Pyrénées-Atlantiques Holiday Guide
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A fascinatingly different part of France
With its distinctive Basque culture and gastronomy, the Pyrénées-Atlantiques is a fascinatingly different part of France. Set to the stunning backdrop of the Pyrénéan Mountains, the department shares its border with Spain to the south and the surf resorts and belle époque resorts of the Atlantic coast to the west.
Top 5 things to see and do in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques
1. Enjoy the seaside resorts
With seaside resorts like Biarritz on the map, this department is a fantastic holiday destination for all the family. Coastal resorts offer traditional family seaside fun along with a lively nightlife and great surfing and associated sports.
2. Ski
Just a short drive from the sunny coast are the snowy ski resorts of the Pyrénées, with skiing, snowboarding and other mountain activities all on hand. The resorts in this department are becoming more sophisticated and popular, and offer a real alternative to the more expensive and crowded Alps.
3. Attend a festival
The Basque culture is one of the most distinctive in France, and the Pyrénées-Atlantiques hosts a vast programme of festivals and events that celebrate this. Lasting for several days at times, these festivals involve music, dancing, feasting and copious amounts of wine drinking.
4. Try Pelote
The Basque Ball Game (Pelote) is a sport unique to the Basque country. Played with either bare hands or a strange racket and basket, the sport is incredibly popular here. Watch it played, even if you don't fancy a go yourself.
5. Aramits Adventure Park
The Adventure Park Aramits is a wonderland for children. Here they can climb and swing from the trees in a safely constructed adventure park, and parents can relax in a very good bar/restaurant while they do so! All ages are catered for, with challenging activities for teens and adults in addition to a special area for the little ones.
Top 5 towns and cities in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques
1. Pau
Pau is the capital city of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, and is easily reached from the UK thanks to its airport which is served by budget airline Ryanair. The city has considerable heritage, with a fabulous castle, old, half-timbered houses. It also glories in spectacular mountain views.
2. Bayonne
Bayonne is the French Basque capital, and is a place of pilgrimage for gourmands thanks to its superb cured ham, popular throughout Europe. The city is set on the confluence of the Rivers Adour and Nive, and is close to the Atlantic beaches. It is a unique city in many ways, with brightly coloured traditional houses, a powerful sense of cultural identity and a supreme gastronomy.
3. Biarritz
Biarritz was once one of the most chic and desirable destinations in Europe, and it still has plenty to offer its visitors today. Fading slightly from its glory days, Biarritz retains a charm and elegance that appeals to older visitors, while the energetic sports and nightlife on offer for the younger ones ensure happy family holidays for all!
4. Oloron Saint Marie
Oloron Sainte Marie is another important town in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, being a sub prefecture of the department along with Bayonne. Pleasant and in an attractive location on the meeting point of two rivers, Oloron Saint Marie is also the place to head for if you are a chocolate addict, as it is home to an enormous chocolate factory whose product not only sells prodigiously in local shops but also frequently scents the air.
5. St Jean Pied de Port
St Jean Pied de port is a lovely, mediaeval town which is more than worth a day trip to see. Topped by an imposing citadel, the town's quaint streets, packed with arty shops and traditional houses create a charming ambience. The town is also a resting place for pilgrims on the route to Compostela.
Food and drink in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Basque France is noted throughout the western world for its gastronomy. The coast brings its offerings of fish and shellfish, while inland there are river trout and salmon, fresh water crayfish, chicken, pork and cured hams. The mountain pastures, home to thousands of sheep and goats offer up delicious cheeses and dairy products. The department is also a prolific producer of vegetables, with peppers, chillies, tomatoes and others growing well and being used in many colourful recipes. The cuisine tends to be more strongly flavoured than in the rest of France, with the Spanish influences taking you away from the subtle, creamy dishes of the north and east and adding paprika and chillies to spice things up. The department is also notable for chocolate and cakes.
How to get to the Pyrénées-Atlantiques
There are various options when it comes to deciding how to get to the department. The airports of Pau (Ryanair) and Biarritz (Ryanair, easyJet) are a good choices, served by a budget airline to keep costs low, but Bordeaux, Bergerac or even Toulouse are also possible as points of arrival by air. The ferry ports of Basque Spain are another possibility if you fancy making the crossing by boat, while the department is on TGV routes for efficient rail travel.
