Basque country

Hey guys !

In today's blog post I'm going to talk in a very objective way about a wonderful region : the Pays Basque. Just kidding I'm basically going to describe aspects of this place in a probably biased way telling you why I love it and therefore why you should appreciate it as well. (And I will of course only talk about the bright side of Pays Basque - not that I know about any of its flaws).

To begin with, the culinary specialities are to die for and to backup this idea I think that only one example is sufficient : the jambon de Bayonne - no need to explain how tasty it is and how the way  it reveals itself to be even more palatable when you eat it really slowly is amazing. To continue with, the landscapes are so varied that it is impossible for someone not to be pleased with the surroundings : you have access to the Ocean, to the mountains, to forests full of mushrooms,... I mean everyone can find their own happiness here ! Moreover you can visit cool villages with typical architecture or pretty cities. To come back on the Ocean part I just want to specify that again there is a bit of a diversity : I personally prefer the beaches with big waves because I think it's way more fun but you can also find calm beaches with no turbulence at all like for example the Saint-Jean-de-Luz one. Regarding the sports you can of course go surfing, hiking or cycling but that’s not all ! There are some local games that are quite fun and easy to understand such as for example the pala or the chistera ( I'll let you look that up because my post is already too long). Moreover this region still has cultural festivities going on that can be fun to attend. You can for example go to the Force Basque or simply go watch local dances and if you are more in a party mood you can participate in the Fêtes de Bayonne. To finish with I'll add that the wildlife is not hard to observe and it's awesome ! There are for instance the flight of storks above my grandparents’ house during all summer, vultures in the heights and - the best for the end - pottoks ( those are kind of poneys/horses that you can really easily encounter during your walks ).

To conclude with, Pays Basque is a great vacation destination thanks to its amazing diversity. As you may know this region actually covers both Spain and France leading to even more different aspects to discover ! ( + certain goods are cheaper in Spain )

Thanks for reading, sorry for the length ( I just love it over there.. )

Joséphine