Hendaye France
Frequently Asked Questions
At the marina at the mouth of the Bidassoa, which holds close to 900 berths. Small ships and expedition yachts land passengers a short distance from the centre and the beach, in the atmosphere of a family resort rather than a cruise terminal.
The Txingudi bay opens onto the Atlantic but stays sheltered from swell and prevailing winds by the pointe Sainte-Anne and Cap du Figuier. It is one of the safest anchorages on this coast.
The long beach and the seafront promenade in the morning, then either the Château d'Abbadia on the corniche or the ferry across to Hondarribia in Spain. Both together is too tight.
About three kilometres of fine sand, one of the longest stretches on the French Basque coast. Its gentle slope and moderate waves make it a favourite with families and surf schools: beginners catch their first waves in forgiving conditions.
Two rocks rising from the ocean at the foot of the cliffs, offshore from the beach, serving as a landmark for every gaze. Boat excursions bring you close to them, the most striking angle for taking in this coast.
A neo-Gothic house facing the ocean on the heights of the corniche. Antoine d'Abbadie, a 19th-century explorer and astronomer, had it built in his own image, combining observatory, chapel and decor brought back from his travels in Ethiopia.
Yes, the border is crossed by boat: shuttles link the French bank to Hondarribia in a few minutes. You land at the foot of an old town of cobbled lanes and crested houses, one of the best preserved in the Spanish Basque Country.
The lanes of the fortified old town, the flowered balconies, then the pintxos bars, an ideal stop before the shuttle back. Watch the shuttle timetable: missing your ship from the other side of a border is a genuine problem.
Yes, a path runs along the protected wetlands at the head of the Txingudi bay, frequented by egrets, herons and spoonbills. The coastal path of the Abbadia estate adds plunging views over the schist coves.
The euro on both sides of the bay, which simplifies a call split between France and Spain. French and Basque are spoken in Hendaye, Spanish and Basque opposite: one culture, two countries in a single landscape.
