Well, not really Spain, I spent a large part of the day in France.
Whenever I think of Basque culture, I’d only ever heard of it in conjunction with Spain. The tour I took today taught me otherwise—parts of France are considered Basque as well. The Basque region is mostly located in northern Spain, on the Bay of Biscay at the western end of the Pyrenees Mountain range. But a small section straddles the border between southern France and Spain.
The tour was an English language tour, but of the eight participants, I was the sole native English speaker. We departed from Bilbao early morning on route to three small cities—Biarritz, Saint Jean De Luz, and San Sebastian. The first two are in France, the third in Spain.
Biarritz, a famous resort town of the wealthy, is only about twenty miles from the border of Spain. It’s best known for its wild coastline, beautiful beaches with pounding waves that attract surfers. No one was surfing today; it was cloudy, gray, and poured on and off. The Basque influence is exhibited in music and dance as well as food. Or so the guide said. Personally, the patisseries, chocolate shops, brasseries, tea shops and clothing stores all screamed France to me. There was also a hint of snootiness. I can’t explain quite why I felt that way but there was a definite vibe. There were no obvious signs of Basque culture, but when I read about it there was confirmation that the locals consider themselves Basque first, French second.
Saint Jean de Luz seemed more in the Basque spirit. For starters, when we arrived a Basque dance and music performance was taking place in the town square. Both the dance and music seemed more Irish than anything else. I found the town charming, even with constant rain. Many streets were cobblestone and lined with quaint buildings. There were lively restaurants, bars, and shops.
Supposedly this is where macarons were invented; one shop sells them made from a traditional recipe. These aren’t the colorful sandwich looking macarons we’re accustomed to. Instead, they are brown, soft, and squishy. And for me, far too sweet. Saint Jean de Luz’s beach is expansive, but empty today except for a lifeguard with nothing to do.
San Sebastian was the most interesting of the three cities which is good because I am returning there tomorrow for a conference. The guide led us through town, showing off Independence Square and directing us to an area filled with restaurants. Two other solo women and I went for lunch and a small eatery. The food was wonderful. I ate octopus Galician style, octopus with potatoes in a garlicy, peppery sauce. After wandering through the old part of town for a while we headed up to Monte Igueldo for scenic views of the city. I’m looking to spending more time in San Sebastian, hopefully when the weather is better.