Amorebieta-Etxano > Bayonne

CYCLING TOURISM
Closest KM: Hendaye, KM 134 (border)

The peloton will follow the course of the EuroVelo 1 Atlantic Coast Route from the French-Spanish border to Saint-Jean-de-Luz! This European route traces the western edge of Europe, from Scandinavia to southern and western Portugal. It spans about 11,150 km, from the Norwegian fjords and the rugged Irish coast to the great beaches on the shores of the Atlantic. The French section, usually known as "La Vélodyssée", runs for 1,300 km along the Breton coasts and the Atlantic seaboard to the Basque Country. This cycling odyssey, which is for the most part separate from roads, is wildly popular with tourists who want to embark on an adventure on two wheels. Over 3.6 million trips were recorded on the route in 2018.  

PROVINCE OF BISCAY

Population: 1.15 million
Capital city: Bilbao
Area: 2,217 km2
Specialities: Biscayan cod, cod al pil-pil, choricero (pepper), Guernica beans, marmitako (a kind of tuna bouillabaisse). Pisto a la bilbaina (ratatouille with egg and ham). Txakoli (wine).
Major sports clubs: Athletic Bilbao (football). 
Major competitions: Grand Départ of the Tour de France 2023. Tour of the Basque Country. Basque Pelota.
Culture and festivals: Guggenheim Museum, Fine Arts Museum.
Sights: Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, Gaztelugatxe islet, Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, Vizcaya Bridge, Bermeo, Guernica, Guernica Tree. 
Economy: Bilbao is the 10th largest city in Spain and one of its main economic centres. Shipbuilding, services, high technology (Bizkaia technology park), port activities (first port on the north coast of Spain), banking (BBVA headquarters), Iberdrola (electricity and gas). Fishing, agriculture, tourism.
Websites / social networks: www.visitbiscay.eus

ABADINO

A small rural town surrounded by mountains and woods, Abadino is the starting point for numerous routes on foot, by bike or on horseback. Its architectural heritage bears witness to its long history. The Tower of Muntsaratz, for example, is one of the most important Renaissance buildings in the Basque Country. Abadino is the birthplace of David Etxebarria, who took part in the Tour de France seven times between 1997 and 2004 and finished 12th in 1999. Another local rider, Mikel Zarrrabeitia, second in the Vuelta in 1994, was considered the great hope of Spanish cycling before health problems hampered his career.  

Mutsaratz Tower
Construction: as early as the 9th century.
Style: Renaissance.
Characteristics: Its name comes from the noble family who built it. Restored around 1590 with a gallery of Tuscan columns, it is considered to be the most important Renaissance building of civil architecture in Bizkaia. Built of carefully cut sandstone, it forms a cube lightened at the top by an arched gallery. Each of its five floors has a different function: the ground floor was used as a living room, the second floor as a kitchen, and the third and fourth floors are residential, with a central double-height room with access to the gallery. The top floor was used as a drying room and attic. The building has defensive elements and its lower part probably predates the prohibition of fortified towers decreed by the Catholic Monarchs.

MARKINA-XEMEIN

As the birthplace of great pelota players and a stopover on the Pilgrim's Way to Santiago de Compostela, many pilgrims pass through the town. The town centre has preserved its medieval structure and is home to many interesting buildings. Among these are the Carmel church, whose façade features a sculpture of the Virgin and a coat of arms of the Carmelite Order, the palaces of Solartekua (the present-day town hall), Andonegi and Ansotegi, the Antxia tower and the old town hall. On the outskirts are other important monuments, such as the beautiful Patrokua Palace, the church of Santa María de la Asunción de Xemein, declared a National Monument of the Basque Country, and the hermitage of San Miguel de Arretxinaga, a surprising hexagonal temple with an altar formed by three rocks. Home to famous pelota players, the town and its pelota court are known as the "University of Pelota", Markina-Xemein having become a high-level learning centre. The town has twice hosted the Tour of the Basque Country in 2014 (Ben Swift) and 2015 (Luis Leon Sanchez).  

