Crowns & Corsairs. At Basque Shore

French Basque elegance, Atlantic force, and coastal history

Along the Basque coast, the Atlantic has always been more than a backdrop—it has shaped empires, fortunes, and lives in towns far smaller than their influence suggests.

We begin in Biarritz, stopping at the lighthouse to take in sweeping views of a city imagined into existence. From a quiet fishing enclave to an imperial seaside resort, Biarritz was shaped by Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie embraced by European royalty, Russian aristocracy, and the highest social circles of 19th-century Europe. Its story continues through post-war reinvention, Hollywood glamour, and its lasting place in the global surf culture. A visit to the local food market and a walk through the city’s most iconic corners ground this layered history in everyday life.

From there, we follow the coast south to Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a town with a very different soul. Here, whaling and cod fishing, corsairs and privateers, and the marriage of Louis XIV that sealed peace between crowns mark a history intertwined with the sea. We explore the historic heart of the town and pause naturally for its emblematic sweet: the macaron.

To complete this tour, you may choose between two options:

• Hondarribia, a fortified fishing town where Basque identity remains vivid, shaped by centuries of borderland history and maritime life.

• Bayonne, where Basque, Gascon and French traditions converge along stone streets, markets, and riverbanks.

Here, the Atlantic was never a backdrop, but a force—one that shaped empires, fortunes and identities along its shore.

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