# French Basque Coast From Hendaye to Biarritz in half an hour: surf beaches, the port of Saint-Jean-de-Luz and, inland, the La Rhune train and Espelette. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast · Revisado: 2026-11-12 ## Where should I stay? It depends on what you are after. Saint-Jean-de-Luz is the most convenient base: it has a railway station, an old town for evening strolls, a beach in a bay closed off by breakwaters where hardly any waves come in and it is fifteen minutes from the La Rhune train. Biarritz is more of a city and more expensive, with the surf beaches, the aquarium and the traditional spa-resort atmosphere. Hendaye, right up against Irún, is the option if you are in a motorhome or want to cross to San Sebastián for dinner. Inland, Espelette, Ainhoa and Sare are villages of white houses with red or green shutters. They are visited by day; for sleeping, the coast has more choice. ## How do you get there from Spain? By car, on the AP-8 to Irún and the French A63, which is a toll road. The free alternative is the corniche road between Hendaye and Socoa, slower and with better views. Without a car, Euskotren's Topo links San Sebastián with Hendaye station, and from there leaves the regional train that stops at Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Guéthary, Biarritz and Bayonne. San Sebastián airport, in Hondarribia, is opposite Hendaye. ## What do I do first? Go up La Rhune on the first clear day: from the top you understand the whole coast. Then spread things out: one day for Saint-Jean-de-Luz and the coastal path, another for Biarritz with a surf lesson or the aquarium, and an afternoon for the inland villages. ## Dónde está - Zonas: Bay of Biscay - Cerca: Hondarribia (a 11.0 km · Spain), Getaria and Zarautz (a 44.0 km · Spain), Irati Forest (a 60.9 km · Spain), Urdaibai (a 82.7 km · Spain) ## Qué hacer - **The La Rhune Rack Railway** (2 h 30 · All ages · Desde 26 € adult, round trip): What it is La Rhune (Larrun) is the 905 m mountain that closes the Saint-Jean-de-Luz bay to the south, with the summit right on the border between Labourd and Navarre. Since 1924 a rack railway with wooden carriages has climbed it from the Col de Saint-Ignace, on the road between Ascain and Sare. It is the way to see at a glance the coast you are going to explore: from Biarritz to Hondarribia on one side, the Bidasoa, and to the south the mountains of Navarre and the Pyrenees. Round trip, allow two and a half hours. Season and hours It runs every day from late March to early November; in 2026, from 28 March to 1 November. In winter it does not run: the website announces reopening for March 2027, with no fixed date yet. Using the 2026 hours as a guide: April to June and September: first train at 9:30 and last around 16:10. Some departures run only if there is demand. 6 July to 30 August: first train at 8:50 (at 8:20 from 27 July), about one every 40 minutes and last at 17:30. October and November: departures at 9:30, 10:50, 12:10, 14:10 and 15:30. Prices and tickets In 2026, the classic return ticket cost €26 for adults and €18 for ages 4 to 12; a family of two adults and two children, €82. Under-4s go free, but need their own €0 ticket. A dog pays €6.50. With a guide on board, add €5 per adult and €4 per child. There is a descent-only ticket (€23.50 and €15) for those who walk up; the climb alone is not sold. You buy on the website or at the station; at the summit cheques are also accepted, but cash is not accepted anywhere. At the top It is usually cooler at the top than on the coast, in summer too, and fog can cover everything. Before paying, check the webcam and the forecast on the train's website: if the summit is in cloud, you will see little. Getting there and parking The station is at the Col de Saint-Ignace, on the D4 (3205 Santinazioko Errebidea, Sare), about ten minutes by car from Sare and Ascain. In summer arrive early, before queues form. With children, a dog, if the weather changes It is an outing that works with children of any age: the journey entertains and there is room at the top. For getting around the summit, a baby carrier is more comfortable than a pushchair. The dog travels with its own ticket. If fog closes in at the top or it starts to rain, wait in the ventas and come down on whichever train comes: the descent does not depend on visibility. Climbing on foot from the col is about 800 m of ascent; only for those who are equipped and in stable weather. On the way down, complete the day with Espelette and Ainhoa or return to the coast via Saint-Jean-de-Luz. For a picnic at the top, shop at Les Halles in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. - **Surf Lesson at Biarritz's Côte des Basques** (1 h 30 · Beginners; children's courses from age 6 · Desde 45 € per person): What it involves The Côte des Basques is the long beach south of Biarritz's centre, below the cliff, and the city's school beach: at low and mid tide a broad strip of sand opens up and the wave breaks in soft foam, good for standing up the first few times. At high tide the sea rises to the