The French Basque Country (Pays Basque) occupies a small triangle of territory in the extreme southwest of France, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees along the Spanish border. Though it covers only a fraction of the larger Basque cultural region — most of which lies in Spain — it has a distinct character, with traditional white-and-timber architecture, Basque cuisine, and a living Basque language.
The main coastal towns are Biarritz, an elegant belle-époque resort with world-class surfing beaches, and Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a smaller fishing port with a fine sandy bay and a well-preserved medieval town centre. Bayonne, the regional capital, sits at the confluence of the Adour and Nive rivers and is known for its Gothic cathedral, half-timbered old quarter, and its historical connection to the bayonet. Hendaye, on the Spanish border, has the widest beach on the Basque coast.
The interior is excellent walking country. La Rhune, the sacred mountain of the Basques, is accessible by a historic rack railway. The villages of Espelette, Ainhoa, and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port — the traditional starting point for the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela — are among the most beautiful in France.
