43:23.67N 01:40.70W Bay of St Jean de Luz

Spellbinder
Fri 13 Jul 2007 16:31
Duly spent the day in Bayonne on Tuesday 10th, using the very convenient local bus system. Admired the architecture of the old town, learnt a bit of Basque history at the very good Basque museum, and learnt the secrets of Bayonne ham by visiting a "producteur", Reluctantly decided a whole ham swinging in the cabin would be too much of a hazard, so settled for some more manageable packets.
Wednesday morning was more odd jobs, as it was raining. In the afternoon took a bicycle ride to Biarritz, the rain eventually clearing to allow tea beside the old port.
Expedition by train on Thursday to St Jean Pied de Port. A really lovely one hour trip up the valley of the river Nive, to the beautiful walled town which is positioned at the foot of the Roncevales pass into Spain, and so a key stop on the pilgrims route to Santiago, and also a key strategic town with fine walls, and a big fort by Vauban. A very pleasant 3 hour ramble all around the sights, followed by a leisurely lunch on the terrace of a little hotel inside the walls. Then a further hour before taking the train back to Bayonne.
Keith and Sheiila having delayed their arrival, the two of us set off from Anglet mid morning and made the short trip to the bay of St Jean de Luz, picking up a visitors buoy off Socoa on the opposite side of the bay. Hot and sunny, but the forecast of fierce westerly gusts in the afternoon dissuaded us from heading any further today.Hoping for more favourable winds to get us along the coast over the weekend, K&S arrive Monday via Bilbao.