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 From
the pleasant town of
Saint-Jean-de-Luz to the very picturesque port of Getaria, the
Basque coast boasts magnificent scenery and a fabulous gastronomic
heritage.
The Basque Country is a geographical, cultural and linguistic
entity. It has always been considered as a unit by the French and
Spanish sides alike: so it is quite natural for an inhabitant of
Saint-Jean-de-Luz to go and spend the evening in
San Sebastian, which is the nearest big city (30 km/19 miles
away), or for an inhabitant of Irun to go and visit
Biarritz or Bayonne!
In terms of gastronomy, one finds a memory and culinary identity in
common, be it tuna from the Bay of Biscay, ewe's milk cheese, hams
cured in the open air, small squid cooked in their ink with white
wine, and the numerous dishes with sauce containing tomato,
capsicum, garlic and onion.
Saint-Jean-de-Luz: showcase of the Basque Country
Five hours from
Paris by
TGV high-speed train, Saint-Jean-de-Luz is an ideal destination for
a dream weekend! Less fashionable than Biarritz and just as
beautiful as Bayonne (with access to the ocean on top!), this old
pirate town benefits from a magnificently preserved environment, far
from the buildings that have sadly spoiled the coast at Hendaye.
Its luminous harbour and seaside architecture, its promenade and
golf course, its Art Deco heritage (the Pergola by Mallet-Stevens
above the beach, the Hôtel Lehen Tokia, the Leïhorra villa, and the
lighthouse by Pavlovsky at Ciboure) but, above all, its art of
living, make Saint-Jean-de-Luz a town of human dimensions which has
retained its identity, in spite of tourism.
Thus, strolling along rue Gambetta (where most of the shops are to
be found), you will be surprised to discover authentic Basque houses
with wooden or wrought iron balconies. The square and the noble
Louis XIV house (built in 1643) remind visitors that this onetime
modest whale-fishing harbour was, on 9 June 1660, the scene of the
wedding of the king of France to Spanish Infanta Marie-Thérèse (both
aged 22). To the cheers of the crowd, the newly weds passed through
the door of the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste (the biggest in the
Basque Country, photo opposite), which was sealed up after 1666 but
whose outline can still be seen; an inscription commemorates the
event.
Be it Basque pelota, espadrilles, striped clothes, knives, leather
goods or gourmet specialities, this is the showcase of the Basque
Country!
Arrantzaleak restaurant - a real taste of the sea!
For a real treat in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, we recommend that you head
across the Charles de Gaulle bridge, which crosses the Nivelle river
and links up with Ciboure. You will enjoy a splendid view of the
harbour and the house of the Infanta, one of the last vestiges of
Louis XIV's wedding.
As you leave the bridge you will see Arrantzaleak, at the water's
edge, with fish and seafood from the morning's catch out on display.
 Trained
by Jean Delaveyne in Bougival and Manuel Martinez at La Tour
d'Argent in Paris, young chef Ramuntcho Courdé returned to his roots
a few years ago. His simple, authentic cuisine gives pride of place
to seasonal produce. We enjoyed the mussels stuffed with butter,
garlic and parsley, baby squid (chipirons) in ink, wild turbot and
lobster in lemon-flavoured butter, grilled over a wood fire in front
of us, and scallops served with Espelette pepper and slices of
Jambon de Bayonne. The unpasteurised ewe's milk cheese is, as usual,
served with Espelette pepper jelly or cherry jam.
The very fine wine list includes Marcel Lapierre's Morgon and very
pure Drappier Brut Champagne. However, do be sure to sample the
local wines, such as the rare Irouléguy Blanc by Etienne Brana,
produced from Petit Courbu and Gros Manseng grapes, with citrus
fruit aromas: a dry, fruity wine that is not lacking in richness.
Menu at €26.
A few gourmet addresses
Maison Adam
Its tender, melt-in-the-mouth macaroons with their fresh almond
flavour are said to have been created for the wedding of Louis XIV.
They are to be eaten as fresh as possible, within three days of
purchase.
Confiserie Pariès
Created in 1894, this confectioner's shop makes delicious kanougas -
coffee, chocolate or vanilla flavoured toffees garnished with nuts,
and enriched with Chantilly cream. Its chocolates, famous throughout
France, are made from the best cocoa crops (60 varieties).
Traditional Basque cakes are available, filled with cream, cherries
or chocolate.
Christian Thurin
Surfing enthusiast Christian Thurin is also a past master in the art
of discovering the best Basque products, in France and Spain. His
mountain ewe's milk cheeses are unpasteurised. His Jambon de Bayonne
is prepared with sea salt and dried in the open air, with no
chemical products. You will also find Espelette pepper (used like
ordinary pepper in the Basque Country), unfiltered Basque cider,
Txakoli, and anchovies.
Before heading to the little fishing port of Getaria, we simply had
to go via San Sebastian and stop off at the restaurant of the man
that many gourmets in Europe consider to be the greatest Spanish
chef of the moment: Martin Berasategui! One hour by road or rail
from Saint-Jean-de-Luz, his creative cuisine expresses the
quintessential taste of the Basque Country!
Recharge your batteries in Getaria
25 km (15.5 miles) from San Sebastian and 80 km (50 miles) from
Bilbao (A8 / E 70), the old whale-fishing port of Getaria,
founded in 1204, is one of the jewels of the Basque coast. Since
tourist activity here is extremely controlled, this part of the
coastline has been totally spared by concrete.
 Linked
by a dyke to the island of Mount San Anton, from the top of which
you can take in the entire Basque coast from east to west, Getaria
is enthralling on account of its peace and quiet, its light and its
steep alleys bordered by Gothic houses (San Roke street) and Baroque
houses (Nagusia street).
Above the harbour, the church of San Salvador, which is listed as a
National Monument, was built on a hillside in the 14th century. This
is why, when you go in, you will be surprised to find that it has a
sloping floor: you have to climb up to the chancel!
In addition to its large beach, its architecture, fish market, and
walking trails leading to the lighthouse of Mount San Anton, Getaria
is also worth a visit for the Aldamar Palace, former summer
residence of Queen Fabiola of Belgium and now a museum dedicated to
Cristobal Balenciaga (1895-1972). It was in this palace that this
son of a fisherman from Getaria and future couturier to the stars
(notably Jane Fonda) made his debut in the world of haute couture in
1915.
As for gastronomy, Getaria is renowned throughout the Basque Country
for its baby squid and fish from the morning's catch which are
sampled "a la plancha" (i.e. grilled) in the restaurants at the
harbour, such as Kaia, Astillero and Mayflower, whose magnificent
outdoor terrace overlooks the beach.
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