Le Pays Basque

This weekend I ventured outside of Bordeaux and headed about two hours southwest to explore the Pays Basque region of France. Which, according to the waiter we talked to in Biarritz, should not even be considered a part of France because it is so unique. Not sure I would go as far to say that Bayonne and Biarritz are not French cities but I admire how proud he is of his city. I can see his point a little bit. We spent a day in Bayonne and a day in Biarritz. And while there are comparisons to be made between these cities and Bordeaux, Bayonne and even more so Biarritz, both have obvious Spanish influences. The buildings, while made out of the same colored stone as the buildings here in Bordeaux, have bursts of red, blue, and green colors because of their shutters which are all brightly painted to stand out more than it's neighbor.

Bayonne

Upon arriving to Bayonne and after dropping off our bags at our hostel Friday afternoon, we set out to explore Bayonne. And after 5 hours of walking around, eating chocolate, and wandering into cathedrals and antique bookstores, we had explored Bayonne. It is a small town, making Bordeaux seem enormous, but it is a really lovely town. And because it is famous for its chocolate, how could one not fall in love with Bayonne?

Biarritz

We spent Saturday in Biarritz and headed straightaway to Les Halles which is Biarritz's take on San Francisco's Ferry Building farmer's market. And while it was not quite as large as San Francisco's farmer's market, it was just as impressive. There were charcuterie's waiting to sell you any type of cured (and not cured) meat you could possibly think of. There were poultry stands eager to slice open a chicken for you should you want to each chicken liver for dinner that night. And of course there were many a cheese and baguette stand. My personal favorite was the baguette with chèvre and fig baked into it. Before coming to France I tended to stay away from the smelly cheeses but I am quickly becoming a convert. After our typically French picnic for lunch we meandered along the beach of Biarritz. Because it was 36 degrees and threatening rain it took some imagination to picture what a summer day in Biarritz would be like but I've already decided I will be back in a couple months to experience it!

All in all the Pays Basque did not disappoint. I would recommend waiting until the weather is warmer to visit but my time here is limited and I can't wait for the weather to be nicer because for the next couple months it's going to be cold everywhere! Plus it does give me a chance to wear this cute pair of gloves I just bought ;)