Bayonne

I don't think anything is "not to miss," but here are some highlights:

• Chocolate!!! Bayonne is one of the great European cities for chocolate, and there are many excellent producers with shops in the center.
• The cathedral is worth a visit. The cloister is particularly lovely.
• I enjoyed the Musée Basque et de l'histoire de Bayonne. It's more than a history museum, as it also includes quite a bit of painting and ceramics by Basque artists.
• In the nearby village of Larressore is the Bergara family workshop where they still make makhilas (Basque walking sticks) using traditional techniques.
• I also visited the very traditional Basque village of Espelette, which is close to Larressore. I think both are worth a visit.
• I was less impressed by Biarritz, but if you like beach resorts, you might enjoy it.

Will you be heading from Bayonne to Saint-Jean-de-Luz? If not, you can do that as a day trip, or it makes a nice stop on your way across the border towards San Sebastián and Bilbao.

I'm sure you will enjoy Basque country!

I wouldn't miss Biarritz, essentially next door to Bayonne. The coastline there is spectacular.

We took this tour in May 2026. Because we had spent 2 nights in Paris pre-tour, we didn't get to Bayonne until the day the tour started. We did, however, go to Saint-Jean-de-Luz as a day trip during our free afternoon on Day 2. It was truly spectacular. We took the bus, since the bus stop was just a few blocks from the tour hotel and the bus was more frequent than the train. Enjoy the tour; it's one of the best RS tours we've done.