This week, I’m taking you on a trip to visit St Jean de Luz! After visiting Bayonne and the most beautiful villages in Basque Country, Saint-Jean-de-Luz is my favorite spot in the region! This charming, picturesque little town has managed to preserve its authenticity and traditions. There’s a vacation vibe in the air along the coast in Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
I’ll then take you to round off our tour of the Basque Country at the summit of the Rhune, at an altitude of 905m. It’s a chance to get a bird’s eye view and admire the Basque coast one last time!
PRACTICAL TIPS TO VISIT ST JEAN DE LUZ
How to get there?
By car: Saint-Jean-de-Luz is located 30 minutes south of Biarritz and Bayonne and 25 minutes north of the Spanish border. Allow 2 hours 20 minutes from Bordeaux.
Rent a car here if you need to!The little train to La Rhune departs 20 minutes east of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, at the Col de Saint Ignace. The hike up to La Rhune starts in the village of Sare, 30 minutes from Saint-Jean-de-Luz. You can also start the hike from Ascain.
By bus: The Col de Saint Ignace and Sare are accessible by bus no. 21 from Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
By train: Saint-Jean-de-Luz is 25 minutes from Bayonne. Trains run frequently between Bayonne and Hendaye. The journey from Bordeaux takes 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Compare car rentals to find the best price!
Where to stay to visit St Jean de Luz?
Here are several suggestions for accommodation, both in the town center and in the surrounding area, for a greener and quieter stay!
3 recommended places to stay to visit St Jean de Luz
GRAND HÔTEL DE LA POSTE
- In the city center
- 2 min away from the beach
- From €100
HÔTEL CHANTACO
- Superb hotel surrounded by nature
- With a pool and a golf
- From €130
LOGIS HÔTEL BARATXARTEA
- At the foot of the mountains
- Simple and comfortable
- From €90
Organize your time to visit St Jean de Luz and its region
You can easily visit St Jean de Luz in half a day if you want to enjoy the beach, as the city is not very big.
You can combine a visit to the town with a trip up to the Rhune in a single day. If you decide to hike, it’s best to go in the morning to avoid the heat, as there is little shade on the way up. You can then come back down and enjoy Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
What to bring back from St Jean deLuz?
If you come to visit St Jean de Luz, you’ll notice that the small fishing port brings delicious seafood flavors to the cuisine of Saint-Jean-de-Luz. You can enjoy excellent fish and seafood accompanied by a Basque sauce. The line-caught hake, in particular, is caught using traditional methods.
For dessert, treat yourself to some kanouga, soft dark chocolate caramel, or macarons from Saint-Jean-de-Luz. These little treats were given to the young King Louis XIV on his wedding day, and he loved them so much that he made them famous at court!
If you’re looking for good local products, I recommend visiting the market held every morning at the Halle.
In addition to culinary specialties, the many small shops in the shopping streets are sure to give you ideas for souvenirs to take home. Espadrilles and Basque linen are among the classics.
VISIT ST JEAN DE LUZ : THE VILLAGE
Visit St Jean de Luz by the sea
The small port of Saint-Jean-de-Luz is surely one of the first things you’ll notice when you discover the town and one of the best things to visit St Jean de Luz. It’s also one of the places that made me fall in love with Saint-Jean-de-Luz. It’s a real picture-postcard port with its colorful little boats and pretty houses lining the quays. It’s a peaceful, relaxing place, just a few meters from the sea.
It’s hard to imagine that in the 17th and 18th centuries, Saint-Jean-de-Luz was known as the “City of Corsairs”! There were many pirates in the town, who were sent on missions by the king. They were nicknamed “viper’s nest” by the English, who were terrified of these Basque fishermen turned pirates… The streets must have been very lively!
Let’s now leave the port behind and discover the pretty bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz a little further on. Partly enclosed by the Fort de Socoa, this small bay is surrounded by sumptuous Basque villas. In the middle, the calm, turquoise waters are perfect for swimming in summer. I then invite you to take a stroll along the bay on the promenade overlooking the vast golden sandy beach.
The majestic half-timbered villas are connected to the promenade by small red footbridges. It’s nice to stroll here, along the water’s edge and then towards the lively downtown area. The pergola, a covered terrace, houses a few shops. Then, a few dozen meters further on, traditional houses give way to bourgeois dwellings reminiscent of those in Biarritz. You then come to the casino of Saint-Jean-de-Luz and the beautiful hotels with sea views.
Visit St Jean de Luz and its historic center
Another reason I loved Saint-Jean-de-Luz so much is its mix of styles. The town has managed to retain the charm and authenticity of Basque traditions while becoming a high-quality seaside resort over the decades.
