BAYONNE

PAYS BASQUE
Points of interest

Bayonne Pays Basque

A bit of history
Nunquam Polluta
Never taken
states the motto of Bayonne.

This may be the secret which Victor Hugo portrayed with much romanticism as a vermillon and smiling
location: noble, always quick to defend the country and resist attacks by enemies. Since antiquity, the
destiny of Bayonne has been closely linked to its military mission at the confluence of the Adour and
Nive rivers. Lapurdum was then simply a garrison camp, sheltering a cohort of Roman soldiers. The wall
at Rue des Augustins, and the Roman tower, la Plachotte, stand today as living testimony to this period.

It was only in the XIIth century that the town adopted the name of Bayonne, before being taken over by
the English with the rest of the Aquitaine. In this way, for nearly 300 years, the town prospered and
developed, especially with religious art, including the cathedral of Sainte-Marie, a masterpiece inspired
by the gothic style from the North, and symbolising the apogee.

Bayonne Pays Basque

The town where life is
good

Bayonne is not lacking in character, just like the Basque country of which it is the economic capital. A
country where red and white houses nestle in green hills and the ocean calls out to travellers. A land of
contrasts, of ocean, the Basque country still remains this corner of France where happiness flourishes,
where Paradise can be found early, as dreamt of by the Prince of light, Luis Mariano, the light-opera
singer who wore its colours with pride. Luis Mariano made the most splendid declaration to Bayonne in
the form of a song: Bayonne my love. Bayonne is calling you, please call back!
Follow the length of the Nive between the old town and Petit Bayonne, stroll through the parc de
Mousserolles, under the shade of the ramparts, wander along the Adour, the Gascon river with its
morning ocean tides, taste the forgotten flavours of frothy chocolate, just like the old days laugh, sing
and dance with the festayres of the big festival in August, listen to the heart of the town beat, early on
a morning, at the doors of the Halles market, Bayonne is a standing invitation to take your time, to live to
the rhythm of this nonchalant province, proud of its traditions.

LOCATION & ACCESS

Ideally located 10 minutes away from the airport and the Atlantic Ocean beaches, 30 minutes from Spain
and the Pyrenees, Bayonne is the perfect spot to get away from it all in the South West of France.
By car: 1 hour and a half from Bordeaux and 2 and a half hours from Toulouse.
By plane: less than 2 hours from Paris, Dublin, London, Copenhagen, Madrid, Barcelona and Frankfurt.
By train (TGV): 4h45 from Paris city centre.

BAYONNE, PAYS BASQUE

HOTEL BEST
WESTERN
21 RUE THIERS 64100
BAYONNE
Tl: 05 59 59 62 00

HTEL LE BAYONNE & SPA

1, av Jean Rostand
64100 Bayonne
Tl. : 0 825 12 64 64

What to do in

BAYONNE?
Heritage
Festivals & traditions

CULTURE & HERITAGE

Cathedral
and cloister

The Arena

The Bonnat Art

Museum

The Basque
Museum

History lovers will be pleased to discover a beautiful fortified city. From the defensive ramparts to the
beautiful cathedral and cloister, listed by UNESCO as worldwide heritage, come and discover the
traditions that define this unique town. Visit the Basque Museum, the biggest ethnographic museum in
the Basque Country, with more than 2 000 items and works of art. You can also enjoy the Bonnat Art
Museum and its ancient sculptures and paintings of Greco, Goya, Gricault, Ingres or Degas.

FESTIVALS & TRADITIONS

Bullfighting
Chocolate
Bayonnes ham
Les ftes de Bayonne

The Bayonne ham Festival (celebrated for over 400 years), the Chocolate days (Bayonne is the
chocolate capital of France), les ftes de Bayonne (one of Frances biggest festival, during the beginning
of August), bullfights (Bayonne is the 1st bullfighting town in France), rugby with the Aviron Bayonnais,
the Basque Pelota
One never gets bored in Bayonne!

What to do in

BAYONNE?

Music
Entertainment
Restaurant
Pubs / Bars

ACTIVITES & LEISURE

Music

Bowling

Theaters/ Cinemas

14 bowling lanes - pools - video games - bar

Open : 7days/7 from 2pm to 2am
Karaoke 2 Fridays per month
Air conditioned room - Access for disabled

ACTIVITIES & LEISURE

RESTAURANTS
Les rtisseries

Les cuisines gastronomiques

Les bistrots / Bars vin

Les restaurations rapides

RESTAURANTS
Les cidreries

RESTAURANTS

RESTAURANTS

What to do in

BAYONNE?

Sport
Relax
Cycle tracks
Transport

ACTIVITIES & LEISURE

Bayonne Pays Basque

Sports time!
While Bayonne cultivates the tradition of a lifestyle based
on a studied nonchalance, this does not means that sport
is left out. Bayonne plays ball! Some of the most splendid
episodes in rowing, rugby or Basque pelote history
happened here and remain etched in local collective
memories. You will often hear them told with more than
an odd detail, by those born after the event!

Rowing is historically speaking THE sport

for the town. In 1875 the Socit
Nautique de Bayonne was founded,
followed by the spectacular creation of a
dissident association lAviron Bayonnais
some 30 years later. And yet it was rugby
which confirmed the sporting potential
of the association in 1913 and
established its renown thanks to victories
with the Bayonne game.

