Page 466 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

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Arreau St-Jean-de-Luz
! C7 ⌂ Hautes-Pyrénées ! B6 ⌂ Pyrénées-
@ n 9 place de la Fontaine; Atlantiques k Biarritz
www.pyrenees2 £ @ n 20 blvd Victor
vallees.com Hugo; www.saint-jean-
de-luz.com
Arreau is at the confluence
EXPERIENCE The Pyrénées historic half-timbered build- tourist resort in August, with
of the rivers Aure and Louron.
St-Jean is a quiet fishing town
It is a bustling village of
out of season and a scorching
shopping to rival the chic rue
ings with slate roofs. Despite
its small size, Arreau has a
du Faubourg St-Honoré in
range of good shops and res-
Paris. During the 11th century
whale carcasses were towed
taurants, making it the perfect
here to feed the whole village.
place to buy supplies for
alpine hiking and fishing trips.
the shoreline, making it one
The town is centred on its
slopes of St-Lary Soulan
of the few beaches safe for
town hall, which features a Skiers heading for the The natural harbour protects
covered market place beneath in the Pyrénées swim ming along this stretch
it. Next door is the 16th- of coast.
century Maison de Lys, which An important historical
has a façade orna men ted Nearby St-Lary Soulan is a event took place in St-Jean:
with the fleur-de-lys motifs. family-friendly ski resort, with the wedding of Louis XIV and
an interesting National Park the Infanta Maria Teresa of
Centre, and it makes a good Spain in 1660, a union that
base for exploring the entire had the effect of sealing the
Did You Know? Massif du Néouvielle. Head for long-anticipated alliance
the village of Fabian and the between France and Spain.
Basque is a language smattering of lakes above it, In the long run, it ended up
isolate, meaning it where the GR10 and other with the two countries ulti-
does not have its well-marked trails crisscross mately embroiled in the War
roots in any other the peaks. Up here there’s a of the Spanish Succession.
language. very good chance of sighting This wedding took place at the
golden eagles or a lammer- Eglise St-Jean-Baptiste, and it
geier soaring overhead. is still the biggest and best of

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