Santa Maria de la Asuncion de Xemein Church
Construction: 16th century.
Style: Renaissance and Gothic.
Characteristics: Composed of three naves and mixing Gothic and Renaissance elements, this temple has a rectangular plan and a square chevet. Its large altarpiece is a magnificent Mannerist work.
Special features: the neoclassical cemetery next to the church is distinguished by its rectangular shape and cloister.
Listing: National Monument of the Basque Country.

ONDARROA 

Ondarroa is located at the mouth of the River Artibai, in a very rugged area, bathed by the waters of the Bay of Biscay. This stretch of coastline is made up of steep cliffs, among which the Pena del Fraile (Monk's Rock) stands out. The old town, classified as an asset of cultural interest, and its narrow, steep streets have a charming taste of the Middle Ages and the ocean. The 15th-century Likona Tower, one of the oldest in the Basque Country, can be admired here. Not far away is the Church of Santa Maria (1462), a Gothic monument made of ashlar and sandstone, which stands out for its wide variety of windows, the crowns of its buttresses and the rose window on its façade. The old town hall is also noteworthy for its Tuscan façade, which is very different from the rest of the buildings in the municipality. Ondarroa has a beach, Arrigorri, from which you can walk to the nearby beach of Saturraran, which belongs to the town of Mutriku. Two members of the Spanish football team, defender Inigo Martinez (Athletic Bilbao) and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea) were born in Ondarroa. In 2021, a stage of the Tour of the Basque Country was won by Mikkel Honoré.

MUTRIKU

Situated on the slopes of the Arno River (628 m), this charming fishing village, the birthplace of the famous sailors Antonio Gaztaneta and Cosme Damian Churruca, was founded in the early 13th century and still preserves its medieval layout and the remains of its ancient walls. Its old quarter, listed as a monumental complex in 1995, is characterised by narrow, steep streets lined with stately homes and towers from the 15th, 16th and 16th centuries. Around the main square, where the statue of Churruca (hero of the naval battle of Trafalgar) stands, are several emblematic buildings: the neoclassical church of Nuestra Señora de la Assunta, listed as a national monument and containing a Christ attributed to El Greco, the Town Hall, the Palacio Galdona, the Palacio Zabiel and the Palacio Montalibet, and the houses of Gaztaneta and Olazarra. The port is one of the oldest in Gipuzkoa. For a long time, its inhabitants were dedicated to whaling and, even today, fishing and its related industries play an important role in the town's economy. We should not forget the traditional mackerel day (Berdel Eguna), which is celebrated every year on the first Saturday in April and promotes mackerel and the different ways of cooking this tasty blue fish.

ZUMAIA

This coastal town, on the edge of a beautiful bay, has many assets: two splendid beaches, a charming old town and a modern marina. The old town is dominated by the 13th-century Gothic church of San Pedro, which is reminiscent of a fortress. It has a single nave and is one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in the Basque Country. It contains a national monument: an altarpiece by Juan de Antxieta. In the sloping streets, you come across other interesting buildings such as the Zumaia and Ubillos palaces and the Olazabal and Goikotorre houses. Itzurun beach is known for its waters which are beneficial to health due to their high iodine content. Santiago beach is located near the Zuloaga Museum, the home of the famous painter from Eibar.  

Zumaia Flysch
A "flysch" is a sedimentary deposit consisting mainly of alternating sandstones and marls, which have accumulated in an ocean basin that is closing as a result of the convergence of two tectonic plates. The Zumaia flysch is one of the most spectacular and best-studied outcrops in the world, since it bears witness to climatic, biological and geological events of the utmost importance, and its thickness covers a period of fifty million years. At present, these layers are in a vertical position, turning this outcrop into a great history book of the earth, such as the Cretaceous-Tertiary transition 65 million years ago, the last great climatic warming (Paleocene-Eocene) or the orogeny of the Pyrenees. This abrasion platform is home to the richest and most complex ecosystem on the Basque coast.  