foot of the cliff and no lessons are given, so the time changes every day with the tide. A beginner lesson lasts an hour and a half. It begins on the sand, with the warm-up and the technique for paddling and standing on the board, and continues in the water, in the foam zone, with the instructor beside you. A soft, large, stable board is used, and a wetsuit. Who runs it In this entry we include Biarritz Surf Training, a school set up on the beach itself, on boulevard du Prince de Galles. Its instructors hold the French state qualification, groups are a maximum of eight students per instructor and people are grouped by level. Its hut has changing rooms and showers. The price includes board, wetsuit and public liability insurance. The prices it publishes: Beginner lesson, 1 h 30: from €45. 3-day course (1 h 30 a day): €125. 5-day course: €190. 10-day: €360. Private lesson, 1 h for one person: €100; with two or three, the lesson becomes 1 h 30. Jardin des vagues, for children aged 6 to 9: 3 lessons of 1 h 30 for €125, only in French school holidays. Bodyboard, private 1 h lesson: €100. The school runs from April to November and closes in winter. You book on its website, by package; it also takes calls and WhatsApp. Choose the level carefully when booking. Other schools operate on the same beach; compare times if the tide on your days doesn't fit. Season and conditions April to November. In June and September the water is already mild and there is room on the beach; July and August are the months with the most groups. Even in summer, the Atlantic here is cool: the wetsuit is not superfluous. To sign up, you just need to be comfortable in the water and able to swim. No special fitness is needed, but paddling tires the arms more than it seems: with one lesson a day for several days you learn more than with a single long one. Meeting point and what to bring You meet at the school's hut, on the Côte des Basques beach, boulevard du Prince de Galles. Arrive fifteen minutes early to change. Bring swimwear to wear under the wetsuit, a towel, water-resistant sun cream and something warm for afterwards. Leave in the car or your accommodation whatever you don't want to leave on the sand. Getting there The beach is a short walk from the centre, on the other side of the Atalaye, where the Aquarium is. In summer, parking near the beach is hard: if you can, walk or take the bus. The Txik Txak buses run along the coast and connect with Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hendaye. With children and teenagers Teenagers can go to the beginner lessons with the adults. For ages 6 to 9, the Jardin des vagues is the right choice, but it runs only in French school holidays, which don't always coincide with Spanish ones. With younger children, the Côte des Basques is good for playing at the water's edge at low tide, always in the supervised zone. After the water, go up for lunch at Les Halles de Biarritz, in the centre. - **Coastal Path from Bidart to Saint-Jean-de-Luz** (3 h 30 · 13.3 km · With some fitness · On your own · free): The route in numbers It is the first stage of the GR 8 along the Basque Coast: from Erretegia beach, in Bidart, to place Louis XIV in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. It is about 13 km (the departmental tourist office gives 13.3 km; other guides, 12.8), 340 m of cumulative ascent in short climbs and about 3 h 30 walking, not counting stops. Medium difficulty, for anyone used to walking. It is one-way only: the return is by bus or train. It runs along the clifftop, past coves and beaches, tracks and the odd stretch of quiet road and greenway. There are no big climbs, but there are many stairs and short ramps going down to and up from each beach. Step by step Erretegia beach. The path starts about 150 m below the car park, past a barrier, where a panel shows the route. Climb the stairs on the left and follow the Corniche de la Falaise to the viewpoint of the chapel of Sainte-Madeleine, above Bidart. Towards Guéthary. Go down beside the orientation table to the Centre beach, climb past the lifeguard post, cross the car park and follow rue de l'Uhabia. Pass under the N10 and go down to Uhabia beach; climb back up to the chapel of Saint-Joseph. Guéthary. You walk the village's seafront, with explanatory panels, and its small harbour. At the end of the bay you climb to the greenway. From Cénitz to Erromardie. Along the greenway to the Duhartea road and the Cénitz roundabout; then, by the beach road, to Lafitenia. You climb again, pass the Kokotia farm and go down to Erromardie beach. Towards Sainte-Barbe. Along avenue de l'Abbé Idiartegaray, beside the coastal botanical garden, you reach the Archiloa cross. The path goes round the park, climbs along rue de la Pile d'Assiettes and rue de Bernoville and crosses the Chaliapine promenade. Pointe Sainte-Barbe and arrival. At the point, with its lighthouse and orientation table, you have the whole Saint-Jean-de-Luz bay in front of you. Follow the Rocks promenade and the beach promenade, below the La Pergola casino, go out along the breakwater