Наведайце Краіну Баскаў : between France and Spain
The Basque country is at the very south western corner of France along the Atlantic coast. This territory has a multi-secular cultural and linguistic identity.
On this picture the French part is in green. It is a small portion of the entire Basque country. Most of it being in Spain.
Around 20% of the population still speaks the Basque language.
Here are the nicest places to visit in the French part of the Basque country.
Біярыц
Known all over the world for its waves, Biarritz is more than just a surfing spot. The French empress Eugenie (wife of Napoleon 3rd) felt in love with the destination. She had her imperial residence in Biarritz to go there whenever she wanted. The impressive “Villa Eugenie” is now a luxurious hotel.
Наведайце Біярыц і краіну Баскаў са сваім прафесійным гідам.
Баёна
Баёна лічыцца сталіцай Краіны Баскаў. Гэта таксама горад мастацтва і гісторыі, вядомы сваімі фестывалямі ў Баёне. Ён праходзіць у самым цэнтры лета і кожны год збірае тысячы наведвальнікаў, апранутых у белае і з чырвоным шалікам або поясам.
Размешчаны ў месцы зліцця рэк Нівэ і Адур. Гістарычная мясцовасць захавала чароўныя сярэднявечныя вулачкі. Тут знаходзіцца сабор Нотр-Дам (або Сэнт-Мары) стэнды, з яго гатычным стылем 13-га стагоддзя і гэтым раскошным кляштарам. Па той бок Нівы, у раёне Пці Баён, знаходзіцца баскскі музей, прысвечаны мастацтву, рамёствы і традыцыі краю.
The Château Vieux was built at the end of the 11th century by the Viscounts of Labourd on the site of the Roman castrum of Lapurdum dating from the 1st century. Initially it consisted of a hexagonal dungeon and it was in the 12th century that two buildings were added.
Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Surfers in Biarritz and bathers in Saint-Jean-de-Luz ! That’s how it works along the coast of the Basque country. Saint-Jean-de-Luz shares with the other city of Ciboure the Bay of Socoa, on the Gulf of Biscay, the two towns forming the same agglomeration.
Socoa Bay is the only sheltered harbor between all along the coast from Arcachon to Spain. The seaside resort is of relatively recent creation but the port is very old, since it dates from prehistory.
The city has always been coveted by France and Spain. In order the respect the treaty signed between the two nations in 1569, Louis XIV married the Infanta of Spain, Maria-Theresa of Austria in Saint-Jean-de-Luz in 1660.
Адправіць
Located next to Biarritz, Bidart is twenty-five kilometers north of the Franco-Spanish border.
Man was here since the Upper Palaeolithic, but the village became urbanized only around the 12th century under the order of the the Bishop of Bayonne. The village then developed its activity turned to the Atlantic ocean and became famous when it specialized in whaling in the 16th century.
Андай
Hendaye is the last port along the Atlantic coast before Spain. As well as Bidart, it is a fishing port.
In Hendaye, apart from the colorful center, you will see the longest beach along the Basque coast (3.5 km), the castle of Abbadia and the domain of the same name. The Abbadia castle was built between 1864 and 1879 by Viollet-le-Duc and Edmond Duthoit in the neo-Gothic style.
