Bayonne Old Town (Day Trip)

Bayonne is the Basque capital and Biarritz's historic neighbour — a fortified medieval city 8km inland where half-timbered houses line the Nive River, the Gothic cathedral (Cathédrale Sainte-Marie, UNESCO-listed as part of the Camino de Santiago) dominates the skyline, and the Musée Basque provides the most comprehensive introduction to Basque culture in France. The old town's chocolate shops, ham vendors (jambon de Bayonne is the local specialty), and the August Fêtes de Bayonne (the largest festival in France, five days of bullfighting, music, and revelry in white-and-red dress) make Bayonne the cultural heart of the French Basque Country.