Zuloaga House Museum
History: the place was acquired and restored in 1910 by Ignacio Zuloaga (170-1945) to restore a 14th century hermitage, to set up his studio and to exhibit part of his works and collection. The main museum dedicated to the Basque painter, one of the most famous portraitists of his time, is in Segovia. 
Characteristics: the Ignacio Zuloaga Cultural Centre is made up of several buildings that reveal the life and work of the painter. In the studio, the artist's personal objects are kept, as well as some of his works. The Museum of the Historical Collection, also built by the painter, contains the collections of Zuloaga, his wife Valentine Dethomas and the pieces inherited from his father, Placido Zuloaga. There are works by Rodin, Zurbaran, Goya and El Greco. The ensemble is completed by a Romanesque hermitage that was rebuilt by Zuloaga between 1910 and 1920 and which houses a Christ on the Cross by Julio Beobide and an image of the Dolorosa, by Quintin Torres, both polychromed by Ignacio Zuloaga. His grandson, Rafael Zuloaga, has been exhibiting contemporary art since 2012.

ZARAUTZ

Its extensive beach, flanked by the cliffs of Santa Barbara and Mollarri, extends for 2,500 metres and is lined by a busy promenade full of terraces and cafés. Its colourful canopies and fine golden sand make it one of the most beautiful beaches on the Basque coast. Its spectacular waves also make it a popular spot for surfers, and Zarautz hosts a World Cup event. To the east of the beach, near the mouth of the Inurritza River, begins an area of dunes, the largest on the Gipuzkoa coast, which is classified as a protected biotope. The old quarter is full of buildings and monuments: the parish church of Santa María La Real, the Franciscan and Poor Clare convents, the Narros palace, the large Torre Luzea tower, the Zarauz family's Casa Torre tower house, the Casa Dotorekua house and the Casa Portu house (the present-day town hall). Zarautz has hosted the Tour of the Basque Country three times, most recently in 2018, when Julian Alaphilippe won. It is also the home of Haimar Zubeldia, the most discreet of the great Grand Tour riders. He has taken part in 16 Tours de France and finished five times in the top ten. Gorka Gonzalez, a native of the city, has only participated in one edition of the Tour, in 2002.  

Narros Palace
Built: 1536.
History and characteristics: Narros Palace, also known as the Zarauz Palace or Corral Palace, is located on the beach. It was once the summer residence of illustrious figures such as Queen Isabel II and Father Coloma. Built in 1536, it consists of a central building with two wings. Its exterior perimeter is made of sandstone. On its central façade stands the large arched doorway, above which is the coat of arms of the house with the inscription "Zarauz antes que Zarauz" (Zarauz before Zarauz). The palace is surrounded by a beautiful English-style garden.
Current use: it is currently privately owned and cannot be visited.
Listed as a historical and artistic monument since 1964.  

Pagoeta Nature Park
The Pagoeta Nature Park, established around the eponymous mountain, has a very interesting educational function. A nature school and visitors' centre, housed in a magnificent 15th-century Basque farmhouse, provide an insight into life on Basque farms and the botanical wealth of the area. Other interesting features of Pagoeta include the Agorregi forge, dating from the early 15th century, and the ice houses (elurzuloak), which explain the ancient techniques of cold preservation. There are important prehistoric remains in the park: dolmens (Otagain, Olarteta, Zaingo), burial mounds (Muzin, Arreta...) and deposits in various caves (Erratia and Amalda in the Alzoralas valley). The indigenous breeds of cattle, such as the Betizu cow or the Pottoka horse, are a unique feature of the park.

