What to Buy and What to Try: Pays Basque – Part 1

It’s a quick ninety-minute flight from Paris to Biarritz, but I am transported into a completely new world, one that conjures enchanting images of stark white houses adorned with clusters of vibrant red peppers. Tucked away in the southwest corner of France, the Pays Basque feels a world apart. With nearly unpronounceable town names like Itxassou and seemingly exotic dishes like Axoa, I simply had to discover it for myself.

Biarritz/Bayonne

The city of Biarritz beautifully blends the savage sea with sophisticated city life.

Lining a coast of crashing waves are impressive five-star hotels, reminding me that this was the playground for the rich and famous. Wandering at will, it is easy to find the sites of Biarritz, but deciphering the unique flavors of this mysterious region requires a bit more investigation.

I settle into the Café de la Grande Plage to watch the daily spectacle of surfers.

This is the perfect place to try the Irouléguy wines, the only AOC wines in the Basque Country. Known as the “smallest AOC in France”, these wines are produced in just 210 hectares, spread over nine hard-to-pronounce villages: Anhaux, Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry, Ascarat, Irouléguy, Bidarray, Ispoure, Jaxu and Saint-Martin-d’Arrossa. These wines are mostly fruity, tannic reds, using Cabernet Franc and Tannat grape varieties, but these two varietals also produce a fruity, highly fragrant rosé, with a deeper color than its famous Provençal cousin.

Image credit: Wikimedia

It’s hard to pull away from the hypnotizing surfers, but I am on a quest for some regional specialties. I pass by Coco Chanel’s former loft, now a pizza restaurant, in favor of a pintxos bar to experience the Basque version of tapas; finger foods secured with toothpicks. This is an opportunity to taste a lot of local specialties at once: Bayonne ham, chipirons (squid), and the famous Ossau-Iraty cheese. It is a great introduction that leads me on a gourmet journey …

Eat Dessert First

For dessert, I love nothing better than chocolate, so imagine my delight in finding a “chocolate street” in Bayonne!

The Spanish had discovered drinking chocolate in Mexico, and when the Jews fled Spain during the 17th century, they brought this knowledge to Bayonne, making a few enhancements. Rue Port Neuf, known as “Chocolate Street” still houses many of the original chocolate shops, and provides a delicious stroll.

The Atelier du Chocolat features a workshop, museum and boutique, and is a great place to start. The traditional hot chocolate, made the same way since 1854, at Chez Cazenave has forever ruined powdered mixes for me. Each chocolaterie has its own specialties and flair, so there is an unwritten obligation to sample each one!

Maison Pariès, which began in 1895 and now in its 5th generation, offers its trademark Kanougas – a tender caramel that comes in many flavors, including Piment d’Espelette. I had heard of “grand cru” wines, but grand cru dark chocolate? Chocolatier Daranatz has been the purveyor of this indulgence since 1890, and I’m happy to partake. If your passion for chocolate isn’t quite as strong as mine, taste the Tourons, a speciality made of almond paste.

Before leaving Bayonne to hunt down other regional specialties, I have to revisit the famous Bayonne ham, as it is truly unique. Often referred to as “French prosciutto”, it is made from only local pigs and is PGI-certified (Protected Geographical Indication). Jambon de Bayonne is naturally cured for at least 12 months with spring water salt from the Salies-de-Béarn. In a quest to taste the best, I head to Charcuterie Aubard, which also features a Musée du Jambon. I am amused at the irony as I enter the oldest charcuterie in Bayonne, located at 18 rue Poissonnerie. This delicate ham is definitely worth the hype, and I leave with more than I can possibly eat.

Saint-Jean-de-Luz

It’s a new day and a new seaside town. Saint-Jean-de-Luz has a different feel than Biarritz. It is smaller and a bit more relaxed. After a stroll along the crescent-shaped beach, I head to the pedestrian rue Gambetta, which is bustling with boutiques selling local specialties. I hurry past the linen shops, knowing I will find my petit bonheur in Ascain, and head straight to Maison Laulhère to buy the iconic beret. This is not the Paris-tourist-shop beret, but the real deal – the finest wool, tradition and savoir-faire – this is a symbol of France that I will wear with pride.

Pierre Laulhère began making woolen stockings at the foot of the Pyrénées near the river Gave d’Oloron in 1792. His son Lucien married Marie Tournaben who came from a family of beret makers, and the couple began their brand of berets in 1840. While the quality is apparent, choosing a color isn’t, as I know my beret will last for generations. I finally settle on classic black, and set out to discover more of this bustling town.

Place Louis XIV is a lively square with restaurants, artisans and music, and as luck would have it, I am hungry! This time I opt for the traditional poulet basquaise, slow-cooked, with tomatoes, bell peppers, and the slightly spicy Espelette pepper that I will learn much more about in the days to come.

Maison Louis XIV across the square gives a glimpse of the royal life of yesteryear. The king spent 40 days here waiting for his bride, Maria Theresa to arrive from Spain.

For dessert, I head to Maison Adam. Their special version of macaron is made of almonds, egg and sugar; the recipe passed down from father to son since 1660!

I decide to buy a tin of them, partly because I know I will want more than one, but also for a nice souvenir as the tin features the Lauburu, or Basque cross. This emblem can be found all over the Basque Country; its curved branches representing the sun spinning in the sky. It is also found on the Gâteau Basque, a sort of short-bread crust surrounding either a rich pastry cream or a black cherry filling. I decide it would be a shame not to sample both!

Have you ever visited the Pays Basque? Which were your favourite places? Share in the comments below.

Keep an eye out for Part 2… to be published soon

Image credits:
1, 3 images copyright Traci Parent
2. Biarrtiz by W. Bulach via Wikimedia Commons

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