Basque Country - Day 7

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Another gorgeous day!  My last day in French Basque country, so I decided to go explore the foothills of the Pyrenees.

Plan A was to drive out to Sare (17 miles away) and take the Rhune Mountain train.  I drove there and discovered that many others had the same idea.  I tried to find a place to park (the parking lot for the train was laughably small) -- and after 20 minutes of driving around in circles, I gave up and moved to Plan B.  Ok, I didn't really have another plan -- instead, I pulled out my phone to see what else I could do.  I did consider driving to Pamplona, Spain -- but it didn't seem like there was much to do there when the bulls aren't running.  So I headed in the other direction to Pau (58 miles).

I drove out to Pau on the toll highway -- explored the town for a bit (& ate lunch), and then drove back on country roads through a lot of beautiful villages.  I stopped along the way at a little country market and picked up food for dinner -- baguettes, roast chicken, cheese, fruit, and chocolate (oh!  and wine, of course!) -- perfect way to finish my time in this gorgeous part of France.


  • 1:  Another beautiful sunrise
  • 2:  Chantaco
  • 3:  Ascain


  • 1-2:  Pau
    • my lame pictures don't do this town justice -- it's really pretty
  • 3:  Tarsacq
    • I loved this village (population:  487) -- although it was deserted in the middle of the day


  • Tarsacq


  • Tarsacq








  • Abitain


  • 1:  Ogenne-Camptort (slightly out of order)
  • 2-3:  Abitain 


  • 1-2:  Abitain (slightly out of order and slightly repetitive pics of dead sunflowers ☺)
  • 3:  Escos





  • Labastide-Villefranche 
    • 1-2:  really cool-looking villa (and it was huge!) overlooking the river


  • 1:  Labastide-Villefranche 
  • 2-3:  Château de Bidache 
    • I was too late -- but there are tours of the ruins

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