Basque Country includes parts of Spain and France. In France, it refers to the western part of the French department of the Pyrénées Atlantiques.

The main towns of touristic interest are the lovely beach resort of Biarritz, the charming inland port of Bayonne, and the quieter St-Jean-de-Luz.

Characterized by a lovely seacoast, the area also has a long history. Although French is the official language, of course, many signs are in both French and Basque. The Basque language, called Euskara, is a language isolate. That is, it has seemingly no direct connection to any other language.

St-Jean-de-Luz is only 12 kilometers (about 7 miles) from Hendaye, the border town with Spain, so if you want to explore Basque culture in both countries, it's quite easy.

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Biarritz Bayonne St-Jean-de-Luz About France