1 May - Into France's Pays Basque

We were wondering why olive oil is present on breakfast tables in Spain. The PoA was even hoping meat and cheese would be served for breakfast. As some Catalonians showed us, you pour it onto bread like you would spread butter on it. We continued making our way north until we crossed what we thought was the French border in heavy cloud. Sure enough, a French car passed us as we wound our way up and down the Pyrenees. The PoA was quite glad the clouds obscured the drop-offs. Tracing my way around, we got to Larraine (Larrau).


Crossing the ridge of the Pyrenees from Spain into France, as we surmised


Descending through the Iraty beech forest


Common co-traveller


Who’s leading the flock?


We know who the follower is

I've passed through the little village of Larrau a number of times, and always try to make a stop at Hotel Etchemaite for lunch. This little Basque restaurant has been there for years and offers excellent regional cuisine. On this cloudy wet day, we were offered a table by the open hearth fireplace. It's embarrassing but I don't remember what I had off the 3 course prix fixe menu but I do remember the country vegetable soup, which the server served from a 2 or 3 gallon pot!


Hotel Etchemaite in the village of Larraine

After lunch, we drove to the little village of Urdatx Santa Grazi (Ste Engrace), on the NE frontier of Euskadi, to visit the 11th century church. The Basque have incorporated their pre-Christian era beliefs into Catholicism and one of the artifacts are the discoidal grave markers. The lauburu - the Basque cross - features prominently.


Discoidal grave markers at Ste Engrace

It so appears hat you have to be prepared for bad weather in the Pyrenees. The following picture was the road condition for about 20km along a ridge that day.



After a big lunch, dinner wasn't really on the menu. Checking into our chambres d'hotes outside Oloron Ste Marie, we found that the town was having a market day. French markets are a wonderful place to find picnic food. The PoA found a paella stand while a local farmer, impressed by me wearing a beret (it seems to have gone out of style for everyday wear except by old Basque men), was offering me samples of his cheese and sausages. That and some country bread made for a nice dinner picnic.


Our chambres d'hotes outside Oloron Ste. Marie.