French Basque restaurants
 

Before spending time in San Sebastian we will be in St. Jean de Luz for four days mid-Sept. Would appreciate recommendations and suggestions for restaurants and day trips, probably using public transportation. We might rent a car for a day if there are worthwhile day trips requiring one.

Do you have my Pays Basque itinerary. We've vacationed there for 4 weeks, and the itinerary describes our favorite villages, scenic drives, sites, and restaurants. I've sent my various itineraries to over 6,000 people on Fodors (I have other itineraries). E-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach it to the reply e-mail. Specify that you want the Pays Basque one.

Stu Dudley

Four days in Saint Jean de Luz? I hope you are bringing some good books with you.

Hi Marsha,

I would rent a car for a day at least to visit the quaint Pyrenees villages such as Sare, Ainhoa and Espelette. Maribel's Guides to the Basque country are very helpful and I think there is information in there about visiting Bayonne and Biarritz by public transit.
https://www.maribelsguides.com/

We spent 5 nights in SJDL this past July and enjoyed it. We did have a car and spent one day touring those Pyrenees villages, a half day in each of Bayonne and Biarritz and one day exploring SJDL and another in Hondarribia just across the border into Spain. It's a wonderful town! My trip report is under my name.

We had some of the best meals of our trip in the Pays basque!

I don't think 4 days in St-Jean-de-Luz is excessive. We've done that several times. It's one of our favorite towns in France. You can always hop on a train or bus and go to Hendaye or somewhere inland if you like.

We haven't sought out fine dining in SJdL, but have happily eaten at a couple of establishments inside the market (Les Halles), including La Buvette des Halles (brusque service, great food) and cafés in the main square(s) and along the shore/harbor. I don't remember being disappointed in the food anywhere.

Thanks, Stu. I did get it and it is very helpful.

We've used Maribel guides for years. They are absolutely the best! (Sorry, Fodor). We're actually staying in Hondaribbia for 2 nights before crossing the border, as we're flying in from BCN. Any specific restaurants to recommend?

We are definitely market people, so I appreciate that recommendation. Thanks.

The market in Espelette is nice. My restaurant recommendations are in the itinerary.

Stu Dudley

marsha,
Thanks very much for your kind words.
For me, 4 days in St-Jean-de-Luz is heaven!
I love the Tuesday/Friday market in St-Jean-de-Luz (also on Saturdays in July/Aug. only) and the Wednesday market in Espelette, the red peper producing village, but think that St-Jean-de-Luz is superior, if you only can hit one.

I also love the Monday market in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, with many of the same vendors, though. St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Espelette are best reached by car. As jacolis says, renting a car and doing a loop trip, hitting the 3 flower villages of Sare, Ainhoa and Espelette, with Ascain and St-Pée-sur-Nivelle added to the mix, if time allows, makes a very nice day. I would it this way: St-Jean-de-Luz-Ascain-Sare-Ainhoa-Espelette-St-Pée-sur-Nivelle-St-Jean-de-Luz. Or reverse the order.

There is a TER train that runs from St-Jean-de-Luz to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Check the departure/return times at https://www.oui.sncf
Le Basque Bondissant runs an excursion bus every Wednesday to Espelette for the market & visit to the Annton chocolate factory & lovely church and probably plenty of time for lunch, with a pick up at 9:30 am and return in St-Jean-de-Luz at the bus station. Cost: 10 euros. But the commentary, if there is one, will be in French, as it's geared to French visitors. You can book online but need to register first. https://www.basque-bondissant.com/of...-marche-4.html

In Hondarribia I like the innovative, small plates Gastroteka Danontzat in the Old Quarter and the new Taberna Alameda, the casual space of Michelin-starred Alameda, within walking distance of your hotel.
Chef Gorka of Alameda has just recently taken over the asador-dining space of the txakolí winery, Hiruzta, which is making award-winning white & rosé txakolí that you might want to try during your stay. Hiruzta isn't within walking distance of town but can be reached via a short taxi ride up to the outlying hills.

Restaurante Gastroteka Danontzat Hondarribia ? La mejor Gastroteka de Gipuzkoa
https://restaurantealameda.net/en/tavern/
https://www.hiruzta.com/en/home/

Old stand by places in Hondarribia:
Hermandad de Pescadores, the fishermen's guild, for spectacular turbot and grilled monkfish & wonderful homemade desserts (Idiazábal cheese ice cream!).
Arroka-Berri on the hillside is also a fine gourmet choice.
Gran Sol for pintxos, but we stopped into the newly renovated Bar Ondarribi also on Calle San Pedro in La Marina fishermen's quarter and liked it too. It has a huge outdoor terrace as does Txantxangorri. Bar Ignacio serves delicious tortilla española. (I took Bar Alcanadre off my list.) Pintxos hopping on Calle San Pedro is lots of fun, or just plop down on one of the outdoor terraces there and dine on small plates.

In St-Jean-de-Luz we recently enjoyed oysters & mussels at the very tiny seafood-centric La Böete off rue Gambetta (must reserve!). And the cute & very Basque Kako Etxea next to the market is great for traditional and moderately priced Basque fare. Somewhat off the beaten tourist trail on Boulevard Thiers there's also the well-priced Olatua. For excellent hake I continue to like the small, unpretentious Pil Pil Enea.
https://lefooding.com/en/restaurants...nt-jean-de-luz
Restaurant kako Etxea - Bistrot Basque |
https://www.restaurant-saintjean-deluz.fr

Old St-Jean-de-Luz stand by's here for gourmet dining: Kaiku and Zoko Moko.
For neighboring Ciboure: Arraina is new with terrace and located up by the Socoa fortress & beach, a long, 35-40 min. walk but nice one along the water. *You could take the quick navette maritime across but has very limited hours after Aug 31.
https://es-es.facebook.com/pages/cat...6617953085897/

Hope this helps!
Maribel
*

As always, wonderful suggestions. Thanks! We are salivating already.

Bookmarking for later planning.

The yellow pages are a better source of information than most people seem to think.

www.pagesjaunes.fr

Thanks
 

I appreciate all of your great suggestions.

I just read that Cédric Béchade, Michelin-starred chef/owner of L'Auberge Basque in St-Pée-sur-Nivelle will prepare tonight's g-7 dinner in Biarritz, with help from Guillaume Gomez from L'Ḗlysée Palace.
They'll be dining at the lighthouse.

Menu:
Piperade
Tuna marmitako (local line caught from St-Jean-de-Luz)
Selection of Pays Basque cheeses
Monein peaches (from Béarn) with gâteau basque

Wines:
Domaine Brana Irouléguy
Château Bouscassé Madiran
Champagne Hommage à William Deutz

Sound wonderful! Wonder if you-know-who will order a cheeseburger instead.

I think I do know...!

Well done with ketchup :)

Yes, I forgot the ketchup!

The First Ladies of the G7 spent today, Sunday, in the red pepper, 3-flower village of Espelette, attending a pelote demonstration, a performance of a Basque choir and a bit of shopping in the town's boutiques. Then they moved on to Cambo-les-Bains for a visit to the pretty Villa Arnaga (home of Edmond Rostand, author of Cyrano de Bergerac) to tour the villa & gardens and were greeted by the traditional Basque aurresku ceremonial dance and then had lunch.
Don't know who prepared the lunch but the father & son chefs of Frères Ibarboure in Bidart have been also tapped for some of the G7 meals.

I was thinking the same thing!

Served with a diet Coke.