to the harbour lighthouse and finish along the quay at place Louis XIV, in the middle of the old town. Waymarking and closures It is marked with the white and red stripes of the GR, and on many stretches with its own "sentier du littoral" signs. The Bidart tourist office sells a folding map of the path for €1, and on the Tourisme 64 website you can download the sheet and the GPX. The cliff moves, and sometimes there are stretches closed because of landslides or works, with signposted diversions. In September and October 2026, for example, the path was diverted at Cénitz beach along the cycle route between Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Guéthary. Ask at the tourist office or check the Tourisme 64 sheet before setting off. Where to park and how to return To start, enter Bidart coming from Bayonne, turn right onto rue Erretegia and, after about 50 m, right again into the Erretegia beach car park. In summer it fills up early. To return, the easiest is the Txik Txak bus line 3, which runs along the coast between Hendaye and Bayonne and passes through Bidart. The coast train stops at Saint-Jean-de-Luz-Ciboure and at Guéthary, but not at Bidart. Another option: leave the car in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, take the bus to the start and finish the route next to the car. If it seems long, cut it at Guéthary, halfway, which has a railway station. When to go, water and shade Spring and autumn are the best times: mild temperatures and fewer people on the beaches. In summer, set off early: there is almost no shade along the cliff. The official sheet recommends doing it at low tide, when the beaches can be seen in full. There are bars in Bidart, Guéthary and some beaches, but bring water from home, especially in summer. In a strong wind or rain, the dirt stretches along the edge are slippery: better another day. With children used to walking it can be done, in sections; the youngest are better going only as far as Guéthary. With a dog too, on a lead and with water for it; the rules for dogs on the sand change from one beach to another, so check the signs at each. If you want to sleep beside the path, the Camping Bord de Mer and La Ferme Erromardie are in the bay of Erromardie, where the route passes. - **Saint-Jean-de-Luz Old Town and Harbour** (2 h 30 · All ages · Stroll free · Maison Louis XIV €8 with a guide): What it is Saint-Jean-de-Luz is the fishing port of the Basque Coast and the setting of the wedding that sealed the Peace of the Pyrenees: here Louis XIV married the Infanta Maria Theresa of Austria on 9 June 1660. The old town is small and mostly pedestrian, between the bay and the harbour, and can be walked in a morning. Allow two or three hours if you go into the church and the Maison Louis XIV, and a bit more if you cross to Ciboure. The stroll, step by step Place Louis XIV. It is the centre of the pedestrian zone, with the bandstand, the town hall and the Lohobiague house, where the king slept. In summer it fills with painters exhibiting. Maison Louis XIV. The shipowner's house that Joannis de Lohobiague built in 1643 and where Louis XIV spent about forty days in 1660. It is still lived in by his descendants and is a historic monument. You visit inside, almost always with a guide (below, hours and prices). Maison de l'Infante. Very close, the Joanoenia house, where the Infanta stayed. Rue Gambetta. The pedestrian shopping street linking the seafront promenade with the square. Halfway along is the church. Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste. From outside it is plain; inside, the wooden galleries that surround the nave on three sides, in the Basque manner, rebuilt identically in 1857, and the great gilded 17th-century altarpiece by Martin de Bidache, installed in 1669, are striking. Look at the votive ship with wheels hanging from the ceiling, brought from Newfoundland and donated in 1865, and at the organ, built in 1659 for the royal wedding. The door the bride and groom left by was bricked up soon afterwards so that nobody else would pass through it: look for it on the facade. It is a church in use; respect the masses. Rue de la République. Here is the Maison Ezkerrenea, from the 16th century, the oldest house in the centre. The harbour and Ciboure. Return to the square and go down to the fishing harbour, the one that made the town rich with cod and the whales of Newfoundland from the 15th century. Cross the bridge over the Nivelle and you are in Ciboure, the village opposite, which grew with the same port. If you have the legs, continue along the beach promenade, below the La Pergola casino, to the breakwaters that close the bay, the only sheltered anchorage on the coast between Arcachon and Spain. In the distance you see Fort Socoa, which Henri IV had built. Maison Louis XIV: hours and prices It opens from Easter to All Saints and is closed on Tuesdays and all winter. The 2026 season ended on 1 November; 2027 runs from 3 April to 7 November. Outside summer there are guided tours at fixed times (11:30, 15:00 and 16:00, and also 17:00 in June and