ACTIVITIES & LEISURE

While rugby may well be king of Bayonne, pelote is still queen. Granddaughter of the antique paume
handball game, imported - it was played in Paris in the XVIIth century - but deeply rooted in all
neighbouring villages, the pelote became Basque via the invention of the rapid game, and the small and
large glove (chistera) but above all via the development of the bare hand game in open squares.
It is therefore no accident that Bayonne has the oldest trinquet (covered wall) in the heart of the
picturesque Petit Bayonne: the trinquet of Saint Andr, and opened the first glass wall trinquet in the
world in 1997. This is a must-see in the new area of Bayonne.

ACTIVITIES & LEISURE

Atlanthal
153 bd des plages
64600 ANGLET
Thalmar
80 rue de Madrid
64200 BIARRITZ
Htel Le Biarritz
30 av. de la Milady
64200 BIARRITZ

CYCLES PATHS

TRANSPORT

TRANSPORT

TRANSPORT

TRANSPORT

What to do in

BAYONNE?
Gastronomy
Pratical informations

BAYONNE HAM

Bayonne Pays Basque

Gourmande
From the many local specialities to be tasted in the Basque country in general and Bayonne in particular,
two take the limelight: Bayonne ham, with its strength, its character and its authenticity, and chocolate,
with the soft bitterness of the grilled and sweet cacao bean. According to legend, in the XIVth century,
Gaston Phbus, the king of the Bearn country was at the origin of the ham tradition. He killed a wild
boar, which then fell into salt water near Salies de Barn, and was found perfectly conserved by hunters
the following season. Since this date, and thanks to the natural mineral richness of the brine of the
Adour (salt water from the marshes), adding its exceptional taste, Bayonne ham has convinced some of
the most famous of palates, from Piron the poet to Rabelais, from the austere Jansnius to Henri IV who
had ham sent up to Paris.

CHOCOLATE

Bayonne Pays Basque

Gourmande
Bayonne owes its chocolate tradition indirectly to Portugal. In 1496 the Portuguese monarchy expelled
the Jewish community, depriving the country of its trading and financial elite.
Many Jewish families settled in the Saint-Esprit quarter of Bayonne and began producing the chocolate
drink, quickly acquiring a reputation for the quality of the chocolate and the precision of their blends.
Bayonne was thus the first town in the kingdom to successfully work the cocoa bean and today still
enjoys a reputation for its famous chocolate.

BAYONNE, PAYS BASQUE

Bureau de change,
seulement Biarritz
Rodrigues
9 rue Mazagran, Biarritz
09 79 57 95 36

Arround

BAYONNE

The basque coast and Biarritz

The Rhune, basque mountain
The south coast of the Landes & beaches
Spain trips

ACTIVITIES & LEISURE

The Basque coast, the Atlantic

From the beaches of the Chambre dAmour
in Anglet, only 6 kilometres from the town
centre of Bayonne, to the bay of Txingudi, on
the way to Spain, you can admire the 35
kilometres of the beaches of the Basque
Country.
Discover all the villages and towns which
border the coast with Biarritz, the essential
imperial seaside resort or Saint Jean de Luz,
the famous Basque fishing port which will not
leave you indifferent.

ACTIVITIES & LEISURE

The historical capital of surfing in Europe and the annual host of the Roxy
Jam Womens World Longboard Championships, Biarritz is the place to surf.
Ten schools teach you how or help you perfect your technique.

With the second-oldest golf course on the European continent Biarritz le Phare created in 1888, the
oldest amateur golf competition (the Biarritz Cup started in 1905), and the Ilbarritz international
training centre (an original concept that draws professionals and beginners alike), Biarritz has long been
an all-around golf champion. What French region can offer 12 golf courses in a 30-kilometre radius and
Golf Pass.

ACTIVITIES & LEISURE

Ouvert tous les jours* de 9h30 12h30 et de 14h 18h - ouvert toute l'anne**
- De 9h30 18h : vacances de fvrier, Toussaint et Nol - week-end et jours fris de mai.
- De 9h30 19h : vacances de Pques - juin et septembre.
- De 9h30 minuit : juillet et aot.
*Ferm les lundis de novembre mars sauf vacances scolaires.
**Fermeture annuelle les 2me et 3me semaines de janvier, Nol et matin du 1er janvier.

ACTIVITIES & LEISURE

1. Muse de la Mer de Biarritz

2. Rocher de la Vierge
3. Grande Plage

4. Le Phare de Biarritz
5. Plage du Port Vieux
6. Cte des Basques

ACTIVITIES & LEISURE

In 2015

The "Petit Train de La Rhune" is open every

day from 14 February to 1 November 2015.

ACTIVITIES & LEISURE

South coast of the Landes & beaches

Dans les annes 30, Hossegor voit le dveloppement dun

style no-rgionaliste spcifiques appel le style bascolandais.

ACTIVITIES & LEISURE

The border with Spain

It is only 30 minutes from Bayonne to the border
with Spain. Visit Fontarrabie with its historical
quarter and picturesque fishing port (accessible
from Hendaye by ferry) or the beautiful Concha
beach of Saint Sebastien, the pearl of the southern
Basque coast. Enjoy a famous Tapas evening in
the numerous bars taste the authentic art of
living, in the southern Basque country!

Bilbao and Guggenheim

Bilbao, the capital of Viscaye, is a very modern art
city, in the front line of fashion, music and leisure
activities. With the Guggenheim Museum, it opens
up to the whole world.
Its old lively town lets it its Spanish soul in the
purer tradition.

ACTIVITIES & LEISURE

Departure, every day, on the car-park train station,

all 3 and 33 of each hour (7:03, 7:33 22:33)
Rates: 2.70 to go and to get back
Informations: www.euskotren.es

BAYONNE, BASQUE COUNTRY

Thanks & Best regards