We have a trip to Spain next month, and have a rental car booked in San Sebastian for a day so we can visit French Basque villages.
Already aware that the rental car company should be alerted to our plans to cross into France. Our tentative plan is to go to Sare, Ainhoa, and Espelette, with a stop in St-Jean-de-Luz if there is time. We have chosen Monday for this side trip.
Is there anything on the way or nearby that we should also see?
-Bruce
The furthest location is less than 1.5 hours from San Sebastián and each place is small, so there should be no trouble visiting each on your day trip. The unknown is how long you will spend in each.
Rather than driving back the same way you went there consider returning via Valle de Baztán. If there was still time, Hondarrbia is nice to walk around.
It should be a fun day.
I used Hondarribia as a base for a week of Basque exploration last summer. So much to see there. Espelette is a real highlight. Our group agreed that a segment of "Amazing Race" should be filmed there. Paries, the chocolate shop in the main shopping zone is a must and of course pick up some Espelette pepper (or anything flavored with it) to take home.
Since your trip is on a Monday you might want to drive as far as St. Jean Pied de Port to visit their weekly traditional Basque market at Place de Remparts.
ekscrunchy: Thanks for the suggestion of St. Jean Pied de Port Basque market, will have to take under consideration, always intrigued by the Camino de Santiago but not in good enough shape to make the trek so I could be fun to look around....
-Bruce
I just saw a program about the French "little Yellow Train" of the Pyrenees. I don't know if the towns it went to would be considered Basque. Gorgeous views. I'd go if I could.
https://about-france.com/tourism/yellow-train-pyrenees
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligne_de_Cerdagne
[snip]
The Ligne de Cerdagne (French pronunciation: [liɲ də sɛʁdaɲ]), usually referred to as the Train Jaune (English: Yellow Train, Catalan: Tren Groc), is a 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) gauge railway that runs from Villefranche-de-Conflent to Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg in the French Pyrenees.
The yellow train is on the eastern side of the Pyrenees, Catalan area, not Basque area.
Just did this last week; coming in the back way on NA-4410 from N-121A is
a nice scenic route. If you come in this way, you pass by the Musee du
Gateau Basque; we did not stop in but if you're into baking/pastry it
might be worth a stop. The Rhune train up the mountain is also nearby
but the schedule is a bit wonky and if you did it, it would probably take
up enough of the day that you won't make it to St Jean de Luz.
Unlike some of the others, I thought Espelette was a bit commercial, and
Sare/Ainhoa were the real thing.
For what it's worth, we found parking in the lot by the Spar in Sare, behind
the Maison Oppoca in Ainhoa, near the Lurretik in Espelette, and at the
train/bus station in St Jean de Luz.
We have developed a plan for a one day car rental, renting when they open at 8:30, catching the Rhune cogwheel when they open at 9:30, assuming the weather is not too cloudy in late Sept, then driving to Sare, then Ainhoa then Espelette. Very tempted to include
St. Jean-Pied-de-Port market but this would mean no time in St-Jean-de-Luz, which we also want to see. Did find out that Le Musée du Gâteau Basque is closed during the weekday that we will be renting.
-Bruce
