Offering visitors the best of both worlds, the southern departement of Pyrenees-Atlantiques is not just home to some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in France, but also several pleasant and picturesque seaside resorts on the Atlantic coast. Most of the departement is in the Basque region of France, and visitors may notice a difference in the language spoken by the locals amongst each other or the kind of food offered in local restaurants, but the French Basques are not as patriotic as their Spanish cousins, and French is still widely spoken. Serious walkers who are tackling the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela cross the border between France and Spain in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques region.
The Atlantic coast is quite wild and rocky in this part of France, but you can still find some pleasant and sheltered beaches if you know where to look. Biarritz has two or three long stretches of sand which are always busy on summer weekends, and are becoming more and more popular with surfers. The town itself is a monument to its past popularity, with large hotels and elegant villas that were once summer homes for the rich and famous. Further south is the smaller, more traditional town of St-Jean-de-Luz. Still used as a fishing village today, you can find some great seafood restaurants near the harbour or buy your own at the daily fish market. There are several other small fishing villages along this stretch of coastline which are worth a short visit if you have your own transport.
In the east of the Pyrenees-Atlantiques region is the mountain town of Pau. This historic town is probably most popular for its location, between the Pyrenees and the Atlantic ocean, offering fantastic views of both. In particular, the view of the mountains as you stroll along the Pyrenees boulevard between Pau's two main parks should not be missed. The town itself has a picturesque historic centre, including a 14th century castle and medieval streets dating from the 14th to the 17th centuries. The scenery around Pau and further south is spectacular, and has always been popular with walkers in the summer and even skiers in the winter. In particular, the Aspe and Ossau valleys to the south of Pau are truly unspoilt areas of countryside, with walking trails, traditional villages and plenty of impressive viewpoints to stop and take a photograph.
Looking for self catering holiday accommodation in Pyrenees-Atlantiques? Then below is a selection of gites in Pyrenees-Atlantiques and villas in Pyrenees-Atlantiques that can be rented direct from their owners. You can either click on each listing for further details or you can use our search engine on the left if you are looking for something in particular.
