A while back, I chose Saint-Jean-de-Luz, known as “Donibane Lohizune” in the Basque language, located south of Biarritz and a 20-minute drive north of the French/Spanish border, as a jumping-off point to discover Basque Country with its unique, colorful and asymmetrical architecture.
Spending a few days in Saint-Jean-de-Luz is to be in a place where one can enjoy a relatively small, pedestrian-friendly haven. There are ample bicycle trails and walkways, as well as many picnic locations in parks or on coastal bluffs, where one meets local families out walking.
Located in an area populated by many Basques, renowned as hardy people, the town and area can be used as quiet reprieve from busy Bordeaux, a port city on the Garonne River, which is the center of a famed wine-growing region. It is said that the Basques are descendants of aboriginal Iberian people “who successfully defended their unique cultural identity from the influence of Roman and Moorish domination.”
Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a vibrant fishing port, is a good place for beaches, gastronomy, songs and music of the Basques. The city is known for the very best of seafront spas, including thalassotherapy centers overlooking the sea. Thalassotherapy is the therapeutic use of seawater, marine products like algae, seaweed and marine mud, and even the marine climate to promote health, wellness and beauty. It was traditionally a cure for people with joint problems and injuries.
I discovered in my walking through a few of these immaculate centers that the emphasis has moved to relieving stress, losing weight and addressing aches and pains. But word of caution, if you’re an aficionado of steak and pommes frites, you’ll probably come away as I did, hungry.
Saint-Jean-de-Luz is a good spot from which to take bus tours to the main sites of Basque Country, which, by the way, claims Columbus as one of its own.
For now, however, I was interested in its wonderful setting and closeness to towns such as Bayonne, Anglet and Biarritz, in Northern Basque Country. Incidentally, during World War II, Jews escaping the Nazis went through Saint-Jean-de-Luz into Spain. The three towns mentioned here, located in the southwest of France, are known as the BAB towns. Several hundred Jewish families live in these municipalities.
Most of the Jews who came here after the Inquisition and expulsion from Spain and Portugal were anusim, who practiced Judaism secretly, aka marranos or conversos. They were called the Portuguese Nation, for it was safer to be called Portuguese than Jew. In 1619 there were 2,000 Jewish congregants in the area. They and their descendants flourished. Today, these “Basque-Country” French Jews, which number about 200 families, continue to prosper.
Biarritz
Let us go first to Biarritz, a resort town made famous by the monarchs of Europe, including Napoleon III who built for his wife, Eugenie, a giant palace there, and which later became the luxurious Hotel du Palais. Known in the travel industry as the “king” of France’s Atlantic coast resorts, it was visited by the aristocracy for its 19th-century charm. It remains an attractive summer place. Recently, the palace, a hotel part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, has emerged from the pandemic with a massive renovation for its 86 rooms and 56 suites.
Believe me, dear readers, having stayed there once for a short time, I can tell you, the rooms are elegantly decorated with a Second Empire style that remains true to the original architecture and history as a palace. The hotel is now open for reservations through November 1. After completing the final phase of its extensive renovation, the hotel is expected to resume full operations again in summer 2022.
One aspect of Holocaust history regarding Biarritz is that for a few days in June 1940, Portuguese consul Aristides de Sousa Mendes, who had issued thousands of Portuguese visas to Jews fleeing the Nazis, was in Biarritz on his way home to Lisbon. Having angrily been recalled for his humanitarianism in aiding the Jewish refugees, he was in Biarritz still passing out more visas and convincing Spanish guards to let the Jews pass through Spain to Portugal.
In Biarritz, a synagogue stands at 9 Rue Pellot, at the corner of Rue de la Russie and Rue Pellot, 64200, Biarritz. Services during summer and on holidays. Kosher food is available through the synagogue in nearby Bayonne. Tel: 59-55-03-95.
Bayonne
A good place to stop in Bayonne is the Musée Basque, 37 Quai de Corsaires, 64111. Tel: 59-59-08-98. The museum, dedicated to Basque history, draws visitors from all over the world. A room is devoted to Jewish religious objects, mezuzot, prayer books, lithographs and candles. It is well worth a visit. During the early 16th century the anusim from Portugal and Spain were fearful that the long arm of the Inquisition would reach across the border from Spain and snare them in Bayonne, if they revealed their identity. They had settled in Bayonne because it was a thriving port and the commercial capital of Gascony. One of the contributions of the Jews to Bayonne was to start up the chocolate industry. No wonder chocoholics love this town.
But when the Jews came here, they were forced to live in the Saint-Esprit section of the city. Today some Jews still live in that neighborhood, voluntarily of course. The neighborhood of Saint-Esprit, which supports a synagogue, is called “Little Jerusalem.” The historic synagogue founded in 1837 is at 35 Rue Maubec, 64100, Bayonne.
So, combine an important part of Jewish history, gastronomy and a pleasant summer for this part of southwestern France. It should be high on your travel list.
Ben G. Frank, travel writer and travel-lecturer, is the author of the just-published Klara’s War, A Novel; A Travel Guide to Jewish Europe, 4th edition (Pelican Publishing), Klara’s Journey, A Novel (Marion Street Press) and The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond, (Globe Pequot Press). Follow him at twitter:@bengfrank