ERRENTERIA

Errenteria, with its industrial past, has the largest old town in the region. San Marcos is one of the favourite places of the inhabitants: at the top stands the fort of San Marcos, used during the Carlist Wars and the Civil War, with magnificent views of San Sebastian and Pasaia. From a heritage point of view, the church of Our Lady of the Ascension is worth mentioning, as well as the numerous convents and hermitages, such as the Augustinian convent or the Basilica of Santa Magdalena. Errenteria hosts major cultural events throughout the year: Musikaste, which has been held since 1974 in the second half of May, and Atlantikaldia, a meeting of cultures and a music festival, in the third week of September. It is the hometown of former Spanish road champion Ane Santesteban (2013), who last year took part in the first edition of the Women's Tour in the colours of Bike Exchange-Jayco.  

IRUN

A border town, facing Hendaye on the other side of the Bidasoa River, Irun has thrived thanks to this border role and its position on the Pilgrim's Way to Santiago. With its 60,000 inhabitants and 2,000 years of history, the city is alive with gastronomic markets and popular cafés. The Pilgrim's Way to Santiago passes through Irun and is a good place to stop, for example at the Oiasso Roman Museum. Irun is the birthplace of Juan Manuel Garate, a stage winner in all three major Tours. Fifth in the Giro in 2005, the Basque climber won at the top of Mont Ventoux in the 2009 Tour de France. Another native of Irun, Jose Maria Errandonea, made Tour history by winning the first prologue at the start of the 1967 edition. Irun has hosted the Vuelta five times, including starts in 2020 and 2022.  

Pheasant Island
Pheasant Island or Conference Island (in Basque: Konpantzia) is a small river island located on the Bidasoa River, near its mouth and Chingoudy Bay, on the French-Spanish border. The island has long been used for bilateral meetings between the French and Spanish authorities. Having the status of a condominium, it is administered alternately by France and Spain with a change of administration every six months. It is the only example in contemporary international relations of alternating sovereignty over the same territory. Access to it is forbidden to the public.  

Oiasso Roman Museum
Opening: 2006.
History: Underneath the present-day city of Irun lies the Roman colony of Oiasso. Located at the mouth of the Bidasoa River, on the border between Hispania and Aquitaine, Oiasso was, in ancient times, the port city of the Vascons. During the Roman Empire, as part of the province known as Tarracona, the town became an important centre of communications and trade in northern Hispania.
Features: inaugurated in 2006, the Oiasso Museum brings together the most remarkable archaeological remains from the Roman period found in the area as a result of excavations carried out in recent decades. The archaeological excavations have identified the port and its warehouses, the baths, the necropolis and the mining operations in the area.

PYRÉNÉES-ATLANTIQUES (64)

Region: New Aquitaine
Population: 682,621
Prefecture : Pau
Subprefectures : Bayonne, Oloron-Sainte-Marie
Number of municipalities: 546
Area: 7,645 km2
Specialities:  piperade; madiran (wine); pacherenc (wine); poule au pot; garbure; jurançon (wine); axoa; piment d'Espelette; poulet basquaise (Basque chicken); gâteau basque (Basque cake); Irouléguy (AOC wine); Bayonne ham
Sports clubs:  Elan Béarnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez (basketball), Section Paloise, Biarritz olympique, Aviron Bayonnais (rugby), Pau FC (football).
Competitions:  Canoe/Kayak World Cup in Pau, Pau Automobile Grand Prix, Pau Eventing.
Festivals : Fêtes de Bayonne, Festival Hestiv'Òc
Economy : agropastoralism, hydroelectricity, agri-food, aeronautics, thermalism
Websites and social networks:
 http://www.le64.fr / https://www.facebook.com/pages/D%C3%A9partement-des-Pyr%C3%A9n%C3%A9es-Atlantiques/720037604708106 / https://twitter.com/departement64 / https://pro.tourisme64.com

