About Bayonne

Bayonne is 6 km from the Atlantic Ocean just north of Biarritz. Indeed Biarritz and Bayonne and Anglet almost merge into each other.

Bayonne is a lovely city. Arriving form the north you cross over the river Adour and then straight away you cross over the river Nive. I always think towns are attractive when a river runs through them, but two rivers - double the pleasure.

The rivers divide the town into discreet sections. The river Nive separates Grand Bayonne from Petit Bayonne and the River Adour separates Petit Bayonne from Saint Bayonne and these are linked by the Pont St Esprit.

The river Nive is a narrow river as it travels through Bayonne and 5 bridges link Grand and Petit Bayonne. All along the river are lovely half timbered town houses, home to lots of shops, cafes and bars. Basque villages are always very pretty with their white houses and shutters painted in deep red or dark green. Bayonne is a Basque town and the tall town houses with their shutters and exposed timbers painted in these typical red and green Basque colours are very attractive.

The main thing to do in Bayonne is just to walk around through the old town?s narrow streets and soak up the atmosphere. The shops are lovely and there is an abundance of nice looking restaurants, bars and cafes.

The main sights to see are in Grand Bayonne. The gothic cathedral, Cathedrale Ste Marie, built on the sight of a roman cathedral lost in a fire, was largely built in the 13th century but later additions were added up until the 19th century. It is a very ornate building though a lot of the detail has been lost to the elements. Behind the cathedral is a gothic cloister built in the 18th century.

Nearby is the Chateau Vieux, where the governors of the city, including the Black Prince, were once based. This is now the property of the army and cannot be visited.

Dont miss a stroll through the Botanic Gardens with more than 1000 species and a distinctly Japanese flavour. These are part of the reason for Bayonne holding the prestigious 4 flowers category of the ville et village fleurie competition, recognition for the planting that has been carried out in the town. Nearby you can see remnants of the ramparts of the town. These date from three different eras: Roman ramparts, ramparts from the time of Francois I (16th C) and ramparts designed by the famous Vauban (17th C) who designed many of the defences of French towns during his lifetime.

Some of the streets near the cathedral such as Rue d Espagne, which leads to the Port d Espagne, are hung with bunting adding to the lively atmosphere of this part of town.    

Cross over the river Nive to visit the Musée Basque. This is the biggest museum of Basque life and houses 2000 items and works of art commemorating Basque life. Nearby is the Musee Bonnat which houses a large collection of paintings by Leon Bonnat as well as paintings by Rubens, le Greco, Goya and Degas.

Also in this quarterof Bayonne is the Eglise Saint Esprit, once an important stage on the Pilgrimage to Saint Jacques de Compostella.

Listed below are all the links you need, to book your holiday directly:

- Click here for More Info about Bayonne

- Click here for Biarritz Anglet Bayonne Airport

- Click here for Car Rental