Saint Jean de Luz

Saint-Jean-de-Luz is located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. It is part of the Basque province of Labourd.

Saint Jean de Luz sits on a gentle, crescent-shaped bay with fine sand. The old town is filled with colourful timbered Basque houses, many dating back to the 17th century.

Most places in town are reachable on foot. There is a shuttle bus, called Itzulia, which connects Saint Jean de Luz with the neighbouring town of Ciboure all year around (tickets cost around €1).

The main highlight of St Jean de Luz is its beautiful beach ("la grande plage") and promenade.
Many of the houses that line the beach are connected to the promenade via a bridge, which adds to their charm.

There are four other sandy beaches in St Jean de Luz - Erromardi, Mayarco, Lafiténia and Cénitz, all of which are popular with surfers.

The main pedestrian street is called Rue Gambetta. Here you will find many stores, most of them small boutiques selling chocolate, sweets, local produce, clothes and shoes. Linge Basque is a solid fabric which features brightly striped patterns and there are several stores selling napkins, kitchen towels and other cotton and linen products.

The most important building on the Rue Gambetta is the Church of St. John Baptist, which was built between the 15th and 17th centuries.

The main square of the town, Place Louis XIV can be found at the western end of Rue Gambetta. This is where you can see two prominent buildings - the town hall and the Maison Louis XIV.

The port is located right beside the main square. Rue de la Republique is lined with seafood restaurants serving a wide range of tempting dishes.

The market is open all year round, every day of the week, Tuesdays and Fridays are busiest with more local farmers gathering to sell their local produce such as fish, vegetables, baked goods and cheeses. It's a busy, buzzing place which is also surrounded by small bars with terraces.

On the opposite side of the bay is the town of Ciboure. At the end of the bay is the Fortress of Socoa, originally built by Louis XIII at the beginning of the 17th century. It was destroyed and rebuilt many times over the years and has a mixture of different military architecture styles. The building itself is closed but visitors can still walk around it, and enjoy the views of the bay.

Ttoro (fish soup) is a traditional dish from St Jean de Luz. Other popular options include tuna fish cooked the Lucienne way, koskera hake, grilled sardines and for a sweet treat, Basque Cake and macaroons.

This is a tender port. Cruise ships will anchor and transport passengers ashore.

Most of the attractions are only minutes away on foot.