The French Basque Country
One of the coolest advantages of living in Europe is the ability to travel more regularly than in North America; distances being shorter, costs are typically much lower. Most European countries also offer more holidays than other places, therefore weekend getaways are really a thing here!
Early October, I had the opportunity to go South West to visit the Basque Country. We had three days to explore the area. The Basque Country is a region that’s located in both France and Spain, but the Spanish side is much bigger than the French. The main French cities we’ve been to are Biarritz, Bidart, Anglet and Bayonne (note: you’ll need a car to get around the region).
Biarritz
Biarritz is a beach town that is absolutely gorgeous, and there’s a nice walk that can be done along the ocean and cliffs. It’s where you’ll find Rocher de la Vierge, but also a bunch of nice restaurants. There are many places where you can do to to get nice views on the Atlantic ocean. I would suggest parking at a strategic spot when you arrive downtown, and then walk; parking can be a hassle, especially during high season.
Bidart
Bidart is a smaller city, and it’s also where we stayed. It’s just outside of Biarritz and it is less crowded. There are beautiful beaches there too, and we found a cute neighbourhood that’s called Bassilour where there is an old mill that’s still working. You should check it out and go get a home-made Basque cake there. The old town of Bidart is also very cute, and has traditional restaurants.
Anglet
Anglet is yet another beach town that’s on the opposite side of Bidart when you get out of Biarritz. It has a long beach were surfers usually come to catch some big waves. The beach has a modern boardwalk full of gift shops, fashion boutiques, restaurants and surf clubs. It’s the ideal place to learn how to surf.
Bayonne
Last is Bayonne, a city well-known for its ham, as well as its annual celebration called: “Fêtes de Bayonne”. We had the chance to visit the old town on a Sunday with literally no one in the streets: we had the place to ourselves. The cathedral is absolutely stunning and the cloister is even more beautiful.
We’ve visited all of the above in just two days, which I admit was a bit too short to really enjoy the region fully, but we didn’t feel like we rushed from one place to another. Everything kind of worked out perfectly. One thing is sure, we will definitely be back!