Exploring the Basque coast: Biarritz, San Sebastian, Guéthary and Saint Jean de Luz
I recently spent a weekend on the Basque coast, flying in to Biarritz and staying the night. The following day I headed to San Sébastian by train for a walk around and some lunch, then returned back to Guethary for the night. The following day I took another train, to Saint Jean de Luz, walked and lunched, and then returned back to Biarritz for the afternoon, before heading home that evening. It was a lovely itinerary, and each of these places has its own character. I also managed to eat and drink well. Here’s a quick report.
Biarritz
Biarritz is a fabulous place to hang out. It’s a slightly faded glitzy resort, with some grand buildings, as well as a few concrete monstrosities. But it also has a gorgeous location on the coast, and it’s a surfing hotspot. There are lovely paths weaving down from clifftops down to the beach, and lots of spots to drink with a sea view. I recommend Milwaukee Café which is a coffee shop aiming at a younger crowd, and for eating out I chose the excellent Carøe (https://www.caroe.fr/en/), which is a really inventive, atmospheric, hip restaurant with an amazing wine list focusing on the natural.
Donostia/San Sebastian
https://www.sansebastianturismoa.eus/en/
San Sebastian (officially Donostia/San Sebastian) is a town that needs no introduction to the gastronomically inclined, home to a larger number of fine dining establishments than a city of this size has any right to. It’s also beautiful, and on a nice October day seen the sun light up the incredible beach is quite something. Of course, this is the Basque coast so it rains a lot here, and sun is never guaranteed.
Rather than eat at a Michelin-starred establishment, I chose Gerald’s Bar, which is an epic bistro/bar with beautiful food and a great wine list, with many naturally inclined producers on the list as well as some classics.
It’s quite easy (but not quick) to get here by train from Biarritz. You grab the infrequently running Bordeaux service that takes you to Hendaye, on the border. Then you hop on a Spanish train that stops at San Sebastian. Efficient and cheap as chips, but because of the service frequency you need to be careful with timings.
Guéthary
https://www.en-pays-basque.fr/en/guethary/
This is a charming small village on the coast, the next stop on the train from Biarritz heading to the border, just before Saint Jean de Luz. It has distinctive architecture (classic Basque), that looks a bit mountain chalet in style with lots of rich red colours. There’s a small harbour and beach here, and plenty of bars to drink with the sea in view.
I ate at Café du Fronton in the main square. It’s not a fancy place but the food was surprisingly good, and the wine list had some gems on it – again, this is more of a natural wine joint.
Saint Jean de Luz/Ciboure
https://www.saint-jean-de-luz.com/en/
Saint Jean de Luz and Ciboure are two towns either side of the river on the Basque coast between Biarritz and Hendaye, but it’s effectively the same place. This feels a little different to Biarritz, aside from simply being smaller: there’s much more of a working fishing port vibe, and the town has been developed less, and still has lots of Basque-style buildings with their distinctive Burgundy-red-coloured detailing and woodwork. Saint Jean also has a lovely beach.
I lunched at La Table de Megumi, a really appealing small French/Japanese restaurant with a small but lovely wine list. Its location on the front at Ciboure makes you think it’s going to be a bit touristy, but the cooking is spot on.
The train from Bordeaux to Hendaye runs through here, and so if you time it right you can get to Biarritz quickly; if not, the buses here are reliable and there’s one that stops at the airport.
