Sometimes you just need some beach time.
We had been in France for 3 weeks but we didn’t have a good chance to swim in the Med. We were busy seeing the sites and beaches weren’t the priority in Arles, Montpellier and Bordeaux. We did a lot of museums and cultural stuff which is the majority of the reason we like to travel in Europe. Food is also a priority and France has been treating us well on that front as well. But we like to throw in a week at a beach town and found the town of Saint-Jean-De-Luz in the middle of French Basque Country. We had some great weather to explore the beach towns, go for a walk, or just sit on the beach and swim a bit when we get too hot.
Basque Country is the Southwest of France but also the Northwest of Spain. We have been interested in visiting here for years and we finally got to make it happen. We planned a week on the French side and a week on the Spanish side. A lot of people still speak Basque but everyone also speaks French on the France side and Spanish on the Spain side. The Basque language and the origin of the Basque people is a bit of a mystery, because it isn’t descended from a Roman Language like Spanish and French. It has a bunch of Z’s X’s and T’s that are often stuck together which make it a bit tough to pronounce things. But the real reason we wanted to be here is the food. We were ready for some seafood pintxos which is what the Basques call their small plates. We weren’t disappointed.
What we weren’t ready for was the beauty of the French Basque Country. The buildings were all the same sandy color with exposed dark red beams and window shutters. It looked super cool and felt like we were back in time. We visited nearby towns of Bayonne, Biarritz, and Hendaye and they all had the same architecture that makes for some great pics.
We did a lot of walking along the seaside cliffs, and to the nearby fort/castle built on the water. There were beaches but there were also some beautiful rocky coastlines. I took a lot of pics.
I did get a chance to rent a bike and got in a 20 mile bike ride along a river and then along the coast.
Our Airbnb was smaller than we normally get, but we loved the location. Right next to the market building in Saint-Jean-De-Luz. I have gotten used to going to the Boulangerie every morning for my baguette to spread my camembert cheese on. We love stinky french cheeses, but the last few stunk up our room even when sealed up in a ziplock. I think it’s time for less stinky Spanish cheeses! This week finished off 4 weeks being in France and while we have been to France before, we now have a greater appreciation of the country. We now better understand how to order in bars and restaurants and use our limited French. Staying a whole month in a country gives you enough familiarity to feel more comfortable being in a country where we only speak a few words. Next week I get to speak Spanish again! Heading to San Sebastian in Spanish Basque Country.