thanks to a constant swell and different type of waves accessible to surfers of all levels and abilities. It is usually more enjoyable to catch a wave during the summer month as the Atlantic ocean warms up a bit although, waves tend to be quieter from June to August and the beach a lot busier with tourists and swimmers. Advanced surfers will therefore, prefer to head to Biarritz early fall while novice may prefer spring and summer.

In Biarritz, there are two main beaches to go surfing: la côte des basque and Grande Plage, but you can also drive along the coast to find quieter spots such as Guethary, Hendaye, or Anglet. Surfers will find a lot of places where you can rent a board or take a surf class.

During the early summer months, there are a few festivals and surf competitions around the region, such as the World Surfing Championships, Day of gliding, Championnats du monde ISA de longboard, Wheels and Waves, Surf de Nuit, Pro Anglet, and more.