French Basque Countryside Tour from San Sebastian: Immersive Exploration of the Peaceful Region
5.0
30 Ratings
Saint-Etienne-de-Baigorry
Escape the bustling city of San Sebastian and embark on a immersive tour of the peaceful French Basque countryside. Discover charming villages, learn about local farmers, and soak in the stunning mountainous scenery.
Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Saint-Etienne-de-Baigorry - After morning pickup in San Sebastian, we will begin our journey taking the quiet and scenic countryside road to cross the border into France to spend the day in the French Basque Countryside. Our first stop will be the quaint town of St. ienne de Baïgorry.
  • Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port - We will then continue our journey to the beautiful and charming town of Saint Jean Pied de Port, on the foothills of the Pyrenees. With its beautiful cobbled streets that run down hill across a quaint old bridge over the river Nive, the town is renown for being the starting point of the most popular route of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela on The Way of St. James (Camino de Santiago). After an easy-going stroll through the village while learning about its history and importance regarding the Camino de Santiago, you will get a break to enjoy lunch, if so desired, before continuing our route to our next stop.
  • Espelette - We will head towards the picturesque town of Espelette, famous for its dried red peppers that are hung to dry from its houses and shops during the summer season. You will get the opportunity to stroll through the colorful streets of the village and do some Basque-produce shopping before beginning our drive back to San Sebastian.
What's Included
  • All-inclusive fees and taxes
  • Comfortable private transportation
  • Convenient hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Expert local guide
  • Professional driver/guide
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
Additional Information

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of San Sebastian to immerse yourself in the tranquil rural landscapes of the French Basque region. You’ll traverse the border into France via a mountain trail historically used by contraband carriers, and explore authentic villages of the French Basque countryside. During this picturesque journey, you’ll gain insights into the lifestyle of rural inhabitants and comprehend the significance of this enchanting region to Basque culture, amidst splendid mountain and rural vistas.

Your travel group will be intimate, accommodating a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 6 guests. The package includes pickup and drop-off from your hotel.

  • A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
Location
Saint-Etienne-de-Baigorry
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(30 Ratings)
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1 star
Angelica_c
Jun 17, 2024
A Splendid Day - We had a wonderful time in the French Basque Countryside. It was picturesque and peaceful. Ander was an excellent guide who was full of knowledge, thoughtful, and accommodating. We would go on a tour with Ander again anytime.
Review provided by Viator
P504abjulier
May 27, 2024
Great day in tgr Basque lands - We had an amazing day with Ander in tge Basque lands. His knowledge of history and the area was great. We enjoyed sampling local cheeses and pickles from the farmers and Ander bought us a great cherry pie baked by a local lady in one of the villages. It was simply a fab day and would recommend to anyone!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tsinkis
Aug 31, 2023
Tasting Basque Country food - Great way to spend the day even though it was wet. Gave us an opportunity to taste some French basque delicacies and enjoy the market day. We would never have found these places on our own.
Review provided by Viator
75jenniferv
Jun 18, 2023
1000% recommend!!! - My husband and I took a tour with Ander to the French Basque countryside and I don’t have the words to express what a wonderful experience it was! We ventured into parts of the countryside we never would have found on our own. Really enjoyed hearing a local’s perspective on Basque culture. And the company owners went out of their way to ensure the remainder of our stay in Spanish Basque was a world class experience. THANK YOU Go Basque!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Evan
Jun 14, 2023
Highly recommend - We had a wonderful day with our tour guide Ruben. He was very friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joshua
May 29, 2023
Best Day Trip to French Basque Region - We had a great tour with Ruben. He took us to many beautiful French Basque towns and was very knowledgeable about the local history and culture. He also had some great food recommendations for when we returned to San Sebastián. Highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Companion06136380000
May 24, 2023
Wonderful tour! - We had a wonderful tour with our guide Rueben! We loved visiting the small French villages and learning about their history and basque culture. Beautiful countryside and great company 10/10!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sonyab1059
Nov 3, 2022
A Forever Memory - What a wonderful day we spent with Ander visiting a few of the many nearby medieval Basque villages. Our private tour with Ander has honestly been the most memorable part of our visit to San Sebastian. We especially appreciated the door-to-door service and the easy conversation with Ander, who was raised in San Sebastian. We learned not only about the areas we visited but about what life is like growing up, living and working here. We never felt rushed and Ander was open to stopping anywhere we liked. Our first stop was Sare, known for its delicious Gateau Basque (cake) and where fronton (jai alai) is the favorite pastime. Traveling the lush countryside to our next stop in Espelette, Ander pointed out the raised wooden huts built on towers used to trap migrating wood pigeons. Espelette is known for its production of espelette red peppers. The entire village has white houses with red or green shutters. It looked like a fairy tale town built as a temple to the little red peppers. The 17th century Basque church had a single aisle with wooden galleries and the scent of old wood. Ander knows all the places where you can taste the local cheese, chocolate or pate. Finally on to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port which is the starting point and the most challenging part of the Camino de Santiago. The streets are steep and cobbled, dotted with pilgrim lodgings and many shops. The “way” is well-marked with directional arrows embedded into the cobblestone streets and signs taped to poles. Thank you Ander for so generously sharing your beautiful Basque countryside with us - a forever memory……..Sonya & Jake.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daianalovetravel
Jun 15, 2022
Great Experience. - Every little detail on this tour was very good. Jimi arrived early at the hotel for pick up. He came in a very big and comfortable Mercedes-Benz. During the drive to Bayonne he told us a lot of interesting information about the Basque country, He also recommended many things for us to do when we returned to San Sebastián. The tour itself was also perfect. We enoyed a great meal in San Juan de luz, right in front of the beach. We highly recommend this company, thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Collinsinaz
May 23, 2022
Ander brought Basque Country to life - I can’t say enough about how terrific it was spending a day in beautiful Pays Basque with Ander. I knew just enough of the history of the region to provide a skeleton of knowledge, and Ander made it come to life with so much great detail. His choices for the trip are impeccable, doing a great job of avoiding big crowds while allowing you to experience the remarkable region. We entrusted our menu and souvenir choices to him, and he did not lead us astray. He also provided good travel and dining trips for us for San Sébastien, his hometown that he obviously loves so much and knows so well.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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