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Basque Country : a world of epicurieans
3 stops
3 nights
43 miles
From Anglet, a renowned year-round surf spot, to San Sebastian via Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, the Basque Country transcends the borders between France and Spain. This road trip offers an array of Basque cultural traditions, but, more than anything else, it immerses you in the region's gastronomy, including tapas (called pintxos locally), squid and Ibaïama pork, as well as Michelin-starred dishes from celebrated chefs Cédric Béchade at L'Auberge Basque and Pedro Subijana Reza at L'Akelarre.
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Departure
Recommended duration : 1 night
Anglet
Things to do, see, and discover
During your stay
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Taste the Anglet sweet pepper
Arguably less well-known than the Espelette pepper, the Anglet sweet pepper is harvested green, well before it ripens. Picked by hand between May and October, this quintessential Basque pepper is considered a vegetable–not a spice–and while its flavor is similar to that of bell peppers, it is more subtle, according to locals. Long and thin, and either eaten raw or prepared using local recipes, it is easily found at the Quintaou market or at the Halles des 5 Cantons, a must-visit for gourmets in the city of Anglet.
During your stay
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Quintaou, the largest market in the Basque Country
Every Thursday and Sunday, residents of Anglet and the surrounding area gather around the stalls of the largest market in the Basque Country. Beneath the shade of the imposing plane trees on the eponymous esplanade, Quintaou becomes an epicenter for local growers, producers and artisans. From tapas to grilled squid, strong coffees and local charcuterie and cheeses, you'll encounter the full spectrum of regional gastronomy amid a welcoming, vibrant atmosphere.
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13 milesCar
Recommended duration : 1 night
Saint-Pée sur Nivelle
Things to do, see, and discover
During your stay
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Between Espelette and La Rhune
The narrow road which winds between Espelette and La Rhune is the Basque Country in miniature. You will find typical villages (Espelette, with dried red peppers hanging on the fronts of houses, and Sare, with the Ortillopitz house), unspoilt countryside and the Pinodiéta and Saint-Ignace mountain passes. One could take at least three days to cover these 27 kilometres.
During your stay
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En route aboard the little Train de la Rhune
Since 1924, the traditional little rack and pinion train carries Basque families and tourists to the top of the Rhune, at 905m altitude. The superb landscapes drift slowly past until we see a view over the ocean and the Pyrenees. Before coming back down on foot, between the Pottoks, these vigorous Basque ponies, and the Manech, the sheep with black heads which are typical of the region.
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31 milesCar
Recommended duration : 1 night
San Sebastián
Things to do, see, and discover
During your stay
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For the love of pintxos
What's more typical and cheerful than going out for tapas in the old town to discover the best pintxos in San Sebastián? From the small piece of bread on which a tomato, anchovy, shrimp or a piece of chorizo is placed to the most refined, mouth-watering dishes worthy of the title of haute-cuisine: a dual adventure – that some may call an epic – that is both geographical and gastronomic.
During your stay
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The Feria of Santo Tomás
A few days before Christmas, on December 21, the city meets at the Place de la Constitución to celebrate its agricultural traditions. The gigantic farmer's market that covers the square honors all the local products: cheeses, honey, cider, pastries and cold meats! It is an unmistakable opportunity to discover Basque specialties, among which the txistorra, a fresh chorizo to accompany cider or Txakoli.
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