Bayonne Hotels

Bayonne is in Aquitaine, France. Bayonne, the capital of the french basque country, at the junction of the rivers Adour (Aturri) and Nive (Errobi), is a busy commercial town, with a long history. At every turn of the narrow lanes with their distinctive colombage houses that make up the town centre, you will come upon vestiges of the rich past that contributed to the growth of Bayonne. From the beginnings of the town fortifications in Roman times, of which certain elements are still visible, to the magnificent 14th century gothic Cathedral Sainte-Marie in the town centre and the ramparts and forts constructed by Vauban under Louis XIV, the rich historical and commercial past of Bayonne will enchant any visitor. Bayonne is famous, amongst other things, for it's chocolate, for the excellent Basque museum, the Bonnat museum of art, the summer festival (the Fêtes de Bayonne/Baionako pestak) and for the invention of the bayonet. There is so much to see and discover in Bayonne that it is well worth taking one of the guided tours organised by the Tourist Office. Bayonne (‘Baiona' in Basque) means ‘the good river'. And indeed the wide estuary of the River Adour, into which leaks the smaller River Nive, in a sense still defines the town. The pair establish a watery boundary for Petit Bayonne with its narrow streets, attractive riverside buildings clad in red and green shutters, student bars and shoals of waterside restaurants. Here, Euskara is spoken almost as much as French. Bayonne, cultural and economic capital of the French Basque country, forms, together with sprawling Anglet (that final ‘t' is pronounced) and Biarritz, 8km to the west, an urban area often called BAB (population around 100, 000).