September). From 12 July to 29 August, there are guided tours in the morning from 10:30 to 12:30 and in the afternoon it is self-guided, with guides in the rooms, from 14:30 to 18:00. In May it opens only at weekends and bank-holiday weekends. The guided visit lasts 40–45 minutes and costs €8 (€7 for the summer self-guided one); €4 for ages 10 to 18 and students up to 26; free for under-10s. Tours are in French, with texts in other languages. Book on its website; paid tickets are not refunded, but can be changed to another day. There is no lift: the floor you visit is on the second storey, by the main staircase. Large bags and pushchairs are left downstairs, and there are no toilets for the public. Getting there and where to park The Saint-Jean-de-Luz-Ciboure station, on the coast train, is a short walk from the centre; the Txik Txak buses also stop nearby. By car, the paid car parks at the Port and Cœur de Ville are about five minutes' walk from the square. Where to eat and when to go The Les Halles market is liveliest on Tuesday and Friday mornings: a good time to start the stroll. For lunch, Chez Pablo, behind the market, and for dessert the macarons at Maison Adam, on the same square. If you arrive on foot along the coastal path from Bidart, you end up right here. In July and August rue Gambetta is packed in mid-afternoon; go in the morning. With children, the stroll is flat and short, and the bay beach, with calm water, is at the end of every street. - **Biarritz Aquarium** (1 h 30 · All ages · Adult €17 · Child aged 4 to 12 €12): What it is and what you see The Biarritz Aquarium occupies the former Musée de la Mer, the Art Deco building on the Atalaye esplanade, above the old port and a short walk from the Rocher de la Vierge. Inside you travel the Bay of Biscay from the coast to the seabed, and then more distant seas: sea turtles, sharks, jellyfish and tropical fish. The piece everyone remembers is the seal tank, which you see from above, in the open air, and also from below the water, through the glass. It is a medium-sized aquarium, designed to be seen unhurriedly in a morning or an afternoon. The aquarium itself estimates an average visit of an hour and a half, and up to two hours if you stop at everything. In the rain or with a sea too big for the beach it is Biarritz's handiest plan, so on those days it fills up. Hours Open all year. In November 2026 the hours are 9:30 to 19:00, and the ticket offices close an hour earlier: the last entry is around 18:00. The hours change with the season, with some days opening only in the afternoon, others closed and summer evenings until 22:00. Check the calendar on the aquarium's website for the day you go. The seals' feeding is a specific moment of the day and draws a lot of people around the pool. The website does not publish a fixed time: ask at the ticket office on arrival and organise the visit around it. Tickets and prices The rates published by the aquarium are: Adult: €17. Child aged 4 to 12: €12. Reduced (13 to 17, students and jobseekers): €15. Combined with the Cité de l'Océan, the ocean centre 3 km away: €28 adult, €20 ages 6 to 12, €12 ages 4 to 5 and €24 reduced. The aquarium recommends it from age 6. The French large-family card gives €2 off per person, at the ticket office only. With a disability, the companion enters free if the card states that assistance is needed. Under-16s must be with an adult. Buy your ticket on the website: the aquarium recommends it to avoid the queue, and in school holidays there is fast access for those who bring one. At the ticket office you pay by card, cash or ANCV holiday vouchers. Getting there and where to park The aquarium has no car park of its own. The nearest is the Port Vieux one, outdoors, with about 40 spaces and 240 m away; it fills up early. Then come the paid Indigo underground car parks: Sainte-Eugénie at 500 m, Bellevue at 800 m, the Casino at 840 m and Les Halles at 1 km. If you spend the day in Biarritz, the free park-and-ride at the Halle Iraty, on the outskirts, has about 290 spaces and a shuttle to the centre. By Txik Txak bus, line N4 stops at Port Vieux, in front; lines 12 and 18 drop you at Hélianthe, a nine-minute walk. Biarritz railway station is far from the centre, about 25 minutes by bus: bear that in mind if you arrive on the coast train. With children and accessibility It is a visit that works from three or four years old: the seals, sharks and turtles hold their attention. Watch out for pushchairs and wheelchairs on arrival: the footpath through the Atalaye gardens is not practicable. The aquarium indicates an accessible route that goes round the plateau, marked in blue on the plan on its website. On leaving you have the old port and the Rocher de la Vierge five minutes away, and for lunch, the district of Les Halles de Biarritz, a quarter of an hour's walk. If the weather improves, the Côte des Basques is on the other side of the Atalaye. - **Espelette and Ainhoa, Villages of Labourd** (4 h · All ages · On your own · free): What it is Espelette (Ezpeleta) and Ainhoa are two villages of Labourd (Lapurdi), the interior of the French Basque Coast, about 6 km from each other as the crow flies. Espelette is the pepper village, the one that gives its name to the protected designation; Ainhoa is a single street of Labourdin houses from the 17th and 18th centuries beside the Navarre border, with the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France label. Together they fill half a day on your own and with no tickets, and fit into a day with Sare and the La Rhune train. Espelette, the pepper village The piment d'Espelette has been a protected designation since 1 June 2000. It is planted from May and harvested from August to December. It used to be hung in strings on the facades to dry, then put through the bread oven and ground; today few producers still dry it at home, but in late summer and autumn you still see red facades, especially in the centre. What to see: The castle of the barons of Ezpeleta. All that remains of the castle is a tower and a stretch of wall. It has belonged to the commune since 1694 and has been a historic monument since 2007. Inside are the town hall, the tourist office, at 145 Karrika Nagusia, and temporary exhibitions, including one on Agnès Souret, the first Miss France. The church of Saint-Étienne. A historic monument since 1925, with a turret-shaped bell tower, painted ceilings from the 17th century and a painting attributed to José de Ribera. The pepper from the inside. Several producers and the Etxea interpretation centre explain the cultivation and drying. In the village centre there is also an Ossau-Iraty cheese interpretation centre, open from Easter to All Saints. The market. On Wednesday mornings, a covered market of producers and craftspeople in the centre. Two dates for the calendar: the Pepper Festival, the last weekend of October, with a mass blessing the harvest, and the pottok fair, the Basque pony bred on these hills, the last Tuesday and Wednesday of January. For lunch, the Hôtel-Restaurant Euzkadi, run by the same family since 1873, beside the pelota court, cooks with the village's pepper in almost everything. Ainhoa, a street of white houses Ainhoa can be seen in an hour. The main street has half-timbered houses painted red or green and carved lintels over the doors; look for the one on the Maison Gorritia, dated 1662. There are panels telling the village's history along the street. The church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption, 13th century, born from a former manor house, with two tiers of wooden galleries and a very ornate altarpiece. It is a historic monument for its interior decoration. The Maison du patrimoine, inside the tourist office, in the Bourg, with a panoramic screen on the village's history. The gardens behind the houses, along paths leading off the main street. If you feel like walking, climb to the chapel of Notre-Dame-de-l'Aubépine (Arantzazu), on Mount Atsulai, at 389 m: about 45 minutes uphill along a steep cobbled path. At the top there are discoidal tombstones, three large crosses and, on a clear day, a view of La Rhune, the Pyrenees and sometimes the sea. Wear sturdy footwear; in rain the cobbles are slippery. How to organise it The practical way is by car: neither village has a railway station. If you go without a car, check the Txik Txak network's lines first. From Saint-Jean-de-Luz allow about half an hour to Espelette. An order that works: Espelette in the morning, preferably on a Wednesday to see the market; lunch in the village; Ainhoa early in the afternoon, and if there is day left, go down via Sare to the Col de Saint-Ignace and the La Rhune train, which runs from late March to early November. In July, August and the weekend of the Pepper Festival, Espelette fills up: arrive early. Ainhoa is quieter almost always. With children, a dog, in the rain Both walks are short and work well with children; the climb to the chapel is better with a baby carrier than a pushchair. With a dog, walking down the street is no problem; ask before going into shops and exhibitions. If it rains, the visit comes down to the churches, the castle exhibitions and the producers' workshops. - **Château-Observatoire Abbadia in Hendaye** (1 h · All ages · Guided visit €12.90 · Child aged 6 to 13 €5.90): What it is The Château-Observatoire Abbadia is the house that Antoine d'Abbadie, explorer, ethnologist, geographer and astronomer, had built on the Hendaye cliff between 1864 and 1884. It was designed by Viollet-le-Duc in neo-Gothic style, with an eclectic decoration that mixes the medieval with souvenirs from its owner's travels in Ethiopia and the East. It is a historic monument and holds the Maisons des Illustres label. The odd thing is that, besides being a home, it was a real astronomical observatory, and the observatory is part of the visit. What you see The guided visit, of about 50 minutes, goes round the observatory and the rooms, furnished and decorated as when the house was built: the Ethiopian-themed rooms, the Jerusalem room and the Arab salon, among others. The park around the castle, open to the sea and the Corniche, can be visited separately, with an interpretation area. There are also special visits, all in French: "Les Abords d'Abbadia", an hour and a half, which starts with the surroundings; the "Visite Prestige", of about two hours and once a month outside summer, which opens the kitchen and Abbadie's bedroom and ends with an Ethiopian coffee; and in July and August the "Première heure", at 9:45, at a reduced price and by online booking only. Hours Closed from 5 to 26 January. The rest of the year it changes by season: 27 January – 31 March and 1 November – 22 December: Tuesday to Sunday, 14:00 to 18:00. Guided visit at 14:30 and self-guided from 15:30 to 17:00. Closed on Mondays. 