Brazil
Antarctica
Argentina
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Guyana
French Guiana
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela
Germany
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Denmark
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Finland
France
Greece
the Netherlands
Hungary
Ireland
Iceland
Italy
Luxembourg
Norway
Poland
Portugal
the United Kingdom
the Czech Republic
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Bermuda
Canada
the United States
Greenland
Mexico
the Dominican Republic
South Africa
Egypt
Australia
Fiji
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Monument · Saint Pierre, Saint Pierre
Zazpiak Bat Fronton
A pelota court from 1906, in the north of central Saint-Pierre, with the inscription Zazpiak Bat on the wall. It is the stage for the Basque festival in August and recalls the Basque origin of many island families.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Zazpiak Bat Fronton
The Zazpiak Bat fronton is the large pelota wall of Saint-Pierre, on Place Richard Briand in the northern part of the town center. It was built in 1906 by the Zazpiak Bat circle, founded in 1902, to replace a wooden fronton that had been burned. The Basque inscription high on the wall means “the seven are one”: the seven provinces of the Basque Country, four in Spain and three in France, form a single people.
Basque fishermen frequented the waters around the islands from the 16th century, first hunting whales and later cod, and many settled there. The fronton is the most visible mark of that heritage. The Zazpiak Bat association and the local pelota league keep the sport alive, with matches in several modalities.
Once a year, for a week in August, the Basque festival fills the fronton and the central square with pelota tournaments, Basque strength trials, singing, traditional dances and a public dance. The square also hosts celebrations on July 14, the French national holiday.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From 15 minutes to half an hour; longer if there is a match or a festival.
Best time
During the week of the Basque festival in August, when there are tournaments and dances. The rest of the year the fronton can be seen at any time from the outside. Festival dates change each year: check in advance.
How to get there
It is on Place Richard Briand, in the north of the town center, about a ten-minute walk from the harbor.
Tip
If there is a match, watch from the square side: the ball hits the wall with force and play is fast. Combine with a walk through the surrounding streets of colorful houses.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Zazpiak Bat Fronton
What does Zazpiak Bat mean?
In Basque, “the seven are one”: the seven provinces of the Basque Country, four in Spain and three in France, seen as a single people.
When is Saint-Pierre’s Basque festival?
For one week in August, with pelota, strength contests, singing, dancing and a ball around the Zazpiak Bat fronton. Dates change each year.
Where is the Zazpiak Bat fronton?
On Place Richard Briand, in the northern part of Saint-Pierre’s center, about a ten-minute walk from the harbor and Place du Général de Gaulle.