The Region:
Three beautiful towns are within a few kilometres: Bayonne, built on two rivers - its magnificent ancient cathedral overlooking the winding medieval streets; fashionable and glamorous Biarritz, famous for its shopping, restaurants and surf, and boasting one of the finest seafronts in France; historic St Jean de Luz, the most typical and charming of the Pays Basque seaside resorts with its glorious sandy beach and picturesque fishing port. The Pyrenees with their unbeatable mountain scenery, old Basque villages and wildlife are just a short drive away. They will transport you into a rural heaven as beautiful as anywhere in Europe. The most local peak, La Rhune, can be scaled with the help of an old mountain railway, offering views at the summit to take your breath away. The city of Pau is an important centre for skiing and is about 75 minutes drive away. It is possible to ski in the morning and be on the beach in the afternoon at certain times of the year.
Local Information:
The Pays Basque is known to have a warm climate with much sunshine in the winter; T shirts are possible even in February and November and hardy locals swim in the sea throughout the year. This area tends to avoid aggressively hot summer temperatures by the coast, but the sea can become very warm, particularly in more protected bays, such as the one in Saint Jean de Luz.
Spain:
Being so close to the Spanish border opens up a different world of culture, gastronomy and architecture.
The old Spanish town of Hondarribia (Fuenterrabia) can be reached by a charming 5 minute ferry ride from Hendaye or by car (25 mins drive from Guethary). This old town, with its castle and old church is famous for its many tapas bars - the locals seem to spend all day eating, drinking and socialising.
San Sebastian, one of the most sophisticated and architecturally attractive cities in Spain, has a glorious esplanade looking onto golden sands and blue sea. A stroll around the old city will show you that, here too, tapas is a way of life. However, for those who think to book well in advance, San Sebastian offers some of the world's finest and best known restaurants; Arzac, Akelare and Mugaritz to mention but three.
Within 2 hours drive is Bilbao, most famous nowadays for the truly remarkable Guggenheim Museum; a triumph of contemporary architecture.