1 April – 30 June and 1 September – 31 October: every day (except 1 May), Monday to Friday 10:00 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 18:00, and weekends and public holidays only 14:00 to 18:00. Guided only. 1 July – 31 August: every day 9:30 to 19:00. Guided visits from 10:00 to 15:20 and self-guided from 16:00 to 18:20. Christmas: its own hours, closed on 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January. There are guided visits in Spanish in summer, at Easter and for much of autumn; confirm when booking. Booking is compulsory except for some self-guided visits. Prices The guided visit costs €12.90 for adults, €9.90 for ages 14 to 18, €10.50 for students, €5.90 for ages 6 to 13 and people with a disability; family (two adults and two or three under-13s), €35. The summer self-guided visit, with an audio leaflet, is a bit cheaper: €11.50 for adults and €31 for a family; bring your own headphones. Park and interpretation area only: €2.50, free up to age 13. Getting there and parking It is at 27 Route de la Corniche. There are two free car parks about ten minutes' walk away; P1, Ascoubia, has 120 spaces with no shade, and room for motorhomes during the visit. In front of reception there are two spaces for people with disabilities. Without a car, buses 14, 15 and 26 of the Txik Txak network stop at "Abadia", five minutes from the gate. From Irún or San Sebastián you reach Hendaye on the Topo and there take the 15; from the Les Deux Jumeaux station on the coast train, the 14 or 26. By bike, the castle is on the Vélodyssée and has bike racks. If you are sleeping in a motorhome, the Hendaye area is nearby. Rules, accessibility and children You may not go in with a rucksack, even a small one, or with a pushchair: there is free left-luggage and they lend you a baby carrier. Animals are not admitted, in the park either, and you cannot picnic. The castle has 42 steps and is not wheelchair accessible, although reception and the park are; there is a virtual visit on a tablet, documents in braille and in easy-read, and a hearing loop. It holds the Tourisme & Handicap label. For small children, the 50-minute guided visit feels long in French: choose one in Spanish or the summer self-guided one. - **Cruise from Saint-Jean-de-Luz along the Corniche to Hondarribia** (1 h 45 · All ages; under-10s €15 · Desde 22 € adult): You leave the fishing harbour of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, cross the bay and sail without stopping along the flysch cliffs of Socoa, the Baie de Loya, the Abbadia estate, the Deux Jumeaux rocks and Hendaye beach to the mouth of the Bidasoa and the harbour of Hondarribia. Report to the Nivelle kiosk in the harbour 15 minutes before departure. It is cancelled in rough seas. ## Dónde comer - **Chez Pablo** (Restaurant, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, €€). Qué pedir: Chipirones in their ink or the hake à la Pablo; for dessert, mamia or Basque cake. - **Hôtel-Restaurant Euzkadi** (Restaurant, Espelette, €€). Qué pedir: veal axoa with Espelette pepper. - **Maison Adam** (Bakery, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, €). Qué pedir: the almond macarons and a Basque cake for the road. - **Les Halles de Saint-Jean-de-Luz** (Market, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, €). Qué pedir: Bayonne ham, Ossau-Iraty sheep's cheese and Espelette pepper to take away. - **Les Halles de Biarritz** (Market, Biarritz, €€). Qué pedir: some tapas in the bars around at lunchtime, after shopping. ## By car: By Car: A Base on the Coast, Excursions Inland The car is what takes you to Espelette, Ainhoa and the La Rhune train, which are far from the railway. On the coast, though, parking is expensive and slow: leave the car at the hotel and get around on foot or by bus. Presupuesto orientativo: 110–180 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Hôtel du Palais** (Hotel): The former summer villa of Empress Eugénie, a hotel since the late 19th century and a Palace-rated hotel since 2011. For a special night with the beach below. - **Hôtel Les Almadies** (Small hotel): A small hotel in a Basque house on rue Gambetta, 300 m from the beach and the station. No lift: bear it in mind with large suitcases. ## Car-free: Car-Free: The Coast Train Links Everything It is one of the few coasts that works well without a car. From San Sebastián you take the Topo to Hendaye and