French Basque Country

Inspiration

Biarritz-Basque CountryNature and Outdoor ActivitiesCultural Heritage

Atout France/Olivier Roux
© Atout France/Olivier Roux

Reading time: 0 minPublished on 29 January 2013

Le Béarn-Pays Basque is a destination which offers a variety of landscapes as well as a wide selection of activities.

Numerous sports and outdoor activities can be enjoyed here: hiking (with over 5,000km of marked paths); extreme sports (pot-holing, mountaineering, paragliding); white-water sports (rafting, canyoning, sea kayaking); and cycling (cycle touring, mountain biking, the annual arrival of the Tour de France in Pau and over the mountain passes).

Enjoy the unique experience of walking with a donkey for half a day or a few days accompanied by a guide. Why not head through delightful rural scenery to the Jara sheepfolds to see the vultures soaring overhead and the wild Pottok ponies grazing nearby?

A must for the more adventurous traveller! Discover the underground canyon known as the “Les sources de la Bidouze”. Situated in the heart of the Massif des Arbailles, Bidouze canyon provides a true underground adventure and a magnificent excursion which combines canyoning and pot-holing.

Don’t miss the Cirque de Lescun in the Pyrénées Béarnaises! This site is home to the village of Lescun, which, at an altitude of 900m, is an excellent example of mountain architecture as well as being an important stopping point on the GR10 long-distance footpath..

The natural landscapes of the Béarn-Pays Basque region make it unique, while its villages and traditions give it a truly authentic feel. Don’t leave without tasting the famous Bayonne ham and Basque cake – and don’t forget your beret!

By France.fr

The magazine of the destination unravels an unexpected France that revisits tradition and cultivates creativity. A France far beyond what you can imagine…

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