Local
Guide:
Urrugne
& Ascain
The local town of Urrugne is a Basque delight.
Half-timbered homes line the main street, their ox blood red frames
typifying the local architecture. From the village, a steep road
leads to the village chapel, Notre-Dame-de-Socorri. The chapel
itself is unremarkable but the views from the summit are wonderful.
The three Western Pyrénéan peaks of la Rhune, Jaozkibel
and Les Trois Couronnes are all visible, rising above the rolling
green foothills. Take a picnic and relax here for a few hours
with a bottle of Irouleguy, the local vin.
Urrugne is home to the basic essential for your stay - butcher,
baker, pharmacy, etc. There's also a very handy hypermarket just
out of town too - 5 kms from the cottage.
There are a couple of local châteaux worth a visit. Château
d'Uturbie, on the edge of Urrugne, was the home of medieval
viscounts and dates back to the mid 14th century. Wellington used
it as a base during his rampage through south west France. Today
there are fine collections of antique furnishings and tapestries.
The protected area of rocky coastline known as the Domaine
d'Abbadie, is well worth a visit for walk and picinic.
In fact, the rugged coastline between Hendaye and St Jean de Luz
(Route de Corniche) is a reminder of Cornwall's north coast, with
its pounding seas and sandy coves. Thankfully it's a bit warmer
here. The cliffside 19th century Château d'Abbadie
is an enjoyable stop. The château was built by an Irish-Basque
explorer with a fondness for astrology. The château contains
some interesting and very fine furnishings and has its own observatory.
The beautiful Florenia Floral Gardens near Urrugne
is another good option for spending a pleasant half-day (the parc
covers 45 acres).
The pretty Basque village of Ascain
is a similar distance from the house as Urrugne, but heading inland.
There are good restaurants and traditional shops here - it's a
great place for an evening meal. Of historic interest is the 16thC
church and the three-arched medieval bridge crossing the Nive.
Ascain is also a good base for hikers and from here you can catching
the funicular train to the summit of La Rhune (see suggested day-trips
below).
Local Area
The Basque Country is a little world all of its
own. The regional cuisine and architecture provide character enough
but more than that, this ‘country’ also has its own
language. For a ‘formal’ introduction to Basque culture,
try the Musée Basque at Bayonne. However, the best ways
to soak up the culture are to visit one of the many fêtes
that take place throughout the year, or, even better, to watch
a game of pelota. The fastest ball game in the world, this is
perhaps the most vivid image of the Basque Country.
Biarritz and St Jean de Luz
are on your doorstep and whether its beaches, boutique shops,
restaurants or festivals you are looking for, both of these towns
are hard to beat. Stylish but without the pretence of the Riviera,
these are as colourful and vibrant seaside towns as you will find
in France. They are the sorts of places where you will see whole
families sitting down to start dinner at 10.30pm! St Jean de Luz
is recognised as the capital of Basque cuisine and is noted, in
particular, for its seafood (it is one of Rick Stein’s favourite
places). St Jean has a twice weekly market - Tuesday and Friday
morning.
Sitting at the foot of the Pyrénées
bordering Spain and the Atlantic ocean, Hendaye
boasts an enviable and spectacular location. What really makes
Hendaye a great holiday location is the 3kms of beach that crosses
two countries, broken only by the mouth of the Bidassoa river.
The ocean location means there are all sorts of watersports to
be sampled here...surfing, kite-surfing, wind-surfing,
sailing, kayaking as well as diving in
some of the quieter coves along the coast.
Sailing is very popular here thanks to Hendaye's
impressive marina. Boat trips up and down the Bidassoa, including
trips to the Spanish side are possible in the summer. Also located
at the marina is Serge Blanco's thalassotherapy centre
(see link below) and Hendaye casino. There are numerous bars and
restaurants here also but try the old town (Béhobie) for
something more authentic. Hendaye has two weekly markets
held on Wednesday and Saturday mornings plus a Monday evening
regular of Basque dancing and pelota.
The area is totally under-exploited for its golf
despite the game’s rich history in this region and the presence
of some wonderful courses: Chantaco, Nivelle, Le Phare, Arcangues,
Makila, Chiberta, Hossegor, Seignosse and Moliets are all within
an hour’s drive. José-Maria Olazabal’s course,
Fuenterrabia, is just across the border into Spain.
Horse-riding, mountain-biking and fishing
are also popular. Surfers will already be familiar
with the Côte Basque, and there are plenty of surf schools
for beginners.
The countryside is a delight; the rolling green hills are popular
with the few British visitors that the region receives. The foothills
rise to the mountains of the Pyrénées which are
home to dozens of hiking trails including the
famous coast-to-coast GR10 track. Eagles, vultures, wild horses
and the occasional brown bear make this one of Europe’s
most exotic wildlife locations. Bird-watchers
in particular will be kept busy twitching. The Pyrénées
also provide thrill-seekers with a range of extreme sports
from white-water rafting to paragliding.
The mountain landscapes are at their fines in the Haut-Béarn
region.
The local mountain pass into Spain, the Col d’Ibardi,
is a former a smuggling route and today is still a place to buy
cheap wine and spirits. These mountain pass towns exist all along
the Pyrénées.
A great trip for the kids is a ride on Le Petit Train
de la Rhune. Standing over 900m high, La Rhune is the
distinct and symbolic peak of the western Pyrénées.
It can be reached by foot – a lovely day’s walking
– or by funicular train. The 360 degree views from the summit
are spectacular.
Other suggestions for day-trips:
• A
tour of French Basque country villages: Ainhoa,
Sare, La Bastide Clairance Cambo-les-Bains, Espelette
and St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
•
A
visit to Bayonne, the under-rated ‘capital’
of the Pays Basque
•
Wine-tasting in the vineyards of Irouleguy
•
A
visit to the laid-back city of Pau for sight-seeing,
boutique shopping and café-crawling
•
Crossing the border into Spain for a visit to
San Sebastian, Pamplona or the Guggenheim
museum at Bilbao
For further information try the links below. Please note that
we cannot be held responsible for the content of third party sites.
Tourist Guide
to Pyrénées-Atlantique
Departement
Guide
to the Wines of SW France
UK Tourist
Office for France
Learn About the
Basque Country
