Pintxos and happiness
Gastronomy of the Basque Country
A taste of Basque gastronomy means discovering an exceptional culinary heritage, forged over the centuries between sea and mountains. From our campsite in the Basque Country, you’re in the heart of a land where every village, every market, every table conceals gourmet treasures. Ewe’s milk cheese, charcuterie, Atlantic fish,Espelette pepper, Basque cake, Bayonnechocolate…
Basque cuisine is generous, colorful and fragrant, just like its people. Know-how handed down from generation to generation continues to this day, and many local products benefit from recognized quality labels (AOC, AOP, IGP). To discover the region’s wealth of gastronomic delights, take a look at our guide to the delights of the Basque Country.
recipe for gourmets
Basque cake
Cambo-les-Bains was the birthplace of this famous pastry in the XIXᵉ century. The Basque cake, or “etxeko bixkotxa” in Basque, consists of two layers of slightly crisp shortcrust pastry enclosing a generous filling. Traditionally topped with almond custard, it is also available with Itxassou black cherry jam.
Chocolate versions also delight gourmets. You’ll find them in every bakery and patisserie in the Basque Country, and every artisan has his or her own secret recipe. Enjoy with a coffee or a glass of sweet Jurançon!
Bayonne Ham
Bayonne Ham is much more than just a local product: it’s a true gastronomic signature of the South-West. It comes from the family tradition of the pele-porc, where salted and dried meat was used to get through hard times. Its name comes from its historic trade via the port of Bayonne.
Today, Bayonne Ham benefits from a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI ): it is made from pigs raised in the Adour basin, salted with Salies-de-Béarn salt, then cured for 7 to 12 months. Its melt-in-the-mouth, fragrant, flavorful flesh can be eaten thinly sliced as a starter, or grilled a la plancha to bring out all its flavors.
Macaroons
At least two houses vie for the reputation of making the best macaroons in the Basque Country: the famous Maison Adam in Saint-Jean-de-Luz and other local artisans. The Basque macaroon, with its crunchy crust and soft interior, is simple and authentic.
Made with egg whites and almond paste, it is sometimes topped with black cherry jam or walnut cream. A gourmet treat to pack in your suitcases!
take time to eat
Le Marmitako
Marmitako is the traditional dish of Basque fishermen. They used to prepare it on board their boats when they went out to fish for tuna. This tuna stew with potatoes, onions, peppers and Espelette pepper is a true concentrate of marine flavors.
In Saint-Jean-de-Luz, it’s the star of the tuna festival every summer. Chipirons à la luzienne, small squids cooked in their own ink or a la plancha, are another must-try speciality from the ports along the Basque coast.
Espelette pepper
Piment d’Espelette is a local variety of sweet, fragrant pepper, and the only French spice to benefit from a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Introduced to the Basque country in the XVIIᵉ century, it found the Espelette climate an ideal breeding ground.
Between August and the end of November, the facades of the village’s half-timbered houses are adorned with garlands of red chillies, which dry in the sun, offering a picturesque spectacle. Piment d’Espelette spices up many Basque dishes, such as veal axoa, piperade and poulet basquaise, and replaces pepper in local cuisine.
Ossau-Iraty, sheep’s milk cheese
Ossau-Iraty is an AOC and AOP ewe’s milk cheese, made between the Basque Country and Béarn from local breeds of ewe: Manech Tete Noire, Manech Tete Rousse and Basco-Bearnaise.
Traditionally, it is served with Itxassou black cherry jam or, as in Spanish cider houses, with quince fruit paste.
This sweet-savory combination is a veritable institution in the Basque Country. You’ll find Ossau-Iraty at all the markets and producers in the hinterland.
gastronomic culture
Other specialities to discover
Basque gastronomy doesn’t stop there! Other gourmet treasures to sample during your stay include:
Veal axoa: minced veal with spices, simmered with onions and peppers, traditionally served with rice or potatoes. Piperade: a blend of tomatoes, onions, peppers and hot peppers, served with meat and fish. Chicken Basquaise: chicken simmered in a piperade-based sauce, a classic on family tables. Bayonne chocolate: introduced in the XVIIᵉ century by Portuguese Jews fleeing the Inquisition, chocolate has become a Bayonne specialty. Artisanal chocolate factories in the city center perpetuate this ancestral know-how.
Basque cider (sagardo or sagarno): slightly sparkling and tart, it is drunk in cider houses according to a very precise ritual. Irouleguy wine : the only vineyard in the French Basque Country, it produces red, white and rosé wines with powerful, fruity flavors. Whether you’re strolling through the markets of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Bayonne or Espelette, or settling into a village inn, every meal is an invitation to discover the soul of the Basque Country through its flavors. Bon appétit!
