Say “mountains of France,” and most think immediately of the Alps. Say “people of France,” and you’ll likely picture … well, the French.
A visit to the Pays Basque region of southwesternmost France calls both preconceptions into question. “The Pays Basque region is in the foothills of the Pyrenees, and extends south of the border into Spain,” Tanya Nygaard explained. “It’s gorgeous country, quite varied—and largely undiscovered. On walks here, we move from the coast to the hillsides and back to the coast, with lots of charming hamlets along the way. In Pays Basque, you’re hiking through steep valleys and rolling, verdant countryside. It’s very different than the Alps, where so many of the trails are above tree line. A highlight of a walking trip here is the chance to get to know a bit about Basque culture. The Basque are very proud of their heritage, and they know that people from outside of their part of the world know little about them. It’s believed that the Basque people—Euskaldunak in the Basque language—have inhabited the region along the western edge of the Pyrenees for thousands of years, perhaps as long as 35,000 years. They have a distinctive language, cuisine, and music, and are very excited to share Basque ways of life with visitors. The French have the phrase joie de vivre, but the Basque people seem to capture this spirit a bit more. They love to laugh and have fun.”
A walk of the Pays Basque region might begin in the bustling market town of St-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Once a stopping point for Catholic pilgrims en route to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, with its pink sandstone houses and winding cobblestone lanes, is one of the Basque country’s most picturesque towns. The central elements of any Basque village—the church, the hôtel de ville (town hall) and the fronton (pelota court) are all on display. Here you can enjoy your first Basque meal, from Michelin-starred chef Firmin Arrambide. “Basque cuisine is spicier than most food in Europe,” Tanya continued. “There’s lots of lamb and lots of seafood, and many main courses are seasoned with peppers. You’re also sure to come upon cherries and a fabulous cherry cake, gâteau basque, and sheep’s-milk cheese, petit basque.”
From St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, you can walk to Mount Arradoy. Passing through rolling farmland dotted with sheep, you’ll come to the Irouléguy Vineyard on Arradoy’s southern slope. Vines have been grown here since the twelfth century, and today the vineyard grows the grapes that typify the region—Courbus and Manseng for white wines, Cabernet and Tannat for reds. “The reds of Pays Basque are very hearty,” Tanya added, “and pair wonderfully with lamb dishes.” From Mount Arradoy, there are splendid views of northern Spain and the Pyrenees. Before leaving St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, you’ll want to partake of a seminal Basque event—a pelota match. There are several variations of pelota, some that involve use of a racquet, some a basket, and some bare hands. Players on one team serve a hard rubber ball against a wall, while the opposing team attempts to return the serve as the ball bounces back; imagine a higher-speed, more exacting form of racquetball. (A version of pelota is played in some parts of the U.S. as jai alai.) “In the match we see, players use their hands,” Tanya said. “The fans are as interesting as the match, as they’re very spirited. The matches bring the villages together.”
Tanya’s path through the Pays Basque next crosses into Spain, via the Col de Roncevaux—or Roncesvalles, in Spanish. Roncesvalles has a rich history: It was here that King Charlemagne’s army was defeated in 778 AD by Basque tribes; his nephew, Roland, was killed in the battle, which was memorialized in the epic poem “The Song of Roland” (though the poem makes Charlemagne’s enemies at Roncesvalles Muslims). “Some of the local people say that on stormy nights, you can hear the call of Roland’s horn echoing through the hills,” Tanya said. Roncesvalles is also on El Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, where tradition has it that the bones of St. James are buried. El Camino de Santiago was one of the most important pilgrimages in medieval times, and was walked by millions of the faithful. “You can still meet pilgrims on the trail today,” Tanya continued. “They have a scallop shell on the back of their backpack; common to the shores of Galicia, the scallop shell is a longstanding symbol of El Camino de Santiago. Though I’m not on a religious quest, I still find walking the trail spiritual. I feel a kinship with the pilgrims, the common bond of hikers.” Before returning to France and making your way to the Bay of Biscay, you’ll hike to the village of Zugarramurdi, whose citizens were terrorized by the forces of the Inquisition in the early 1600s, accused of witchcraft. You can visit Las Cuevas de las Brujas (Caves of the Witches), the gathering spot of these reputed practitioners of black magic.
For much of the walk, one mountain—La Rhune—has been in view. Mount La Rhune has a rich place in Basque folklore; the presence of stone circles and dolmens suggests that the mountain was held sacred by Neolithic residents. According to one Basque legend, La Rhune was once blanketed with gold, but when thieves attempted to remove it by burning down all of the trees, the gold melted away. The summit was rumored to be another gathering place for witches, and local villages retained monks to live on the mountain to discourage black magic. Before leaving the Pays Basque, you’ll have the opportunity to trek to the summit, at 2,970 feet. “From the top of La Rhune, you can look west out over the Atlantic Ocean,” Tanya said, “and look east to survey every place that you’ve been during the week.”
TANYA NYGAARD is the France regional manager for Backroads, an active-travel company. Tanya spent a good part of her formative years in Tunisia, Egypt, and Syria, before heading north to France and Belgium. Her parents may have dragged her off to Arkansas for a few years, however, Tanya never lost her love of France and all things European. “What I like best about active travel is the opportunity to enjoy new places at a slow pace, to soak in the sights, sounds, and smells that are unique to the area,” Tanya said, “and the chance to delve into the culture at hand, whether it’s chatting with a farmer working in the vineyards or making friends with the local boulanger, baking croissants.”
► Getting There: The Pays Basque can be reached from Paris by high-speed train to Biarritz, France, where many walks stage. Biarritz is served by several airlines, including RyanAir (www.ryanair.com).
► Best Time to Visit: The Pays Basque enjoys a mild climate year-round. Precipitation is highest in the winter months.
► Guides/Outfitters: Backroads (800-462-2848; www.backroads.com) offers walking tours of the Pays Basque, billeting guests in comfortable country inns along the way.