Pyrénées-Atlantiques

The land of the French Basque Country and Béarn, where Biarritz's surf beaches and Basque towns meet the Pyrenees.

Pyrénées-Atlantiques lies in the southwestern corner of France, bordering the Bay of Biscay to the west and Spain along the Pyrenees to the south, with Pau as its capital. The French Basque Country in the west has the surfing destination of Biarritz, the port city of Bayonne, colorful Saint-Jean-de-Luz and the chili-pepper village of Espelette. In the eastern Béarn region, Pau offers views of the Pyrenees, the mountains are great for hiking, and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is an important starting point of the Way of St. James. Summer is best for the coast and surfing, and spring and autumn for the mountains. Biarritz and Pau have airports, and TGV trains connect to Paris.

Destinations

• Biarritz
• Lourdes & Central Pyrenees

Itineraries

• Across the Pyrenees to San Sebastián – Crossing the Pyrenean passes from Toulouse, through Lourdes to the Basque coast.
• French & Spanish Basque Coast Car-Free – Cross the border from Biarritz to San Sebastián and Bilbao, connecting the Basque coast by train and bus.