there catch the regional train, which stops at the coastal towns as far as Bayonne. Presupuesto orientativo: 90–150 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir without a car - **Grand Hôtel Loreamar Thalasso & Spa** (Spa hotel): On the Saint-Jean-de-Luz beach promenade, with a seawater spa opened in 2007 and a club for children aged 4 to 12. The railway station is a short walk away. - **Hôtel Les Almadies** (Small hotel): A small hotel in a Basque house on rue Gambetta, 300 m from the beach and the station. No lift: bear it in mind with large suitcases. ### Servicios - **Topo from San Sebastián to Hendaye**: Euskotren, line E2 · arrives at Hendaia station, about 50 m from the SNCF one · tickets separate from SNCF ones - **Hendaye – Bayonne Regional Train**: TER Nouvelle-Aquitaine · stops at Les Deux Jumeaux, Saint-Jean-de-Luz-Ciboure, Guéthary and Biarritz · Bidart has no station - **Txik Txak Buses**: Communauté Pays Basque network · line 3 runs along the coast from Hendaye to Bayonne · single ticket, Txik Txak card or a combined pass with the TER ## Luxury: On a Budget: Palaces, Thalassotherapy and a Long Table Biarritz was born as a spa resort for Napoleon III's court and it still feels like one. Here luxury is sleeping above the beach and spending the afternoon in a seawater spa. Presupuesto orientativo: €350 or more por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir in style - **Hôtel du Palais** (Hotel): The former summer villa of Empress Eugénie, a hotel since the late 19th century and a Palace-rated hotel since 2011. For a special night with the beach below. - **Grand Hôtel Loreamar Thalasso & Spa** (Spa hotel): On the Saint-Jean-de-Luz beach promenade, with a seawater spa opened in 2007 and a club for children aged 4 to 12. The railway station is a short walk away. ## Camping: Camping in the Bay of Erromardie The Saint-Jean-de-Luz campsites are concentrated in the bay of Erromardie, north of the town, with the coastal path at the door and the centre 2 km away. Presupuesto orientativo: 30–55 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're camping - **Camping Bord de Mer** (Campsite): A small campsite, 2 km from the centre, that stretches 300 m along Erromardie beach. The coastal path passes in front. - **Camping La Ferme Erromardie** (Campsite): A larger family campsite, in the same bay of Erromardie, open from late March to early November. Useful if Bord de Mer is full. ### Servicios - **Txik Txak Buses**: Communauté Pays Basque network · line 3 runs along the coast from Hendaye to Bayonne · single ticket, Txik Txak card or a combined pass with the TER ## By campervan: By Motorhome: An Area at the Border, Campsites on the Bay In the centres of Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz there is no room for a motorhome. Sleep at the Hendaye area or at an Erromardie campsite and get around by train or bus. Presupuesto orientativo: 15–50 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir in a campervan - **Camping Bord de Mer** (Campsite): A small campsite, 2 km from the centre, that stretches 300 m along Erromardie beach. The coastal path passes in front. - **Camping La Ferme Erromardie** (Campsite): A larger family campsite, in the same bay of Erromardie, open from late March to early November. Useful if Bord de Mer is full. - **Hendaye Motorhome Area** (Campervan area, desde 15 € / night): The municipal area on rue Ansoenia, the first on crossing from Irún, with water, electricity and waste disposal (paid separately). Pay by card; it is close to the train and the tourist office. ## By plane: Fly to Biarritz or San Sebastián and drive along the coast For anyone coming from far away, there are two gateways: Biarritz airport, right on the coast, and San Sebastián airport, in Hondarribia, a step from the border and about 20 minutes from Hendaye. From northern Spain, it is quicker by car. With a hire car you can combine Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Biarritz and the inland villages in a day; without a car, the coastal train and the Txik Txak buses link the towns. ### Dónde dormir if you're flying - **Hôtel du Palais** (Hotel): The former summer villa of Empress Eugénie, a hotel since the late 19th century and a Palace-rated hotel since 2011. For a special night with the beach below. - **Grand Hôtel Loreamar Thalasso & Spa** (Spa hotel): On the Saint-Jean-de-Luz beach promenade, with a seawater spa opened in 2007 and a club for children aged 4 to 12. The railway station is a short walk away. - **Hôtel Les Almadies** (Small hotel): A small hotel in a Basque house on rue Gambetta, 300 m from the beach and the station. No lift: bear it in mind with large suitcases. ### Servicios - **Biarritz Pays Basque Airport**: Biarritz airport (BIQ), a few minutes from central Biarritz and about 20 from Saint-Jean-de-Luz, with car hire at the terminal ## As a family: As a Family: Wooden Train, Seals and Foamy Waves The French Basque coast works with children because each day has a short plan and the beach next door. Distances are small: from Hendaye to Biarritz