San Sebastian – Donostia Trip Overview
Inland France has little to do with the famous Côte Basque. Get ready for a trip in which silence, white houses, dizzying mountains, cascades of red peppers and gastronomy are our daily bread. We know that it will be difficult for you to pronounce the names of the towns on this route, but it’s better this way: no one else will know the secrets we’ll let you in on.
Additional Info
* Duration: 9 hours
* Starts: San Sebastian – Donostia, Spain
* Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
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What to Expect When Visiting San Sebastian – Donostia, Basque Country, Spain
Inland France has little to do with the famous Côte Basque. Get ready for a trip in which silence, white houses, dizzying mountains, cascades of red peppers and gastronomy are our daily bread. We know that it will be difficult for you to pronounce the names of the towns on this route, but it’s better this way: no one else will know the secrets we’ll let you in on.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Pass By: Corniche Basque, Domaine d’Abbadia, 64700 Hendaye France
Depart in the morning from San Sebastian towards Hendaye, a village situated on the French border. From here we will continue along one of the most beautiful coastal roads of Basque Country to Saint Jean de Luz before heading inland towards the foothills of the Pyrenees.
Stop At: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Basque Country, Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Next up, we will discover the medieval streets of fortified town of Saint Jean Pied de Port. It is the starting point of the most traditional pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela called Saint James Way or Camino de Santiago. Our historic walk wouldn’t be complete without seeing the stunning romanesque cathedral and crossing a romantic stone bridge over the river Nive to finally reach the town’s citadele built in 1628.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Saint-Etienne-de-Baigorry, Saint-Etienne-de-Baigorry, Basque Country, Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
From Saint Jean Pied de Port we will continue along the Pyrenees to the true heart of unspoiled French Basque countryside and the village of Saint Etienne de Baigorri, home to the tannat grapes and vineyards located on extremely steep slopes with inclines of up to 60°! Here, you will enjoy a glass of this peculiar, local wine while your guide will reveal the secrets of Irulegi AOC – one of the tiniest wine region in France.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Bidarray, Bidarray, Basque Country, Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
We will leave the vineyards behind and take a narrow, back road to follow the meanders of river Nive that will take us all the way to our next stop. Built on the top of the hill village of Bidarray with its pink sandstone romanesque church.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Espelette, Espelette, Basque Country, Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Then, we will continue our journey to quaint village with cobblestone streets and houses decorated with garlands of red peppers. That’s right! We have just arrived to Espelette! This blindingly colorful town has gained fame for these small chilies that were brought from South America in 16th century and has gradually replaced black pepper in the Basque cuisine. Armed with the knowledge about Piment d’Espelette we will get to try some of the local specialities and the pepper itself!
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Ainhoa, Ainhoa, Basque Country, Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Last but not least, we will drive to Ainhoa – considered one of the most stunning villages in France! We will wander down the streets soaking in the relax atmosphere of a Basque mountain village to finally reach The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and enjoy a moment of reflexion while listening to gregorian chants. Ainhoa is also a perfect place to discover the meaning of Basque Indiano House and observe some great examples of it.
Duration: 20 minutes
Pass By: Elizondo, Elizondo, Navarra
At the end of the day, you’ll be chauffeured back to San Sebastian crossing the border with Spain as the smugglers did back in the day. You will enjoy the Navarran landscape, having experienced the quintessence of French Basque Countryside!
