# French Basque Country: coast and hill villages

> 3-day road trip of about 95 km (59 mi) with 8 stops, from Bayonne to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. About 1 h 18 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b2-basque-country/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 95 km (59 mi) with 8 stops, from Bayonne to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. About 1 h 18 min of driving in total. Bayonne ham, the cliffs of the Corniche, the train up La Rhune and red-and-white villages on the way to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 95 km (59 mi) |
| Driving | 1 h 18 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | Bayonne → Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port |
| Countries | France |
| Updated | September 8, 2026 |

## Route description

Bayonne’s riverside houses and Gothic cathedral are a good start; try the ham and the chocolate. Biarritz follows along the coast with its lighthouse, surf beaches and the Rocher de la Vierge, then Saint-Jean-de-Luz, where Louis XIV married in 1660.

Across the bay, the Corniche Basque road runs from Socoa to Hendaye above folded flysch cliffs. Turn inland to the Col de Saint-Ignace and take the wooden rack railway up La Rhune for the view over the coast and the Pyrenees.

Sare, Ainhoa and Espelette are Basque villages of white houses with red or green shutters; in autumn Espelette’s façades are hung with drying red peppers. The D918 continues through Cambo-les-Bains and the Nive valley to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the walled town where many pilgrims start the Camino over the Pyrenees.

The coast is crowded in August and parking in Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz is difficult for large vehicles. Inland villages have small aires, and the Irouléguy vineyards around Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port are worth a detour.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Bayonne** (France)
2. **Biarritz** (France)
3. **Saint-Jean-de-Luz** (France)
4. **Corniche Basque** (Urrugne, France): A clifftop road between Socoa and Hendaye above layered flysch rock that slants into the Atlantic. Park at the lay-bys and walk parts of the coastal path.
5. **La Rhune rack railway** (Sare, France): A wooden rack railway from 1924 that climbs to the 905 m summit on the Spanish border. From the top you see the whole Basque coast; queues are long on summer afternoons.
6. **Ainhoa** (France)
7. **Espelette** (France)
8. **Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port** (France)

## FAQs

**How long is French Basque Country: coast and hill villages?**
3-day road trip of about 95 km (59 mi) with 8 stops, from Bayonne to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. About 1 h 18 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for French Basque Country: coast and hill villages?**
We suggest 3 days: about 1 h 18 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does French Basque Country: coast and hill villages start and end?**
It starts in Bayonne and ends in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.

**Which countries does French Basque Country: coast and hill villages pass through?**
France.