The town of Bayonne, the center of the French part of the Basque Country, is located in the south, not far from the Bay of Biscay and 30 km from the border with Spain . The city stands on the plain where Niv flows into Adour . The favorable location made Bayonne a major trading, transport and military center . And today it is just a small but very colorful city, a full reference to the Basque culture, with distinct traditions and interesting cuisine . In a word, one that is not a sin to visit, resting on the Silver Coast . Especially to this very shore from Ba yonny in a straight line - five kilometers .
How to get to Bayonne
The city is even closer to Biarritz airport than Biarritz itself, from which to Bayonne is about 8 km. From the airport - about 6 km, and they can be overcome by bus for 20 minutes. The bus runs every half hour. You can get to Bayonne and by rail - for example, from Toulouse or Bordeaux.
Search for tickets to the city of Biarritz (nearest a / p to Bayonne)
A bit of history
The city was founded by the Romans, and the traces of their buildings, which are being built in new buildings, are still found on the streets of Bayonne . Thanks to the favorable location on Bayonne, the English could not but pay attention to, in the Middle Ages, seriously claiming the local territories . British Bayonne was from the 12th to the 15th century, like the whole Aquitaine, and at this time the city went up the hill due to a number of indulgences To traders . Only from the British Isles could send wines from Bordeaux and other products of the region's exports . French city began when Joan of Arc .
Anyway, and Bayonne was and always remains the Basque city . A Basques - people proud, violent and ready to die for their national identity . The indigenous people were very offended if someone began to mix their hometown with the resort Biarritz, although it is too close to him . Let today not a large percentage of the inhabitants speak Basque, but all the inscriptions and signs necessarily duplicates the Basque . And since historical and the local dialect was Gascon, and the Gascon flag is still winding at the City Hall next to the Basque one, then all the languages on each index are three . In addition, at the city university - the only one in the country - one can get a specialty in the Basque language and even protect her doctorate .
Best hotels 5 *. Paris. Disneyland. Vacation with children.
Cote d'Azur: Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Saint-Tropez.
Rent of aircraft. Transfers by helicopter. VIP service
СОДИС - 25 years of impeccable work.
Residence Tourotel 3 * from 21.03. for 7 nights from 50,717 rubles.
Altis Val Vert 3 * from 07.03. for 7 nights from 51,503 rubles
Residence Le Cheval Blanc 3 * from 07.03. for 7 nights from 55 574 rubles
We have been working for you since 1929! Book a tour online!
Chamonix from 35 285 rubles. for 8 days
Bride-les-Bains from 37,760 rubles. for 8 days
Tinh from 47 510 rubles. for 8 days
Entertainment, excursions and attractions in Bayonne
The old city of Bayonne consists, as it were, of three: the Greater, Lesser and Saint-Esprit. The first is the oldest, medieval, with a castle and a cathedral. The second is younger, the seat of the Basque houses and student life. The third, the region of the Holy Ghost, is no longer Basque, but Gascon, connected to the rest of the city by the same bridge over Adour
Big Bayonne is the most touristy place where you should look for the roots of the city. Roman kastrum, shopping arcades and transport channels for goods, old shops with galleries and a fishing plot of the embankment - everything was concentrated here. There is also the oldest Freedom Square in the city, still paved with tiles depicting the heraldic symbols of Aquitaine, Gascony and Labourden. On the square there is a city hall building that divides it with the National Theater
- Go to the majestic Cathedral of Our Lady, bow to the relics of St. Leon, the patron saint of the city
- Then visit the museum chocolate, which is located directly opposite.
- To buy Basque souvenirs: linen underwear, Makila canes, Espelian pepper
- To stumble on the ham auction which runs from Thursday to Saturday
- Try the local green liqueur "Izarra" .
Also in Great Bayonne it is worth to pass s on the street of the New Bridge, laid on the site of the old channel: on either side of his former promenade is lovely with a motley pile building wooden facades. There are also a lot of chocolate shops here. Another attractive street is the Spanish street with half-timbered narrow houses. Also interesting are the fortifications of the Roman period at the end of the Niva embankment
Contemporary Life Bayonne is a Small Town, which also originally penetrated the canal network. The buildings here are more recent and characteristic for the city as a whole: the most picturesque is the promenade of the Korsarov. Around there are many restaurants with local cuisine. In Little Bayonne there are several museums, as well as the New Castle - a 13th century fortress built, which was significantly expanded in the 15th century.
