Self-Catering Holidays in Atlantic Aquitaine, South West France - Villas, Cottages & Apartments

Local Area
Because of its mild climate, popular towns and abundance of all-year-round activities to pursue, the Pays Basque attracts visitors throughout the year. In fact, Spring and Autumn can be wonderful times to visit - warm and quiet.

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 way to soak up the culture is to visit one of the many fêtes or ‘festivals of strength’ that take place in the high season, or, even better, watch a game of pelota. The fastest ball game in the world, this is perhaps the most vivid image of Basque country.

Biarritz and St Jean de Luz are on your doorstep and whether its beaches, shops, restaurants or festivals you are looking for, both of these towns are hard to beat. Stylish but without the pretence of the Riviera, both are colourful and vibrant seaside towns with plenty of family evening entertainment. 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 for its seafood (it is one of Rick Stein’s favourite places) and use of the spicy Basque staple pimento, .

Dorrea is a few kms from the local mountain pass into Spain, the Col d’Ibardin. This was formerly 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.

There are great beaches all along the coast from the Spanish border at Hendaye, north into the Landes and Gironde départements. Because the Côte d’Argent is so vast, the beaches are less crowded than on the Mediterranean.

The area is totally under-visited for its golf despite the game’s rich history in this region and the presence of some wonderful courses: Chantaco, Nivelle, Biarritz 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.

Thalassotherapy and thermal spa are big attractions in this area – people come from all over France for sea and freshwater therapies; there are venues across the region including Hendaye, St Jean de Luz, Biarritz and Dax.

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 and wild horses roam the mountains and, if you're unlucky, you might bump into a brown bear (only 6 individual bears are known to exist and they live much further east in the high Pyrénées) - this is one of Europe’s most exotic wildlife locations. Bird-watchers 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 finest in the Haut-Béarn region.

Other suggestions for day-trips:

• A tour of Basque country villages: Ascain, 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 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.

Alternative Aquitaine's tourism guide to the Cote Basque
Alternative Aquitaine's tourism guide to the Pyrenees

Pyrénées-Atlantique Tourist Office
Learn About the Basque Country
UK Tourist Office for France