SAINT-JEAN-DE-LUZ

Saint-Jean-de-Luz is an authentic town with a particularly rich past: the marriage of Louis XIV to the Infanta of Spain in 1660, marking the rapprochement between France and Spain, the privateers and the influence of maritime life have given this seaside resort all its character. With its gastronomy and its events, such as the Toro de Fuego which runs through the town in summer, its cultural and natural heritage with its five beaches, it offers a pleasant living environment to its inhabitants while at the same time becoming a popular place for tourists. Swimming on the large sandy beach in the magnificent bay is safe thanks to the three dykes built by Napoleon III to protect the port from storms: they are now part of the town's heritage. The economy is based on fishing resources. For a long time the leading sardine port in France, no less than 10,000 tonnes of different species of fish are marketed at the Saint-Jean-de-Luz/Ciboure fish auction every year, placing this auction in sixth place in terms of value out of thirty-six in France. The bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz/Ciboure is listed as a Country of Art and History. It is the birthplace of footballer Bixente Lizarazu and TV journalist Anne-Sophie Lapix. It was also the birthplace of René Lacoste, one of the famous musketeers of French tennis, creator of the polo shirt and the crocodile brand.  

St. John the Baptist Church
Construction: completed in 1685
Style: Labourdin
History: the history of the church begins long before the marriage of Louis XIV and Maria Theresa. As early as the 12th century, a Romanesque church surrounded the houses of the small town, built between the sea and the marshes (Luz comes from marsh in Basque). The remains of the 15th century Gothic church can still be seen today, while the windows date from the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1630, the town decided to enlarge the church, which had become too small for a town made prosperous by whaling, cod fishing and the West Indian trade. At the time of Louis XIV's wedding in 1660, the church was in the midst of construction. Of the old church, only the south wall and the bell tower remain. The last alterations date from the 19th century.
Characteristics: the most remarkable elements of the church are its baroque altarpiece, decorated with eighteen statues of saints, the antependium given by Louis XIV on the occasion of his wedding, and the organ, which is a twin of the one in Oloron Sainte-Marie cathedral. Several paintings are also listed.
A little history: it was around 1669 that the door known as "the door of Louis XIV's marriage" was walled up so that no other couple could use it. The city archives do not indicate whether the parish took this step on its own initiative or by order of the court.
Listing: Historical Monument since 1931.  

Louis XIV House
Built: 1643
History: Johannis de Lohobiague, mayor of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, heir to a large family of notables who were all at once shipowners, merchants and privateers, had a house built from 1643 onwards that was so sumptuous that it aroused the jealousy of one of his successors, who ten years later had the new Town Hall built against the previous one. In this house, from 8 May to 16 June 1660, the young Louis XIV was accommodated after his marriage, and then, in January 1701, Philip V of Spain, grandson of the King of France.
Characteristics: the residence is a quadrangular building with two main floors and an attic floor, flanked on the south side by two turrets and on the north side by two watchtowers framing the main façade, known as the Louis XIV façade. The decoration is concentrated on the second floor, where the most interesting rooms are: the dining room with panelling painted in the 17th or early 18th century with various scenes and ornaments; the kitchen, with its fireplace, its vegetable garden and its old shelves; the large bedroom, with the bed used by Louis XIV; the large sitting room, with the beginning of the clearing of its painted ceiling
Trivia: the Infanta Maria Theresa lived in the Joanoenia house (c. 1640), which was listed in 1992. 
Listing: listed as a historical monument in 2005.

In the French Basque Country, where the rivers Nive and Adour meet, Bayonne is a picturesque cultural city intertwined with green spaces and waterfront views.  
The old town is overlooked by the gothic Cathédrale Sainte-Marie, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the surrounding streets and along the riverbanks, you can find more impressive architecture, delicious food, and interesting cultural attractions.
All of this offers visitors a taste of the charming Basque region. Nearby, you'll find the popular coastal town of Biarritz, with beautiful beaches and opportunities for surfing. These two contrasting destinations are just waiting to be explored.

Top 5 things to do in the French Basque Country:

1. Discover the history of the Basque region
2. Explore Bayonne's 3 main neighbourhoods
3. Join in the festivities during summer
4. Visit sparkling seaside town, Biarritz
5  Sample the favourite local delicacies

Provided by lastminute.com