Before you go

Your trip to Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Saint-Jean-de-Luz – Nova Aquitânia Destination French Basque Country about 210 km from Bordéus

How to get there

Aéroport de Biarritz-Pays Basque (BIQ) Anglet · 20 km
Gare de Saint-Jean-de-Luz - Ciboure 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Check before buying. Saint-Jean-de-Luz-Ciboure station, a few minutes' walk from the center, is served by the TGV from Paris-Montparnasse and regional trains from Bordeaux, Bayonne and Hendaye. From Bayonne it's about 25 minutes by train; from Biarritz around 15. Biarritz–Pays Basque airport is about 20 km away. From San Sebastián, the Basque train goes to Hendaye, from where you continue by train or bus.

How many days

One day for the port, the church, Louis XIV's houses, the beach and Ciboure. Two days allow you to ride La Rhune on the little train and visit Espelette and the inland villages. With three days you can include a day in San Sebastián.

When to go

From June to September for the beach, which is sheltered and has calmer sea than Biarritz; July and August are the busiest months. The La Rhune train and visits to the Maison Louis XIV usually run from spring until early November. In autumn, Espelette holds its pepper festival. In winter the town is quiet, and rain can occur at any time.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

You don't need a car for the town, which is walkable, nor for Biarritz, Bayonne and Hendaye, linked by train. For the La Rhune train, which departs from col de Saint-Ignace, and for Espelette, Sare and Ainhoa, a car makes travel easier; there are regional buses with fewer departures. In summer parking in the center is often difficult.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Saint-Jean-de-Luz

Morning
Port and Louis XIV's houses
Start at the port, with its fishing boats, and go to the Place Louis XIV, where the Maison Louis XIV is located, offering guided tours in season, and, on the quay, the Maison de l'Infante.
Afternoon
Church and rue Gambetta
Visit the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, with its wooden galleries and the gilded altarpiece, and walk along rue Gambetta, the town center's pedestrian street, to the Grande Plage.
Late afternoon
Ciboure
Cross the bridge over the Nivelle to Ciboure, pass by the house where Maurice Ravel was born and by the church of Saint-Vincent, then follow the bay shore to the fort of Socoa.
Evening
Fish at the port
Dine at the restaurants around the port, in Saint-Jean-de-Luz or Ciboure, where the fish of the day is the specialty.

2 days in Saint-Jean-de-Luz

Day 1

Morning
Port and Maison Louis XIV
Fishing port, Place Louis XIV and guided tour of the Maison Louis XIV in season.
Afternoon
Church and Grande Plage
Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, rue Gambetta and the Grande Plage, with the promenade along the bay.
Late afternoon
Ciboure and Socoa
Ciboure, Ravel's birthplace and the walk along the bay to the fort of Socoa.
Evening
Dinner at the port
Fish and Basque dishes at the port restaurants.

Day 2

Morning
La Rhune train
Head early to col de Saint-Ignace in Sare, about 10 km away, and ride La Rhune on the 1924 rack railway train up to the 905-meter summit on the border with Spain.
Afternoon
Sare and Espelette
Have lunch in Sare or continue to Espelette, with strings of peppers on the façades, the barons' castle and the church of Saint-Étienne.
Late afternoon
Ainhoa
On the way back, stop in Ainhoa, a one-street village of white-and-red Basque houses.
Evening
Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Return for the final night in town, with a walk along the beach promenade.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

Where did Louis XIV get married?

In the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, in June 1660, marrying the Infanta Maria Theresa of Spain. The king stayed at the Maison Louis XIV and the infanta at the Maison de l'Infante, both near the port.

How to go from Saint-Jean-de-Luz to San Sebastián?

By car it's about 30 km. By public transport, take the train to Hendaye and from there the Basque train to central San Sebastián.

How to reach the La Rhune train from Saint-Jean-de-Luz?

The train departs from col de Saint-Ignace in Sare, about 10 km away. By car the trip is short and there is parking at the station; there are also regional buses in season. Book the train on the official website.

Saint-Jean-de-Luz or Biarritz: where to stay?

Saint-Jean-de-Luz is quieter, with a sheltered beach and pedestrian center, and is close to La Rhune, Espelette and Spain. Biarritz has more nightlife, surfing and the airport. Both are about 15 minutes by train.

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