The Basque Museum in the Small Town has an extensive collection connected with the way of life and the traditional way of local residents . In particular, here you can see the reconstruction of the village before s and old beautiful gravestones of a characteristic round form . No less interesting is the Bonn Museum of Art, named after the artist - born in Bayonne . The collection was based on his works, bequeathed to the city, but besides them, the museum also contains Leonardo's masterpieces, Rubens, Goya, Engra, Murillo, El Greco . In the basement are collected exhibits from the times of Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome . In addition to the two above, in the Bayonne there is also a natural science museum .
Saint-Esprit appeared in about 12 century and was named in honor of the Order of Hospitaller in which the monks arranged here one of the transshipment points on the pilgrimage path. St. . Yakov . Among the sights of the quarter, the church with Gothic lancet ceilings and stucco in the style of flaming Gothic is first of all . The central square of the quarter is the Republic Square . In addition, the city synagogue built in the first half of the 19th century is noteworthy: namely, in Saint-Espri, Jewish immigrants settled by Bayonne can thank for the recipe of chocolate . Here, in Saint-Esprit, Marshal Vauban, built in the 17th century . Strengthening is still a closed military facility, so it will not be possible to inspect it .
Perhaps the most outstanding and notable building not only in Greater Bayonne but also in the city in general is the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary . It stands on the pilgrimage path of St. James's . Jacob in Santiago de Compostela and is attributed by UNESCO to the World heritage as part of this path . The cathedral is a characteristic elaborately sharp edifice in the style of flaming Gothic with two symmetrical towers of the facade, whose height reaches 85 m . Belfry, however, were completed already in the 19th century .The construction of the cathedral began in the beginning of the 13th century, but it was completed only a couple of hundred years later . Although the cathedral was badly damaged during the French Revolution, the stained-glass windows of the 15th-17th centuries remained in the windows .
Cuisine of Bayonne
Culinary specialties of the city are not only chocolate. Firstly, Bayonne is famous for its delicious ham. Pork is generally extremely popular in the Basque Country, but it is the Bayonne hams that have a certificate of protection by geographical name. They are prepared only from pigs grown in a special area and only with a certain salt, they are kept for more than half a year, and the dry sea wind plays here in the saline approximately the same role as for the famous Parma prosciutto.
Also famous is the local cheese made from sheep's milk, which is eaten with jam - usually from figs or cherries. In addition, here, of course, in honor and classic Basque dishes: peppered pepperade from ham with eggs, halva of almonds, traditional pie and chocolate dessert, which is called "Basque Beret". In addition, Bayonne residents insist on primacy in the invention of mayonnaise. However, the latter is doubtful - especially since the local so-called "bayonese" is being cooked with red pepper
Events Bayonne
The annual city festival in August is a colorful and original event. At its carrying out inhabitants Bayonny dress in red and white and pour out on streets where all day long the traditional music sounds. During the festival, the biggest match for the game in the pelota is also held: the playground for this ball game in Bayonne is one of the oldest in the country.
Another authentic sight is the historical bullfight. In France Bayonne became the first city where this tradition took root, and about a dozen corridas pass through the huge city arena every year: this continues throughout the summer season
Also the annual jazz festival and the annual Easter ham festival are held in the city.
Book popular hotels in Bayonne at the best prices
| Best Western Le Grand Hotel from 5,440 rubles Bayonne 21 Rue Thiers | Temporesidence Cathedrale from 3,994 rubles Bayonne 9 rue Sabaterie | @ Hôtel Le Bayonne from 3 718 rubles Bayonne 1 Avenue Jean Rostand |
| Campanile Bayonne from 3 099 rub Bayonne Avenue Du Grand Basque | Hotel Loreak from 4 063 rubles Bayonne 1 chemin de Hayet | ibis Styles Bayo nne - Petit-Déjeuner Inclus from 4 063 rubles Bayonne 1 place de la République |
| Hotel Cote Basque from 2 755 rub Bayonne 2 rue Maubec | ibis budget Bayonne from 2 686 rubles Bayonne 6 avenue du Grand Basque | Hotel Restaurant Les Genets from 2 892 rubles Bayonne Rond Point de Maignon, Avenue Du 8 Mai 1945 |