Homepage
Food & Drink
SAVEURS of French BASQUE COUNTRY - Private Gastronomic Adventure

5 (24)

Hendaye, FR

Link has been copied to your clipboard

/ Person

Your Product

Select participants

Infant (0-9)

Min: 0 Max: 2

Child (10-17)

Min: 0 Max: 4

Adult (18-100)

Min: 2 Max: 7

You should select a minimum of and a total maximum of

At least one participant is required. Please adjust and try again.

Free Cancellation up to before the experience starts (local time)

Please wait, fetching options!

Embark on a gastronomic adventure in the French Basque Country with the 'SAVEURS of French BASQUE COUNTRY - Private Gastronomic Adventure' tour. Indulge in the finest cheeses, wines, and charcuterie that France has to offer, while immersing yourself in the Good Life. From the moment you are picked up at your hotel, you will be treated to high-quality local food specialties throughout the day. Sip on wine, beer, or cider with your meals as you explore the picturesque region with a knowledgeable driver/guide. The tour culminates in the charming town of Hondarribia, where you will savor some of the best pintxos in a prize-winning restaurant. Engage in discussions about the differences between Basque-French and Basque-Spanish cuisine, leaving with a satisfied stomach and a newfound appreciation for culinary delights. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the flavors of the French Basque Country.

About this experience

Free Cancellation For a full refund cancel at least before the start of your booking
Admission Included
9 hours
Suitable for 2-7 Participants
Private Tour
Guided Experience

Included

High quality local food specialities all day long
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Private tour
Wine, beer or cider with the meals
Driver/guide
Transport by air-conditioned minivan

Not included

Food and drinks, unless specified in the description
Gratuities

Popular Hotels Closeby

More about this experience

Introduction

Bienvenue! Welcome to the Gourmet Gastronomic Adventure in the Basque Country. This tour promises to awaken all your senses as you embark on a culinary journey through picturesque landscapes and exquisite flavors. Get ready to discover the secrets of French gastronomy, from the finest cheeses to the most heavenly wines. Indulge in the good life as you delve into the heart of Basque culture, where food and drink are celebrated like an art form.

What to expect?

Join us for a 9-hour tour that will leave you craving for more. You can anticipate an immersive experience where you'll visit a cheesemaker in San Juan de Luz and savor a selection of refined cheeses paired with a delightful French wine. Delve into history at the Maison Adam pastry shop, where the famous macaron was born, and learn about the fearless French corsair Johannès de Suhigaraychipi. Explore the charming town of Saint Jean de Luz, home to a magnificent Church of St. John the Baptist. Continuing our journey, we'll stroll along the promenade in glamorous Biarritz, taking in breathtaking sea views and reaching the iconic Phare de Biarritz lighthouse. At the vibrant Les Halles market, immerse yourself in the enticing aromas and flavors of French cuisine, indulging in delicacies like Arcachon oysters and delicious escargots. Finally, we'll cross the border to Hondarribia, where we'll treat ourselves to the best pintxos in town and delve into the intriguing contrasts between Basque-French and Basque-Spanish cuisine.

Who is this for?

This tour is a must for food lovers, culture enthusiasts, and anyone with a zest for life. Whether you're an experienced traveler seeking new flavors or a curious visitor eager to explore the hidden gems of the Basque Country, this experience will captivate you. The tour is designed to cater to a wide range of tastes and preferences, ensuring that everyone can appreciate the richness and variety of French cuisine while immersing themselves in the local culture.

Why book this?

Embarking on this gastronomic adventure is an opportunity to indulge in the finest flavors, learn from passionate experts, and discover the stories behind each culinary masterpiece. Taste the rich history of the Basque Country as you sample its world-renowned cheeses, charcuterie, and pastries. Immerse yourself in the vibrant market atmosphere and get insider tips on the best regional delicacies. By booking this tour, you'll gain a deep understanding of Basque culture and its unique culinary heritage, ensuring memories that will last a lifetime.

Good to know

Prepare to have your taste buds tantalized for approximately 9 hours of culinary delights. Comfortable footwear is recommended as you'll be exploring charming towns and strolling along the coast. The tour includes visits to various food establishments and may require some walking, so be ready to savor both flavors and sights. Don't forget your camera to capture the stunning landscapes and mouthwatering dishes, as well as your sense of adventure to fully immerse yourself in this exquisite culinary experience.

Reviews

Reviews from previous participants have been overwhelmingly positive. Travelers have praised the knowledgeable guides who made the experience both informative and entertaining. Many have marveled at the wide variety of flavors and the passion with which each dish is prepared. The tour has been described as a true immersion into the heart of Basque culture, offering unique insights into regional gastronomy and creating unforgettable memories. Participants have left with a newfound appreciation for French cuisine and a desire to explore more of the culinary world.