The pretty white houses retain all the symbols of their region: Basque crosses, pine green and blood red half-timbering, and inscriptions in the Basque language. I loved strolling through these streets, some narrow, some bustling with shops. Some also hide small squares sheltered by plane trees… There’s a holiday atmosphere that I really enjoyed!
As in all the villages and towns of the Basque Country, a beautiful, typical church stands in the center. The interior of the Church of Saint John the Baptist is adorned with black wooden galleries and balconies, and ornate decorations that give the choir a baroque feel. It was in this church that the Sun King and his wife, the Infanta of Spain, were married in 1660!
The king and queen are still very much present in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Place Louis XIV is home to the Sun King’s house, where the monarch stayed before his wedding.
On the port, the Maison de l’Infante is recognizable by its pink brick and tan stone facade. The Venetian-inspired architecture is truly surprising and contrasts with that of the surrounding area. It was the residence of Anne of Austria, who came with the court to celebrate the wedding, and then of the Infanta of Spain, the future queen of France. Venice was also present in another way on the weekend we visited Saint-Jean-de-Luz: dozens of people in costume paraded through the streets for the Féeries Vénitiennes (Venetian Fair). It was a striking and charming contrast!
HIKE TO LA RHUNE SUMMIT
If you’re in the Basque Country, I highly recommend climbing La Rhune! The magnificent panorama offers beautiful views and allows you to admire the entire Basque coast… You can get there by small cog railway (like the one at the Chamonix!), or on foot if you’re feeling energetic! I promise, the scenery is well worth the effort! (See “Practical tips” at the end of the article).
Climb to the Rhune
The trail starts in the hills above Sare, a charming little village in the Basque Country that is listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France! The first few meters of the trail wind around a few pretty Labourdine farms. Then the trail climbs rapidly up the foothills of the Pyrenees to the Col des 3 Fontaines. From there, you will begin to see the Rhune!
And yet the summit is still a long way off! But it’s well worth the effort as you pass through fields, forests and alpine pastures. Around us, the flora becomes more mountainous and we encounter many animals. Sheep are everywhere and we can’t resist the Basque cheese (yum!). We also encountered pottoks, small wild horses native to the region, for the first time. Above us, a few vultures circle slyly…
From the Col des 3 Fontaines, several paths lead up to La Rhune. The trail that runs along the ridge is a bit challenging and can be dangerous if it has rained in the previous days. But it is also possible to climb through the forest. No matter what, it’s the view from the top that counts!
Panorama from La Rhune
At an altitude of 905m, La Rhune is located on the border between France and Spain. On one side, we are in Navarre, on the other in Labourd!
The view from the top of La Rhune is panoramic! On one side are the foothills of the Pyrenees, with the little rack railway that can be seen climbing laboriously. On the other side is the wild, hilly Spanish slope, which plunges into the ocean.
This is the perfect opportunity to admire the Basque coastline we discovered and explored over the past few days one last time. In good weather, the view stretches as far as Biarritz, and you can just make out Saint-Jean-de-Luz nestled against the ocean below.
Next to the summit, pretty stone cottages are sometimes surrounded by sheep and pottoks, which you can easily approach. You will find them all along the descent…
There is also a souvenir shop and somewhere to eat to reward yourself for the climb!
Practical tips:
Hike from Sare to La Rhune: 800m elevation gain and around 2.5 hours for spectacular scenery! If possible, choose a sunny day for your hike. It is best to wear good walking shoes and avoid venturing onto the ridge if it has rained in the previous days. You can find here a map of the hike in the direction of the descent.
La Rhune rack railway: prices: €25.50 return (€17 for kids and free for children under 4). Journey time: 35 minutes. The train runs from March to early November. Times vary depending on how busy it is: every 40 minutes in low season. You can find all the details on this website.
VISIT ST JEAN DE LUZ – WHAT TO DO IN THE SURROUNDING AREA?
The Basque Country’s reputation is well established! Here are a few ideas for exploring the area if you come to visit St Jean de Luz.
– Sare (25 minutes away): listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France, this is one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Basque Country in my opinion. Find out more in the article I wrote about it!
– Bayonne (25 minutes away): I fell in love with this town with its traditional charm and many culinary specialties! Here’s a glimpse of what you can discover in my post Visit Bayonne, France
– Biarritz (25 minutes away): this pretty seaside resort loves to mix things up. Surfers from all over the world come here for its beaches, which are home to the posh villas of the Basque coast.
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