Surroundings

Hendaye has 13000 inhabitants and is very close to the Spanish border. The city is situated on the Atlantic coast and surrounded by green hills. Hendaye was founded in the 15th century and has known a lot of dramatical events, especially during the wars between France and Spain. You still find signs of this past, for exemple the castle of Gaztelu Zahar which was destroyed several times before Vauban rebuilt it, or the island of Pheasant Island in the midle of the river Bidassoa. It was on this island that the French king Louis XIV and the king of Castilia met and signed the treaty of peace called "Treaty of the Pyrenées" in 1659 and later the wedding contract between Louis XIV and the princess Maria Theresia was concluded in the same place.
The inhabitants of Hendaye were fishermen, sailors or corsairs (for example Etienne Pellot in the 19th century).The fishing of salmon on the river was regulated by treaties called "Faceries", signed between the French and the inhabitants of Irun and Fontarabia. And it was in Hendaye that Pierre Loti lived from 1850 to 1923, in a house that was called Bachar-Etchea or the house of the lone wolf, where he wrote his novel "Ramuntcho".

The city of Hendaye offers a great sandy beach of about 3 kms, which is one of the longest, most beautiful safest of the coast.

On one end of this sandy beach you find two rocks, called "Les Jumeaux " (the twins).They are situated at the point of the Abbadia territory, which is a protected area and belongs to the conservatory of the coastland. It is marked by the Castle of Abaddia, which was built in 1862 by Viollet-le-Duc and Edmond Duthoit for Antoine d'Abbadie d'Arrast. According to his last will, this building which contains an astrological observatory, became property of the Academy of Science.

On the other end of the beach, you find the river Bidassoa, the natural border between Spain and France. You can cross it on a little boat to eat tapas at Fontarabie or to walk around the historical quarters of this village or to decover the little streets around the Parador.

Sport is playing an important role, too, in the life of Hendaye: Handball(www.sh-handball.fr.st) Football, Sailing, Surfing...etc.

Little spanish village where Victor Hugo was living in 1841 and from where Lafayette left by boat in 1777 to fight in the american independence war. You reach this place in longing the Jaizquibel in about ten minutes.

with about 180.000 inhabitants, its historical old town (parte vieja), its lovely beach called "La Concha" because it has the form of a shell, and its may bars offering the famous tapas. .at about 20 minutes.

near to the village of Ascain, with a little train that will lead you to the summit. When the wheather is fine, you have an amazing sight on the atlantic coast ...at about 20 minutes

with its floral parc "Le Florénia" et the Castle of Urtubie ...at about 10 minutes

a typical "basque" village which is classified among the nicest villages of France ...at about 10 minutes

its beautiful bay, its small streets filled with shops, his famous church ...at about 10 minutes

the famous rock of the virgin "Le Rocher de la Vierge", the museum of the sea and the church Sainte Eugénie ...at about 20 minutes

its cathedral, its historical city with its small streets, the museums "Musée Basque" et "Musée Bonnat"... at about 30 minutes

the famous villa of Edmond Rostand, Arnaga,and its wonderful gardens ...at about 45 minutes