About this product

How long before the event do I need to book?

You can book at any time before the event

Vouchers accepted in the following formats

Mobile

Is an adult required for the booking?

At least one adult or senior required per booking

Your Itinerary

Hendaye

(Pass by)

Getting up early to embark on a gastronomic adventure through the Côte Basque, one of the most picturesque areas of the Atlantic coast, shouldn’t be too difficult. Likewise starting the day by heading to San Juan de Luz to visit a cheesemaker.

Mercado Les Halles de St Jean de Luz

The ‘affineur’ is the person who, once the cheese is received from the producers, stores it until the piece reaches its point of maturity, suitable for sale. In Saint Jean de Luz we’ll try a selection of cheeses specially ‘refined’ by our affineur and pair them with – of course - a good French wine from Irulegui.

Admission Included

Maison Adam

Protected by a bay, Saint Jean de Luz is a peaceful summer and fishing village. We’ll visit the Maison Adam pastry shop where, in 1660 (!) they created the famous ‘macaron’. At the same time, a certain Johannès de Suhigaraychipi, a French corsair who captured more than 100 British, Dutch and Spanish ships, was sailing through the area.

Admission Included

Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste

We’ll also talk about this on our walk through town, while we visit the Church of St. John the Baptist, a church with spectacular polychromed woodwork and miniatures of ships that remind us of just how appreciated miracles of the sea were back in the day.

Phare de Biarritz

Biarritz is many things: Europe’s gateway to surfing in the mid-50s, one of the pioneers of beach tourism (they started promoting it 200 years ago!) And one of the most desired places to see and be seen. We’ll walk along the promenade admiring the sea and the sumptuous hotels until we reach the 44-meter-high lighthouse.

Mercado Les Halles

We’ll visit the colorful market of Les Halles to take the pulse of daily city life and get in touch with the greatest that France has to offer: its cheeses, charcuterie, and bakeries / patisseries. If you've waited the whole trip to do your gastro shopping, this is the time. We’ll stop at the best bar in the market, try the famous Arcachon oysters, prawns, and escargots (if you’re one who, like us, not only dares to eat them, but adores them) and we will accompany it with a prodigious Bordeaux white wine (what Bordeaux isn’t wonderful, eh?).

Admission Included

Hondarribia

We’ll finish the route on the other side of the border, beyond the Bidasoa river. The last (or the first, depending on how you look at it) city on the Spanish coast is a privileged place with sea, river, bay, mountains, a fishing district that is at the forefront of world cuisine (says the New York Times!), and a medieval walled neighborhood (with streets not suitable for heels) at the top. In Hondarribia we’ll try some of the best pintxos in one of the most prize-winning restaurants, and with a full stomach we’ll be able to discuss the differences between Basque-French and Basque-Spanish cuisine. We doubt you’ll ever find a reason for such a juicy discussion. Conclusion: we’ll return home with a full stomach and a wide-open mind.

Additional information

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Wheelchair accessibility is extra paid - contact for details
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking

Reviews

(24)

5 (24)

dcall90

If you only get to do one thing with your time in San Sebastián then book this tour! At first you will think it to be a bit pricey. Book it anyway, This is a private tour with a highly experienced and knowledgeable guide. It is actually four tours in one. It is a historical travel tour, a food tour, a wine tour and a walking tour! It is a whole day, about 8 hours. You will feel that it was the best thing you did on vacation and worth every minute and every dollar, euro, etc. I I was concerned at first that it would feel weird with just the two of us and a guide but Ania was just the perfect person for the job with easy-going conversation, a wealth of knowledge about everything we were experiencing and a great teacher! At the end you will feel like you had more than a tour but an unexpected relationship with someone you just met and sad to leave. The itinerary, the food, the scenery, the towns, the travel were all amazing. If you had to plan this day yourself you would spend hours in research, far more money and want to shoot yourself trying to find parking. It's all done for you. Book it. You will stand where King Louis XIV was married (for the first time) in Saint Jean De Luz, enjoy the original macaron in Biarritz along with the amazing Gillardeau oysters in an incredible fresh market, a beautiful remote winery in the mountains of Spain with the best pintos you'll find and a wonderful walk in Hondarrbia all along with important historical notes about each place. There is soooo much more to all of this than I can explain but just book it. It'll be a 5 star day for all of you. A big ESKERRIK ASKO Ania!

