Saveurs of Biarritz & Saint Jean de Luz

'Gourmet' is a French word because our northern neighbors know a thing or two about eating (well) and drinking (very well). We venture into Gaul to learn about some of their national treasures. Namely: cheeses, wines, charcuterie, and the good life in general. Nothing can go wrong.

Rising early to embark on a gastronomic adventure along the Basque Coast - one of the most picturesque areas of the Atlantic coast - is not hard. Starting the day by heading to Saint Jean de Luz to visit a cheese shop, we believe, isn't hard either.

Affineur, King of Cheeseland

The 'affineur' is the person who, once the cheese is received from the producers, stores it in the shop until it reaches its optimal ripeness for sale. In Saint Jean de Luz, we will taste a selection of cheeses specially 'refined' by our affineur and accompany them, of course, with a good French wine from Irulegui.

Macarons & Pirates

Protected by a bay, Saint Jean de Luz is a peaceful summer and fishing village where we will visit Maison Adam pastry shop where, in 1660!, they created the famous 'macarons'. Around the same time, a certain Johannes de Suhigaraychipi sailed through the area, a French corsair who captured more than 100 British, Dutch, and Spanish ships. We'll learn about this while strolling through the town, visiting the Church of Saint John the Baptist, a temple with spectacular polychrome woodwork and ship miniatures that remind us of how miracles at sea were appreciated in the past.

Beautiful (and posh) Biarritz

Biarritz is many things: the gateway of surfing to Europe in the mid-1950s, 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 its promenade admiring the sea and its sumptuous hotels until we reach its 44-meter high lighthouse.

National treasure

We'll visit the colorful Les Halles market to get a feel for the city's daily life and get in touch with France's greatest offerings: its cheeses, charcuterie products, and bakeries/pastry shops. Hungry? We'll taste some seafood products to stave off hunger. Bon Appétit!