The Basque Coast from Bayonne: heading for the Atlantic beaches

35 unforgettable kilometers

Anglet and Biarritz, just a few pedal strokes from Bayonne

Rent a bike and pedal along the Adour: in just under 30 minutes, you’ll arrive at Plage de la Barre, where the river flows into the Atlantic. You can stop off at the ice rink, or continue pedaling along the beaches. The Chiberta forest, whose pines were planted in the mid-19^th century at the request of Napoleon III, features green trails for families and walkers. You’ll end your tour at La Chambre d’Amour, a surfing mecca where numerous restaurants offer breathtaking views of the Atlantic.

From here, you can see the Biarritz lighthouse, which marks the entrance to the imperial city. With the Empress Eugenie de Montijo and her husband Napoleon III, Biarritz’s architectural wealth is a lasting impression: the Hôtel du Palais, the Rocher de la Vierge and its famous footbridge, but also and above all the wealthy mansions such as the Villa Beltza. It’s also famous for its coastline, and the famous beaches that saw the birth of surfing in Europe.
Don’t miss a family visit to the Biarritz Aquarium and the Cité de l’Océan.

Beware: the terrain here is more rugged, making cycling more difficult.

Bidart and Guéthary, on the cliffside

Bidart and Guéthary are two examples of Basque villages with character, with their red or green half-timbered houses and their “church-fronton-mairie” triptych. They overlook the ocean, with the Pyrenees as a backdrop.

The Bidart program features Basque traditions and a gentle way of life: enjoy a coffee in Place Sauveur Atchoarena, watch mutxiko dancers (Basque dances) or barehanded pelota players, eat a few pintxos, take time to admire a sunset over the sea. Guéthary boasts a charming marina overlooked by a former Art Deco hotel, as well as neo-Basque villas.

Bidart is also the starting point for the “Sentier du Littoral” (Coastal Trail), the essential walking route for discovering the Basque Coast, which winds its way through breathtaking panoramas, skirting the Atlantic for 25 kilometers on its way to Hendaye.

Saint-Jean-de-Luz, the city of privateers

Saint-Jean-de-Luz is an authentic fishing port, once one of the largest in France. Whaling and cod fishing used to be practiced here; today, the specialty is line hake, fished off the coast.

In June 1660, the Basque city hosted the wedding of Louis XIV and the Spanish infanta Maria Theresa of Austria. As a reminder of this glorious past, the Maison de l’Infante, the home of the future queen before her wedding, can be seen on the port. But the city hasn’t only welcomed kings: in the 17^th and 18th centuries, privateers turned the Bay of Biscay into a veritable “viper’s nest”, according to the English.

Hendaye, the charm of a border town

Hendaye is first and foremost the River Bidassoa, which flows into the Bay of Txingudi, marking the border between France and Spain. Nestling at the foot of the Jaizikibel, the town faces the Atlantic, and its Grande Plage is perhaps one of the most beautiful on the Basque coast, dominated by the rocks of the “Deux Jumeaux”.

The Château d’Abbadia is well worth a visit in its own right: designed as a scientific laboratory, it was built in the 19^th century by Antoine d’Abbadie, ethnologist, astronomer, great traveller and ardent defender of Basque culture.