Two months in and it still feels strange classifying some Basque country posts in the France section. Even though it’s undeniably French in language, food and culture, it didnt feel like the same France we know and love. It almost felt like another country, called Basque 😊.
One of the highlights of Pays Basque is the rich collection of picturesque villages spread out in the mountains. It seems like each one of a handful or so villages has found itself on the coveted “Most Beautiful Villages in France” list over the years. You dont have to see all of them, as spending ample time in the ones below will give you a good taste and more. Less is more, remember? Says the person who never learns and tried to see as many villages as possible.
Start with the longest drive of the day, an hour or so from the coast (where you’ll most likely stay. Here’s one suggestion) to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, possibly the the creme de la creme of the Pays villages. Besides having possibly the most dashes in a name (Guinness?), this town has a lot going for it. It is the starting point of one of the most popular Camino routes, and the ending point of other hikes. Its like Disney for hikers if there ever was one.
Like many such gems, the action is centered around one street, between Porte de Saint-Jacques and Porte d’Espagne. If parking by Porte d’Espagne is full, just turn around and park by the lot nearby. Make sure to walk a bit on the main car road, Plāce Chārles de Gāulle for the money shots of the river. You can do the town in less than 90 minutes
Next, a 30 minute or so drive to Espelette, one of the most famous towns in the entire Pays Basque. Even when visiting Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz (The previous dash record holder), you begin to appreciate Espelette’s fame. You’ll see Espelette stores, postcards, and the famous Espelette pepper products all over the region. The town is famous for its pepper, but even if you take the pepper out of the equation, it’s still very pleasant.
Time for lunch. This is the one area were I suggest Michelin. You will be hard pressed to find this kind of value in large cities in France or anywhere. Choko Ona in Espelette is the way to go. Not exactly a national secret however as the place most likely will be full, so highly recommend to reserve.
Take an after lunch stroll in beautiful Espelette and then head to Villa Arnaga, or House-museum of Edmond Rostand as its shown on Google. The villa is the perfect size for an attraction that compliments the rest of the day’s itinerary. Not too crowded, tastefully manicured garden, and uniquely furnished home.
This is not one of those marathon posts. Take it easy here, and learn from my mistake. We wanted to see one more village so we zigzagged through the mountains to Ainhoa. But what we found was a very sleepy village that was quite forgettable after the others. Take your time with the others, have a nice long lunch, see the Villa and call it a day. A memorable one.
Eating With Ziggy 