Day Trip: Basque Region

Biarritz makes a great base from which to explore the French Basque region whose most scenic towns are all within an hour’s drive of Biarritz. (You can even combine touring them with a jaunt across the border to Spain's San Sebastian and Bilbao, one hour and forty minutes away by car.)

Much like Spain's so-called southern territories, the northern territories of the French Basque region are proud of their culture that is completely unique. The region hosts a slew of events throughout the year that celebrate Basque singing, folk dancing and sports (if you get the chance to see a traditional pelota game, take it – it's a fascinating sporting event).

Espelette is the red pepper capital of France and this region's most touristy town, but it's still worth a visit to see its wonderful little church (Saint-Etienne) and the weekly market on Wednesdays. Two other charmers are Sare and Ainhoa, both tiny villages featuring the traditional Basque houses with red or green-painted wooden trims. From Sare, you can take the Petit Train de la Rhune up to the summit of nearly 3,000-foot-high La Rhune mountain. While the base of La Rhune is located in France, the top is already part of Spain.