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Along the coast in northern Spain and southern France sits the unique Basque region. The Basques have their own language, culture, and traditions. Bilbao, San Sebastian, Bayonne, and Biarritz all are major cities in the Basque region and, while technically in two different countries—Spain and France—seem to make up a smaller, unique country of their own. While most people visit Bilbao or San Sebastian in Spain, visiting Bayonne and Biarritz in France is something special because the pride in being Basque is truly palpable.
Where To Stay in Bayonne and Biarritz
The beautiful thing about these two Basque cities is that they are very close to each other. We recommend visiting both Bayonne and Biarritz. However, you don’t have to stay in both because you can just do a day-trip between them on the local bus.
Bayonne
Most people probably opt to stay in Biarritz, but we believe Bayonne is the better choice.
Yes, Bayonne is inland, grittier, and the more industrial city. However, it’s also cheaper to stay in and away from all the tourists.
Bayonne is pretty walkable, so you can stay anywhere near the center and be close to everything, including the bus to Biarritz.
To find places to stay in Bayonne, check out Airbnb, HostelWorld, and Booking.com.
As with deciding where to stay in almost any city in the world, if you stay closer to the center, it will be more expensive, but closer to most things you want to see and where you will want to eat and drink.
Biarritz
Biarritz is like the flashy, coastal city when compared to Bayonne. It has a totally different vibe. Like we said, most people probably opt to stay in Biarritz because it’s on the water.
Biarritz will probably be more expensive to stay in than Bayonne, but you will be closer to the beach.
There are plenty of hostels, hotels, and Airbnbs at varying price points throughout Bayonne and Biarritz.
What we did:
Once again, regardless of whether you stay in Bayonne and Biarritz, you should take a day-trip to the other city. They are connected by a bus that takes about 20 minutes. It only costs 1€ each way, or you can get the 24-hour pass for 2€ where you get unlimited rides for 24 hours.
Bayonne
In Bayonne, we mostly walked around the center of town and saw them setting up the Fêtes de Bayonne, a festival that happens every summer.
Unfortunately, we missed the Fêtes de Bayonne by a day…We didn’t know about it when we booked our trip.
If you’re in the area, including San Sebastián, during the Fêtes, which is usually the last week or so of July, make the trip to Bayonne because even the pre-festival looked awesome!
The center of Bayonne is quaint, beautiful, and captures the true essence of Basque culture. Take a stroll through it, see the Cathedral, and enjoy the narrow streets, architecture, and river that flows through the Bayonne.
Biarritz
We only took a day-trip to Biarritz, so we didn’t get to experience everything. However, there’s a lot to do between the beach and the center of town. We didn’t go in the water because it was a little cooler that day, but we walked the path all along the water. It was beautiful! If you’re into surfing, it might be a good option as there were a lot of people surfing.
Where to eat and drink:
Bayonne
Cidrerie Ttipia – The Basque country is known for their cider houses where you get unlimited cider and a delicious meal, culminating with steak. We went here to check it out and, because of our incredibly weak French skills, accidentally ordered a 4 course meal. It consisted of tortilla de patata, bacalao, salad, cheese, bread, walnuts, and steak. Plus, we got all the cider we could drink. This meal is a little pricey at 40€ per person, but it’s delicious.
Chocolat Cazenave – Bayonne is famous for their chocolate. In fact, it’s said to have the best chocolate in the world. At Chocolat Cazenave, we ordered 2 hot chocolates and a croissant. The hot chocolates were like nothing we ever tasted before. They were by far the best hot chocolates we have ever tasted, and probably will ever taste.
You can also buy some of their chocolate bars to go, like we did, in case you’re looking for gifts or simply more delicious chocolate on your travels. Chocolat Cazenave is an absolute must when visiting Bayonne.
L’atelier du chocolat – Since Bayonne is famous for chocolate, we decided to stop into another chocolate shop. This time we ordered different types of chocolates, each with a different flavor, and once again, they were delicious. You can also see them making the chocolate inside the shop at L’atelier du chocolat.
Restaurant Le Chistera – When looking for dinner, we ended up Restaurant Le Chistera. Their charcuterie plate was really good as the Basques, even in France, are known for their jamon like the Spanish. However, the tuna tartar we had to eat was just okay. Our lack of French got us two orders of it instead of one, but either way, they weren’t too great. Maybe their other items would have been better, so keep this in mind if you go.
West Farm – If you’re looking for a delicious breakfast spot in Bayonne, or simply craving a bagel, check out West Farm. Their staff was super friendly and helpful, and their bagel sandwiches were to die for. We got the Farm Bagel and the Euskadi Bagel. It was a little pricier, but it’s because it was the first day of the Fêtes de Bayonne.
Biarritz
Milwaukee Cafe – We stopped into the Milwaukee Cafe in Biarritz quick just to check it out because we’re from, and currently live in, Milwaukee. The owners are actually from Milwaukee too! Their coffee was good, and while the food looked good, we didn’t eat here.
Olea Mediterranean Cuisine – We did, however, eat at Olea Mediterranean Cuisine in Biarritz, which was outstanding. They had quite a few options that were refreshing healthy and full of vegetables, which is always a bonus after a long vacation of eating out without much fresh fruit and vegetables. We’d definitely recommend eating here if you’re in Biarritz!
The two Basque cities of Bayonne and Biarritz in France certainly have a different feel than other French cities, like Bordeaux. They have their own unique atmosphere and culture. It’s really interesting to see the ties between all the Basque cities, like Bilbao, San Sebastian, Bayonne, and Biarritz. The Basque culture and language are so rich, unique, and intriguing.
Anywhere along the Basque Coast in Spain and southern France is visit that will definitely be worth your while, especially if you’re interested in the history of a truly unique culture.
Still not inspired to visit Bayonne and Biarritz? Check out these 11 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Bayonne and Biarrtiz!
2 Comments
I have visited Biarritz and Bayonne on many occasions in the last 25 years. Quite simply I adore both cities, but would recommend experiencing the Fete de Bayonne at least once. The atmosphere is incredible, the people friendly and generous, the festival is like no other. Lively, exciting and vibrant. If you love food, music, wine and having a five day party, there is nowhere better. I have not been since 2019, but will return this year.
We would love to visit the Fete de Bayonne! When we were in Bayonne and Biarritz, it was the week before the festival, so we unfortunately just missed it. If our trip wasn’t planned last minute trip due to other travel plans being canceled, we would have loved to have stayed for the Fete de Bayonne. Maybe we can make it there soon!