Campsite just a stone’s throw
from Bayonne
The economic and cultural capital of the Basque Country, Bayonne is just 30 km from our campsite in the Basque Country. Listed as a Ville d’Art et d’Histoire (City of Art and History), its picturesque neighborhoods, exceptional heritage and festive, gourmet lifestyle are sure to please.
To visit Bayonne is to discover a city of character, where 2,000 years of history, lively traditions and a gentle way of life blend together on the banks of the Nive and Adour rivers. To prepare your visit, visit the officialBayonne Tourist Office website.
Here, we live, we love, we eat
Bayonne, a town in the Basque Country
From a historical point of view, Bayonne has known all the invasions and influences. In the XIIᵉ century, the town was part of the estate of Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife of Henry Plantagenet. In turn Roman, English and then French, it has preserved traces of this eventful past in its ramparts, towers and old quarters.
Situated at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, Bayonne is the gateway to the Basque Country. The town is dynamic, thanks to its shopkeepers, old quarters with colorful facades, lively pedestrian streets and festive spirit, already praised by Voltaire: ” They sing and dance at the foot of the Pyrenees, living proof of the importance of tradition in the lives of men. ” Bayonne is also France’s oldest bullfighting town, and every summer aficionados flock to its bullring.
In terms of gastronomy, the town is renowned for its PDO Bayonne ham and its chocolate, whose tradition dates back to the XVIIᵉ century. Bayonne’s artisanal chocolate factories and halles are must-sees for gourmets. Tourism in Bayonne also involves the taste buds!
Discover Bayonne from the campsite
From the Itsas Mendi campsite, Bayonne can be reached by car (approx. 30 minutes) or by Txik Txak bus. One day is enough to discover the city’s emblematic sites, but heritage lovers will want to come back!
The ramparts of Mousserolles
Built in Vauban’s time, Bayonne’s ramparts combine three systems of fortifications built over the centuries. Today, they have been transformed into an attractive promenade, offering a verdant setting with a lake, nature theater and playground. In the upper town, you’ll find a double ring of old stones: the Porte de l’Espagne, the Roman wall, then the medieval wall with its Deux Soeurs and Bourreau towers, and the 16th-century wall known as the François Iᵉʳ wall. In Petit Bayonne, the Mousserolles gate retains its original drawbridge.
between culture and gastronomy
The Grand and Petit Bayonne districts
Stroll through the narrow streets of Grand Bayonne and Petit Bayonne to discover colorful facades, half-timbered houses and artisanal stores. The quays of the River Nive, lined with café terraces and restaurants, are the beating heart of the city.
The halles de Bayonne, located on the banks of the Nive river, are a gourmet’s meeting place: charcuterie, cheeses, chocolates, local produce… There’s plenty to do in Bayonne: shopping, tastings, street art, bike rides along the Adour river…
heritage discovery
Sainte-Marie Cathedral
On the route to Santiago de Compostela, Sainte-Marie Cathedral is the jewel in Bayonne’s architectural crown. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this Gothic edifice was built on the site of a burnt-out Romanesque cathedral.
Work began in 1258 and was completed at the end of the Hundred Years’ War. Its twin spires dominate the old town, and its XIVᵉ century cloister is one of the largest in France. A must-see for lovers of religious art andmedieval architecture.
The Bonnat Museum
Visit musée Bonnat-Helleu brings together the masterpieces of Bayonne-born painter Léon Bonnat (1833-1922). In 1891, he donated his collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures from the XIVᵉ to the XIXᵉ century to the city.
This museum is one of the largest in France , and its cabinet of drawings is world-renowned. Rubens, Watteau, Raphael, Degas, Rembrandt, El Greco… the greatest masters are represented. An exceptional cultural visit for art lovers!
Les fêtes de Bayonne (end of July)
When, from the balcony of the town hall, King Léon unleashed the crowds massed in the square, Bayonne settled in for five days of collective madness. Since 1932, hundreds of thousands of people have flocked to the city, all dressed in the traditional garb of white pants, white shirt and red scarf. The origin?
A few rugby-playing friends of the Aviron bayonnais, faithful followers of the San Fermin in Pamplona, have organized festivities inspired by the Navarrese atmosphere. Cow races, float parades, children’s games, bandas and txarangas… Today, the Bayonne festivals are the biggest in France, attracting the best bands from the Basque Country, Navarre and Guipuzcoa. A unique experience you’ll want to enjoy at least once!