Mobile43236

Amazon day with Markel!! He took us on a delicious tour of the Basque Country. He was so knowledgable and our group of 3 learned a ton!! It was by far the most memorable experience I’ve ever been fortunate to experience.. a must must must if you can

E5618VLmariaj

We had a full day with Markel, our guide, visiting French and Spanish Basque country. He was at our hotel prompt at 9:00 with a very comfortable Mercedes van for the two of us. We drove to the local market of St John de Luz in France where at a wonderful local market we had a very nice breakfast of three types of local cheese, wine and a fresh baguette. The perfect start to a perfect day. The day planned for us was perfect in that we had time to walk around and yet have time for a nice leisurely lunch along with various food tastings along the way. The food choices that Markel made for us were excellent and gave us a good sampling of local Basque cooking. He’s extremely knowledgeable about the local history and is very proud of his Basque culture: passion and knowledge were exactly what we were hoping for in our guide, and in Markel we got it! We highly recommend the tour, especially if you can only spend a day in Basque country, like good food, and want to dig into the local culture. Hopefully, you get Markel as your guide.

vlcraven

Had a wonderful time on this food tour! Was recommended by a neighbor and it did not disappoint. Really enjoyed visiting different towns, learning a little history, and trying local foods. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and fun. Really appreciated that everything was arranged for us - we never had to wait in lines or try to secure a spot somewhere. Very professional, would use them again.

genevievea488

The Saveurs tour of the Basque Country with our guides Jan and Ania was fantastic! They each shared their knowledge of Basque country cuisine, history, environment and culture. They made a perfect team. The sites and tastes were excellent. Venturing into market in the French fishing village of Saint Jean de Luz, posh Biarritz and then the charming and quaint town of Hondarribia made for a fun day. And the food! Oysters, shrimp, cheese and wine tasting, Basque sweets were delicious. No reason to plan a big meal that night. Bon Appetit!

cositobiengrande

We had a lot of fun with our Guide Ernest, he was very knowledgeable of the culture, history and food, he was patient with our wife shoppers and made us laugh and feel confortable. We enjoyed the fresh seafood, local delicious cheeses paired with the local wine!

K9984SNbettyk

Ania’s knowledge and enthusiasm was evident from the moment we met her. The day was a gastronomic tour of Basque Country food and it did not disappoint. We sampled four different cheeses and ‘breakfast wine’ ( wine drunk before noon. Wink) with a delicious baguette at our first stop in St. Jean de Luz. It was All Saints Day ( Nov 1) so only a few stores in the bustling market were open. But we learned about the drying art of cheese making and washing. We tasted real macaroons at the bakery where they were created for the kings wedding. Ania told us great Basque history, the disputes between royalty in France and Spain and brought it all alive with humour and gusto. We walked the sea wall and peeked inside the cathedral where the Sun King was married. Now THERE’S a story! The market in Biarritz was fabulous. I included a few photos. The cheeses! The foie gras! The meats! Then over to the fish market for a sampling of oysters, shrimp, whelks, crab, mussels and local wine. We walked the beach to La petite plage and learned the history of the city. Ania and her beautifully appointed and impeccably clean Mercedes van then whisked us to Hiruzta Winery to sample the Basque Txakolina white wine. We had three local pintxos and heard the remarkable stories behind them. Our last stop was in Hondarrivia. Wow what a surprise. Stunning town with a remarkable history. We travel a great deal. This was a remarkable day with a lovely knowledgeable guide who was polite, gracious, knowledgeable and kind. 5/5

love19681968

We love to do private tours all over the world and this experience with Telmo ranks in the top as a favorite! We were picked up at our hotel right on time and headed out to spend the day in France and back to Spain to wrap up the trip. We learned so much history and saw so many beautiful sights and vistas. This was the Gastronomy Tour and we had some wonderful food choices including amazing French cheeses and wine to start the day - perfect! There were oysters in Biarritz and then a fabulous lunch in Hondarribia. Telmo was the perfect guide - sharing tons of facts and details about each city we visited…and he also was lots of fun! This is a perfect way to spend a day exploring several different cities to get a true flavor of both France and Spain! We highly recommend Telmo and this full day tour!

christiandC6176CB

Very interesting tour from both cultural and gastronomic perspectives. Shout out to our guide Markel who showed us great local markets in St. Jean de Luz, Biarritz, Hondarribia as well as Txakoli wineries. He was super knowledgeable about Basque history and culture on both sides of the border. Highly recommend this tour for those interested in Basque cuisine and culture! It is a great taste of the area/French side of Basque country - particularly if you don't have time to leisurely explore the region over a few weeks.

Cycoshan

This was the best tour we’ve ever done! Mikel was our guide, and he went above and beyond to provide an absolutely unforgettable experience. He was friendly and knowledgeable, spoke fluently in English, French, Spanish and Basque, and we learned so much about the history and culture of the areas we were visiting. The food, wine, and sight-seeing all were amazing, and I still can’t believe how much we were able to do in a single day. Mikel was really easy to talk with, and we thoroughly enjoyed spending our day with him. If you are in the area, you will not want to miss this tour; it has set a very high bar for any others tours we do in the future. Thank you, Mikel!!

Collected by Evendo & our supplier partners

2024-06-19 21:33