Bayonne (France)
Bayonne is a town in Pyrénées-Atlantiques in the southwest corner of France, part of the Basque region straddling the border with Spain. It's part of the triple township of BAB, Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne, which in 2021 had a population of 309,392, and as a tourist destination it's been overshadowed by the more famous Biarritz. But it has more to offer the visitor, with its charming half-timbered buildings and range of interesting sights. It's also the transport hub for the area.
Understand
The town grew up at a point where the valley of the river Adour is pinched, and dominated by a hill. As the chief town of the Basque province of Labourd, it came under English rule from 1152 when Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry II; France only regained it in 1451. Whaling and later cod-fishing were important industries, forging the Basque connection with Newfoundland and maritime Canada. Around 1500, many Jews arrived here from Spain, fleeing the Spanish Inquisition - they brought with them the art of chocolate-making, and this too became a major industry. Around 1700, Vauban enclosed Bayonne within sturdy ramparts. The town was battered and besieged in 1814 as Wellington's forces advanced out of Spain against Napeolon's France. In the 19th and early 20th century, Biarritz was a fashionable seaside resort, but Bayonne was neglected. It revived after 1951 when a gas field was discovered, and the BAB area became industrialised.
The area around Bayonne has a high proportion of Basque ("Euskara") speakers, but in the BAB conurbation only 9% were fluent, according to a survey of 2006.
Get in
By plane
🌍 Biarritz Pays Basque Airport (BIQ IATA). This has 3 or 4 flights a day from Paris CDG (by Air France) and two from Paris Orly (by Transavia), both taking 80 min. There are flights most days from Nice, Lyon and London Gatwick; others are seasonal. The airport is 5 km southwest of Bayonne town centre. Txik Txak Bus 4 runs downtown every 20 min, taking 20 min, with the last at 22:30.
By train
Trains run every two hours from Paris Montparnasse, taking 4 hours via Bordeaux and Dax. From Toulouse usually takes 4-5 hr with a change at Bordeaux, but one a day is direct, taking 3 hr 30 min via Tarbes, Lourdes, Pau and Orthez.
From Hendaye on the Spanish border, take the hourly local train, which takes 40 min via St-Jean-de-Luz and Biarritz. The hourly Euskotren runs from San Sebastián (aka Donostia) to Hendaye. From Madrid trains run to Irun, where you walk across the border to Hendaye.
🌍 Gare SNCF the railway station is 1 km north of town centre, across the Adour river bridge.
By bus
Flixbus runs four times a day from Paris Bercy Seine, taking 10-11 hours via Bordeaux. Four buses run from Toulouse, taking four hours via Tarbes and Pau. These buses continue across the border, either to Bilbao, taking 3 hr 30 min via Hendaye and San Sebastián, or to Madrid, 8-9 hours via San Sebastián, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Burgos.
🌍 Quai de Lesseps is the draughty bus stop for Flixbus; no facilities here and little shelter. Bla-bla-car share rides also pick up and drop off here but you may be able to negotiate a spot downtown.
By road
Principal autoroutes are A64 from Pau, Tarbes and Toulouse, and A63 from to Bordeaux and continuing south to the border at Irun, where it becomes AP8 towards San Sebastian
Bayonne is on the historic pilgrimage route to Santiago de la Compostella. Routes through Aquitaine converge on Bayonne then there's a choice of paths over into Spain, with way-stations a convenient day's hike apart.
Get around
Txik Txak is the public transport network for the three BAB townships. N1, N2 and N6 are free navettes in town centre. On other routes, a single ticket in 2024 is €1.20, valid for 90 min including interchange between buses. Cheaper multi-journey tickets can be bought at the kiosk by Town Hall and at tobacconists but not on the bus. These include a 10-journey ticket (€9.60), a seven-day travel pass (€13.40), and a 24-hour pass (€3.50).
See
South of River Adour
This is the charming Old Town, enclosed by grassy ramparts. Town and ramparts straddle a smaller river, the Nive, which here joins the Adour. West of the Nive is called Grand Bayonne and east is Petit Bayonne; the quays of the Nive are very picturesque. Several sights in Old Town close during the festival in July.
- 🌍 Cathédrale Sainte-Marie, 15 Rue des Prébendes, ☏ +33 559 591782. Daily 08:00-20:30. This is mostly Gothic, with additions at all points from Norman to 19th century. On the nave ceiling, note the English coat of arms along with French fleur-de-lys. The cloister has a separate entrance on Place Louis Pasteur.
- Château-Vieux Gaztelu Zaharra is a fortress on Allee de Poterne 100 m north of the cathedral. Parts date back to the 12th century; Napoleon considered it of no value and ordered it to be demolished, but this was never acted on. It's nowadays a military base and you can't visit. La Poterne was its west postern gate, nowadays facing the Botanic Gardens.
- Jardin Léon Bonnat is a small public garden next to Town Hall at the river confluence. It was laid out in 1907 in classical style.
