A foodie’s paradise and Basque beauty
2.5-minute read
Saint Jean de Luz is the sort of place that you don’t want other people to know about. Or, the kind of destination, where you take your mother for Sunday lunch, and she will be boasting about it to her mates until Christmas.
Saint Jean de Luz’s charm makes you feel territorial: you want to preserve it for keeping, like one of those layered sand bottles that you can buy at the beach.
Yet, apparently, we are in Australia. “You’ve brought me to Bondi”, exclaimed our Australian friend, who lives overlooking Bondi Beach in Australia. “There’s Bondi pavilion, geez”, he added.
He’s right. There is a distinct whiff of the eastern suburbs of Sydney (home to Bondi), not only because of the pavilion and beach but also the architecture and the Coogee-style headland. Apologies if you don’t get these cultural and geographical references: please bear with me.
Adults at play
As well as our good friend from Sydney, we have our two dogs with us. We thought twice about coming to Saint Jean de Luz with them because dogs are strictly forbidden on the beach (plage interdite aux animaux toute l’année/access to animals forbidden all year round).
While the beach babes are disappointed, the dog-free plage does add to the calm at this crowded town beach, particularly now the children are back at school and Saint Jean de Luz on a sunny September weekday becomes like a giant adults-only resort. Grown-ups are here to eat, enjoy (profiter*) and drink in peace.
When we reach the seafront arcade, La Pergola, (or Bondi-style pavilion in our friend’s mind) the seafront is humming. Fit 50-somethings in tank tops (singlet/un débardeur or sometimes known as “Marcel” after the brand) enjoying time with their dogs, to elderly couples gorging on giant ice creams. This is adults “do seaside” at its best.
In Saint Jean de Luz, we’ve found a place that we like so always eat there (please note that there’s no paid affiliation or association). We’ve eaten here in the height of summer to December, and they have always been friendly to us as foreigners, and they serve local seafood. One reason to visit the Basque country is the food and the pepper sauces.
This time arriving with the two dogs, the staff at Brasserie du Sud couldn’t have been more welcoming. They gave us a front row table, with a ring for our dog lead (embedded into a pillar). The water bowl arrived within a few seconds, sating our two hot dogs.
Royal weddings and swashbuckling buccaneers
This was a simple visit, based around eating and for only a few hours (now back to no crowds and space), but there’s a lot more to do in Saint Jean de Luz if you want to spend a whole day there. There are interesting shops and historic buildings to explore, many with the distinctive Basque red and white. In the 19th century the town became famous with tourists, developing in popularity as a bathing resort, and as a golfing destination.
The town also has a long association with European royalty including links with French kings, such as Napoleon III (and the Empress Eugenie), as well as hosting in 1660 the marriage of Louis XIV to Infanta Maria-Theresa, the daughter of Philip IV, the King of Spain. If history is for you, you’ll find depth here.
There is an exciting maritime heritage and still active port. The buccaneering Corsairs or privateers were sanctioned by the state to attack France’s enemy ships. The lucrative spoils of cod and whale fishing, maritime trade and raiding contributed to the town’s wealth and the shipowners’ grand villas.
Getting there from us (160km/1h50): Head in the direction of Morlaàs, then make your way to Pau centre (junction 10) on the A64 (direction Bayonne). Then turn off onto the A63 direction San Sebastien (as you turn onto the A63 you should see an Ikea sign). Pass Biarritz and Bidart and then you reach Saint Jean de Luz. Parking in Saint Jean de Luz can be tricky. The best places to park for the beach area is on Boulevard Adolphe Tiers (there is paid-for parking on the right side of the beach, going towards the headland – beach on your left).
Notes:
*profiter means to enjoy something, literally to profit from it.
More on the town’s history here courtesy of the tourist office in Saint Jean de Luz (external link here).
More about the Marcel brand (external link here).
Disclaimer: This “Day trip idea: Saint Jean de Luz in September” has been written as a useful information-only resource and we take no liability for any errors, changes or availability of access. Always check opening times and costs. Journey time is estimated using Google maps and personal experience. This being the countryside, sometimes allow for delays caused by tractors!
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