Page 358 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

the village of Irouléguy, which
7 Ainhoa 9 Itxassou you pass roughly around the
halfway point, are home to the
Beautiful Ainhoa’s Famed for its cherries, vines that produce the Basque
elongated main street as well as the beauty of Country’s best-known wine.
is flanked by imposing its surrounds, Itxassou is
17th-century houses, a classic Basque village TRIP HIGHLIGHT
half-timbered and that well rewards a bit of
brightly painted. The exploration. The cherries b St-Jean Pied de
fortified church has the are used in the region’s Port
Basque trademarks of an most famous cake, gateau At the foot of the Pyr-
internal gallery and an Basque, which is available enees, the walled town of
embellished altarpiece. pretty much everywhere St-Jean Pied de Port was
you look throughout the
The Drive » It’s 6km down Basque Country. for centuries the last stop
the D20 to our next halt, in France for pilgrims
Espelette. The Drive » It’s 28km (about heading south over the
30 minutes) down the D918 and Spanish border and on to
D948 to St-Étienne de Baïgorry. Santiago de Compostela
TRIP HIGHLIGHT On the way you’ll pass the village in western Spain. Today
8 Espelette of Bidarry, renowned for its it remains a popular
The whitewashed Basque white-water rafting, and some departure point for hik-
pretty special mountain scenery.
town of Espelette is ers attempting the same
famous for its dark- pilgrim trail.
ATLANTIC COAST 32 BASqUE COUNTRY
red chillies, which are a St-Étienne de St-Jean Pied de Port
an integral ingredient Baïgorry isn’t just about hik-
in traditional Basque ing boots and religious
cuisine. In autumn, the The riverside village of pilgimage, though; its old
walls of the houses are St-Étienne de Baïgorry core, sliced through by
strung with rows of chil- is tranquillity itself. the Nive River, is an at-
lies drying in the sun. Like so many Basque tractive place of cobbled
To learn more about settlements, the village streets and geranium-
the chillies, and taste and has two focal points: the covered balconies.
buy chilli products, visit church and the fronton Specific sights worth
l’Atelier du Piment (%05 (court for playing pelota, seeking out include Ég-
59 93 90 21; www.atelier the local ball game). It’s lise Notre Dame du Bout
dupiment.com; h9am-8pm the kind of place to while du Pont, which was thor-
Apr-Oct, to 6pm Nov-Mar) on away an afternoon doing oughly rebuilt in the 17th
the edge of town. nothing very much at all. century. Beyond Porte de
Notre Dame (the main
The Drive » The next leg is The Drive » It’s a quiet gate into the old town)
an exceedingly pretty 6km (10 11km (20 minute) drive along is photogenic Vieux Pont
minutes) down the D249 to the the rural D15 to our final stop (Old Bridge), the town’s
cherry capital, Itxassou. St-Jean Pied de Port. The best-known landmark.
thirsty will be interested to
know that the hills around
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