- 🌍 Jardin Botanique, Allee des Tarrides, ☏ +33 559 591782. April-Sept Tu-Sa 10:00-18:00. Pleasant gardens just west of the Old Castle. Free.
- 🌍 Porte d'Espagne was the town's west gate, on the road to Pamplona. Down it went kings, pilgrims, armies and Ernest Hemingway, but most modern visitors are heading for the adjacent parking lot.
- 🌍 Musée Basque (Baionako Euskal Museoan), 37 Quai des Corsaires, ☏ +33 559 590898. Tu W F-Su 10:00-18:00, Th 13:00-20:00. Excellent introduction to traditional Basque culture and the town of Bayonne. It's housed in the 16th century Maison Dagourette. Adult €8, conc €5, under 26 free.
- Musee Bonnat-Helleu, 5 Rue Jacques Laffitte. Closed until 2025. The fine art gallery is closed for reconstruction.
- 🌍 Église Saint-André, 9 Rue des Lisses, ☏ +33 559 591872. Almost as grand as the cathedral, this was completed in 1869 in neo-Gothic style.
- Château Neuf is a fortress in the city defences just east of Saint-André. It's now a university campus so you can't go inside, but you can stroll around the exterior.
- 🌍 Porte de Mousserolles was the east entrance to town.
- 🌍 Bastion Royal is a restored section of city defences east bank of the Nive.
North of river
The district of Saint-Esprit is just as old as "Old Town", but lost its medieval streets and buildings to make way for the railway station.
- 🌍 Pont Saint-Esprit spans the Adour. The present bridge is from 1845-49, but there's been a bridge here since 1149.
- Église de Saint-Esprit faces the railway station. It looks Spanish colonial with its mission bells.
- Musée du Judaïsme bayonnais, 35 Rue Maubec (next to railway station). Su M W F 10:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00. Small museum of local Jewish history. Adult €7.
- DIDAM, 6 Quai de Lesseps (100 m southwest of railway station), ☏ +33 559 466343. Tu-Su 13:00-18:30. Contemporary art museum with changing exhibitions. Free.
- La Citadelle occupies the hill just north of the railway station, fortified by Vauban in 1680. It's a military base and you can't visit.
- 🌍 L'Atelier du Chocolat, 7 Allee de Gibéléou, ☏ +33 559 557023. M-Sa 09:30-13:00, 14:00-18:00. Museum of the town's chocolate history, with demonstrations of chocolate-making. Adult €6.80, child €3.20.
Further out
- 🌍 Muséum d'histoire naturelle, 51 Chemin d'Ansot, ☏ +33 559 422261. Tu-Su 10:30-12:30, 13:30-17:00. Child-oriented museum of natural history. It's set in Plaine d'Ansot, a large riverside parkland. Free.
- 🌍 Hermione, 12 Ave de l'Adour, Anglet, ☏ +33 546 820707. W-Su 10:00-12:30, 14:00-17:00. Replica sailing ship built in 2014. The original frigate of 1779 was involved in the wars against England and carried General La Fayette to America to take part in the US revolution; in 1793 it ran aground and was wrecked near Saint-Nazaire. Visit by guided tour. Free.
Do
- Barthes "has contrived — amazingly — to bestow an entirely new dignity upon the age-old activity, so long unjustly disparaged, of saying nothing at great length." - critique by Simon Leys of Roland Barthes (1915-1980) the structuralist writer, whose early years were in Bayonne
- Theatre: Scène Nationale perform in City Hall.
- Cinema: L'Atalanta is opposite the railway station. CGR Bayonne is a multiplex on the ring road east of Bastion Royal.
- Boat tours cruise the river in summer, several operators.
- Rugby: Aviron Bayonnaise play rugby union (15-a-side) in Top 14, the French top tier. Their home ground Stade Jean-Dauger (capacity 18,000) is 500 m south of town centre.
- Bayonne Ham Fair is early April.
- Fêtes de Bayonne is a week in mid-July. Wear white clothes with a red scarf.
Buy
- Les Halles is a large covered market on Quai Dominique Roquebert, west bank of the Nive, open M-Th 07:00-13:30, F-Su 07:00-14:30.
- Several convenience stores along Rue Victor Hugo in the centre of Old Town.
Eat
- Jambon de Bayonne is local air-dried ham, an EU protected name of origin. It's slightly sweet, not salty, cut very thin as it's more chewy than cooked ham.
- Chez Txotx, 49 Quai Jaureguiberry, ☏ +33 524 338624. Daily 12:00-14:00, 19:00-22:30. Tapas restaurant with Basque and Spanish cuisine.
- Bajadita, 37 Quai Jaureguiberry (30 m north of Chez Gilles), ☏ +33 559 256952, bayonne@bajadita-restaurant.com. Daily 12:00-14:00, 19:00-22:00. Great cuisine and atmosphere on the riverbank.
- 🌍 Chez Gilles, 23 Quai Jaureguiberry, ☏ +33 559 254013. Great reviews for their local cuisine.
- 🌍 Bar Dacquois, 48 Rue d'Espagne, ☏ +33 559 592961. Excellent little bar and bistro.
