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Top 10 Things to do in Bayonne France

Bayonne is known as the chocolate city of France. The city played an important role in the distribution of Cacao in the old days due to its proximity to Spain where the beans were brought by Spanish colonialist who got them from South America.

The city of Bayonne is located at the confluence of River Nive and Adour in southwest France.聽 Its narrow streets at the Old Grand Bayonne district tell of its medieval times.

Bayonne Cathedral, like most cathedrals in France, depicting a Gothic style design with its cloister and Ch芒teau Vieux castle from the 13^th century.

On the other side river, Nive in Petit Bayonne stands the Musee Basque dedicated to exhibiting the arts and traditions of the region.

Other than Chocolates, Bayonne is also famous for its Jambon de聽Bayonne, a cured聽ham. The city holds an annual ham fair giving visitors a taste of this ham and the traditional methods used to produce it.

Here are top things to do while in Bayonne:

1. Be Part of the Bayonne Ham Fair

Photo by 小械褉谐械泄 袨褉谢芯胁褋泻懈泄 on Unsplash

Every year over the Easter weekend, Bayonne city celebrates its famous Jambon de Bayonne. This is their world-famous ham that has been passed down since the medieval times and is a favorite among the natives.

The has been held annually since 1424. There are over 20 local producers at the fair, they share their traditional methods of production and you can sample and purchase this prized ham.

The festivities start on the eve of Good Friday at 8 am with an exhibition of the cr猫me Del a cr猫me free-range ham contest. Later in the afternoon, you can enjoy some delicious lunch served in the marquee.

Be one with Bayonne natives on this 4-day cultural event through traditional music, and food.

2. Visit the French Basque Country

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While visiting France, one thing that will stand out is there is a unique culture, architecture and language. Every City in southern France stands out from the other.

When you visit Basque Country, you will be quick to notice that they speak Basque, a language unique to this place; it is unrelated to the other languages of Europe or any other known language.

One thing that stands out as you walk the streets of Basque is the prominent green, red and white colors of its flag. The locals proudly hang them on their windows and flagpoles.

A visit to Basque will show a seamless mix of French and Basque culture.

3. Take a tour of Basque History Museum

The museum is located in Maison Dagourette on the banks of river Nive, it used to be a townhouse in the 16^th century. It was opened to the public in 1924 displaying a huge collection of the Basque culture and traditions.

There are over 3,000 objects displayed in 20 rooms. The Artifacts and art in the museum were collected during the early part of the 20th century.

They give an illustration of the transition in Basque society through history to the present day. Together they tell the story of Bayonne as a major port and melting pot of French, Basque, Gascon and Jewish cultures.

4. Get Great views from the two riverfront

The meeting point of Rivers Nive and Adour make quite a beautiful site to view the city from. The two rivers define Bayonne as they divide the city into three main parts.

To get a good understanding of the history of this city and the rivers, head over to the Grand Bayonne on the West Bank of River Nive. There you will find historic landmarks of the city.

While on the northern bank of the Adour you will see the聽Quartier Saint-Esprit, home to Bayonne鈥檚 Jewish community you will also get a striking view of the citadel and on the Nive a dense residential area at the Petit Bayonne.

The Nive riverfront and bridge is also home to a lively weekend market where you can get all sorts of regular produce, snacks and local delicacies.

5. Walkthrough the city admiring the Classic Half-Timbered Houses

These houses have lined up the streets of Bayonne from the Middle Ages, what strikes out most is their tall and narrow frames that have maintained their form centuries on.

The shutters of these buildings stand out with the colorful paints depicting the history and culture of the city. These attractive features draw your attention as you walk down the narrow street at the old town.

6. L鈥橝telier du Chocolat Workshop

Photo by Heather Barnes on Unsplash

This is a fun workshop where you get to learn all about the French chocolate, get to watch some very skilful chocolatiers make cocoa sculptures.

During the workshop, you will get to learn the background about the chocolate trade you will also be taken through every part of the production, from mixing to molding, decorating and packaging.

To crown it all, you will get to sample the chocolates at the end.

7. Take a tour of Bayonne Cathedral

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This cathedral was constructed using locally sourced white and red stones in Gothic architecture. It stands on the site of a Romanesque cathedral that got destroyed by fire in 1258.

Also known as St. Mary鈥檚 cathedral, it is on a central location at the heart of Bayonne history overlooking the two rivers Nive and Adour. The cathedral has relics of St. Leo.

UNESCO named this a world heritage site in 1998 and is part of the French pilgrim routes of Santiago de Compostela. The nave and choir of the cathedral have modern stained-glass windows.

8. Sightseeing at the Grand Bayonne quarter

Still in the vicinity of the cathedral is the grand Bayonne, where you can get your shopping done. Just outside the cathedral, is a walkway on Rue d鈥� Espagne with caf茅s, souvenir shops and chocolate shops.

During the morning hours, you can take some time and get some grocery or gift shopping at Les Halles, the superb covered market. The market is right by river Nives full of organic produce from the local farmers.

You can also sample some local delicacies served at the restaurants at the square.

9. Ch芒teau Vieux Bayonne

It is also known as the old Castle of Bayonne in the commune of Bayonne. The castle has been rebuilt several times over the centuries.

The castle was constructed by the Viscounts of Labourd in the 12th century. Ch芒teau Vieux Bayonne was formerly the official residence of the governors of the city.

This ch芒teau used to be a state prison during the French Revolution, it is now owned by the military.

Although entry is not permitted, you are allowed to take photos from outside.

10. Botanic Garden at Bayonne

This聽botanical garden聽located at the Avenue du 11 Novembre and All茅e de Tarride,聽Bayonne.

The garden is small but has the perfect ambiance for relaxation. It is a Japanese style garden with a pond, a waterfall, a fountain and a variety of plant species.

The walkways in the garden are made of recycled material. 聽To get to the garden, take a free shuttle bus of the city center line at stop number 7. Entry is free.