Green mountains, white and red villages,
the hinterland wears the colors of basque flag.

Urrugne, Biriatou, Ainhoa, Sare, Espelette, la Bastide Clairence, Garazi and Baigorri and so many more... basque villages have the strong and colourful personnality of basque people. Try to go to the market-place or to the sunday mass at the village church, and you'll hear basques talk and sing using this old language, Euskara.

You can also discover basque culture by going to the many song, dance or sport traditional festivals.

Between villages, green meadows with cattle. Beech and chestnut-tree forests announce mountains landscapes. Most mountains here are easy to climb. We have books and maps because we love mountain hiking so if you like it too, you'll have a lot to do !

And if you prefer water, you can practice kayak, hydrospeed and rafting in la Nive rushing waters.

Don't forget basque gastronomy ! Irouléguy wines (rose or red) will get along very well with Espelette pimento flavoured courses such as axoa, marmitako, piperade or poulet basquaise !

The main dessert is « gateau basque » ; it can be stuffed with cream or with cherry jam.

30 minutes from home, you cross Bidassoa river
and on the other side ...

A 30 mn drive on the motorway will lead you to discover San Sebastian (Donostia), capital of Gipuzcoa province.

This very beautiful city offers you a pleasant walk in front of the wild ocean, a wonderful sandy bay, a brief but steep ascent of Monte Urgul whose colossal Christ overlooks the ancient district, as well as a fun fair on top of Monte Igueldo.

It's great fun to go and nibble some "tapas" at "poteo" time through the narrow streets of the ancient district or around the fishing harbour.

We also should recommend a visit to Miramon Museum ( science museum with a lot of exciting experiments) as well as San Sebastian aquarium.

At nearly one hour, Pampelune (Iruña), Navarre's capital, welcomes you. You will have to cross two verdant passes to discover suddenly a huge mediterranean plateau dominated by this ancient historical city.

Its architectural ressources and its ancient district are worth visiting. There, you'll taste an excellent chorizo that goes better with Navarre or Rioja red wine !

Pampelune is well known for the San Fermin feasts (early july) related by Ernest Hemingway ; each year they draw a million visitors into Pampelune's narrow streets.

Navarre, crossed by Compostelle's "camino", is rich of many roman vestiges and offers various natural environments. 

2 hours from home, Bilbao (Bilbo), Biscaye's capital, a city with plenty of charisma and personality; traditional and avantgarde at once, – and host to Guggenheim museum. Bilbao is one of the main economic and cultural hubs in northern Spain, and has gained international recognition as an architectural point of reference.

Pyrenees

If you like mountains, Barétous, Aspe and Ossau valleys are within two hours from home.

Pyrenees's french side is the steepest one. Green valleys, mountain torrents, proud peaks where izards and marmots leap, pyrenean forests still give shelter to a few bears.

Lourdes (160 kms) is one of the greatest catholic pilgrimage.