- 🌍 Au Bouchon Basque, 2 Rue Paul Pras, ☏ +33 559 577518. Tu-F 12:00-14:00, 19:30-22:00. Grand little Basque restaurant near the rugby stadium.
- Cheval Blanc, 68 Rue Bourgneuf (by Saint-André), ☏ +33 559 590133. Tu-F 12:00-13:30, 19:45-21:30, Sa 19:45-21:30, Su 12:00-13:30. Traditional Basque cooking.
- 🌍 Le Bakera, 15 Rue des Tonneliers, ☏ +33 559 255168. Tu-Sa 11:00-15:00, 18:30-22:30. Bar-restaurant with local cuisine.
- Chez Bai is an African restaurant next to Bakera at 8 Rue de Pontrique, open Tu-Sa 11:00-15:00, 19:00-23:00.
- 🌍 Wok 64 (Cook d'Asie), Allee de Glain, ☏ +33 559 441821. W-Su 12:00-14:20, 19:00-22:30. Chinese, Japanese and Thai specialties. Decent food, service erratic.
- Bistrot Sainte-Cluque, 9 Rue Hugues, St-Esprit (opposite railway station), ☏ +33 559 558243. F-Tu 10:00-15:00, 19:00-22:00. Small brasserie with local specialties.
Drink
- Wine: the southwest wine-growing region produces mostly whites. The famous Bordeaux region is about 150 km north.
- Katie Daly's is an Irish pub at 3 Place de la Liberté.
- Bar Le Corsaire is at 11 Rue des Tonneliers.
- Xupito is at 17 Rue Pannecau.
- Café des Pyrénées is at 62 Rue Pannecau.
- Xapatan is at 29 Rue des Cordeliers.
- La Pétrolette is next door at 31 Rue des Cordeliers.
- Sankara Ostatua is at 22 Quai Augustin Chaho.
Sleep
- 🌍 Mercure Bayonne Centre Le Grand Hotel, 21 Rue Thiers, ☏ +33 559 596200. Spacious central hotel in a former convent. B&B double €170.
- Hotel des Arceaux, 26 Rue Port Neuf (behind Mercure), ☏ +33 559 591553. Basic but central, small rooms, can be noisy. B&B double €80.
- Hotel Le Port Neuf, 44 Rue Port Neuf (by Hotel des Arceaux), ☏ +33 559 455442. Very central, ancient building with contemporary decor and charming host. B&B double €80.
- Hotel Ibis Styles, 1 Place de la Republique, St-Esprit (100 m south of station), ☏ +33 559 550808. Excellent budget choice near the station, overlooking river. B&B double €100.
- Hostel 20, 8 Rue Saint-Catherine (100 m southeast of station), ☏ +33 559 646575. Friendly clean hostel by the station. Dorm €28.
- 🌍 ibis Bayonne Centre, 46 Bvd Alsace Lorraine, ☏ +33 559 503838. Clean comfy chain hotel 500 m east of station. B&B double €100.
- 🌍 Hotel Ibis Budget, 6 Ave du Grand Basque, ☏ +33 892 680849. Reliable Accor chain hotel, small but comfy rooms. Handy for ring-road, free parking, but still within walking distance of old town centre. B&B double €85.
- Hotel Premiere Classe, 3 Rue de Chalibardon (opposite Campanile), ☏ +33 892 707246. Unclean, uncomfortable, and overpriced even at this room rate. B&B double €60.
- 🌍 Hotel Campanile, 3 Ave du Grand-Basque, ☏ +33 559 559595. Value-for-money central chain hotel with restaurant and bar. B&B double €100.
- 🌍 Hotel Loreak, 1 Chemin de Hayet, ☏ +33 559 550404. Comfy value place convenient for motorists. B&B double €110.
- 🌍 Hôtel Le Bayonne, 1 Ave Jean Rostand, ☏ +33 559 527585. Smart modern place with swimming pool and sauna. B&B double €130.
- 🌍 Villa La Renaissance, 12 Chemin de Jacquette, Limpou (off D810 ring-road), ☏ +33 559 200198. Charming elegant small hotel south of city. B&B double €150.
Connect
As of March 2024, Bayonne, Biarritz and their approach highways have 5G from all French carriers.
Go next
- The beach resort of Biarritz is an easy day-trip. Take the bus, as it drops you centrally, whereas Biarritz railway station is 3 km out from the centre.
- There's nothing to see in the town of Angelet, though the airport is here and some accommodation, and Biarritz's eastern beaches are actually in Angelet.
- Other good day-trips are Saint Jean de Luz & Ciboure, and San Sebastián or Donostia. These can easily be reached on public transport. From San Sebastián, the "Feve" coastal railway runs west to Bilbao, Santander and eventually Ferrol.
- For countryside pursuits, head north into Gascony and Landes, or up into the mountains. You'll need your own wheels.
| Routes through Bayonne |
| San Sebastián ← Saint-Jean-de-Luz ← | SW NE | → Landes → Bordeaux |