is half an hour. ### What works best The La Rhune train: under-4s go free and at the top there are free-roaming ponies The Biarritz aquarium, an hour and a half with seals, for a rainy day The beach in the Saint-Jean-de-Luz bay, closed off by breakwaters and with little swell A surf lesson at the Côte des Basques, with courses for ages 6 to 9 in the holidays ### Where to sleep La Ferme Erromardie, a family campsite next to the beach Grand Hôtel Loreamar, with a club for children aged 4 to 12 ### Eating Chez Pablo: big portions and simple dishes A picnic from Les Halles on the beach ### Keep in mind On the La Rhune train, under-4s travel on your lap Beaches open to the ocean have currents: swim only in a supervised area ### Qué hacer as a family - The La Rhune Rack Railway - Surf Lesson at Biarritz's Côte des Basques - Saint-Jean-de-Luz Old Town and Harbour - Biarritz Aquarium - Cruise from Saint-Jean-de-Luz along the Corniche to Hondarribia ## With teenagers: With Teenagers: Surf and Cliffs Here surfing is an everyday sport, and that is enough for a teenager. A few days of lessons give them something of their own to do while the rest stroll. ### What works best A five-day surf course at the Côte des Basques The coastal path from Bidart to Saint-Jean-de-Luz, with coves to swim in The La Rhune train and the border on foot at the summit ### Where to sleep Camping at Erromardie: beach and path at the door The centre of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, so they can get around alone on foot ### Eating Tapas in the bars of Les Halles de Biarritz Basque cake from Maison Adam for the route ### Keep in mind Surf lessons depend on the tide: the time changes every day Under-16s must be accompanied at the aquarium ### Qué hacer with teenagers - The La Rhune Rack Railway - Surf Lesson at Biarritz's Côte des Basques - Coastal Path from Bidart to Saint-Jean-de-Luz ## With a dog: Coastal Path, La Rhune Train and Four Places to Sleep The French Basque coast works well with a dog: the coastal path from Bidart to Saint-Jean-de-Luz can be done with it on a lead, it goes up the La Rhune train with its own ticket and four places to stay admit it. On the sand, the rules change from one beach to another: check the signs at each. ### Walks Coastal path from Bidart to Saint-Jean-de-Luz, on a lead and with water for it Rack railway to La Rhune: dog ticket, €6.50 in 2026 Espelette and Ainhoa, along the street; ask before going into shops ### Where to sleep Camping Bord de Mer: on a lead; on a pitch, free in low season and €2 in summer Camping La Ferme Erromardie: with a supplement, not beside the pools Grand Hôtel Loreamar: €30 per animal per night Hôtel Les Almadies: dogs under 10 kg, €15 per stay ### Keep in mind The Château-Observatoire Abbadia does not admit animals The campsites do not admit category 1 and 2 dogs On beaches, each commune sets its own rules and dates ### Qué hacer with a dog - The La Rhune Rack Railway - Coastal Path from Bidart to Saint-Jean-de-Luz - Espelette and Ainhoa, Villages of Labourd ### Dónde dormir with a dog - Grand Hôtel Loreamar Thalasso & Spa: €30 per animal per night; not in the restaurant or the spa - Hôtel Les Almadies: Dogs under 10 kg, €15 per stay - Camping Bord de Mer: On a lead; on a pitch, free in low season and €2 in summer - Camping La Ferme Erromardie: With a supplement and on a lead; no category 1 and 2 dogs or beside the pools ## Consejos ### Check the tide before planning the beach At high tide, several Biarritz beaches and the coves on the path almost disappear. Surf schools set lesson times according to the tide. ### Park outside and walk in In summer the centres of Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Biarritz gridlock. Leave the car at the hotel or in a car park at the entrance. ### Always carry a layer This coast is Atlantic: the weather changes within an hour and on La Rhune it is chilly even in August. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How many days do I need? Two days are enough for Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Biarritz and La Rhune. With four you add the coastal path, a surf lesson and the inland villages. ### Can I go from San Sebastián without a car? Yes. The Topo reaches Hendaye and from there the regional train runs along the coast to Bayonne. For Espelette or the La Rhune train there is a bus, with few timetables. ### Where is there a calm beach for children? In the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, protected by breakwaters. Beaches open to the ocean, such as the Côte des Basques, have waves and currents. ### How much does the La Rhune train cost? In 2026, €26 return for an adult and €18 for children aged 4 to 12. It runs from late March to early November. ### Can you learn to surf in a day? In a lesson of an hour and a half you stand up on the foam. To catch waves on your own, allow for a five-day course. ### Are there surf lessons in winter? Few. Many schools, such as Biarritz Surf Training, close from December to March. From April to November lessons are given daily, wetsuit included.