Jurancon
In this wine village about two kilometers from Pau is a little restaurant whose wines are near perfection and where, SO the rumor goes, you can sometimes taste the elusive izard. This is L.A BELLE CASIS, where a good omelette piperade and a duck embellished with oranges can provide quite as fine fare as the leaping mountain goat.
Peyrehorade
Midway between Pau and the coast, this old town with the hard-to-remember name is a good overnight stop for leisurely travelers. At the HOTEL CENTRAL, an unpretentious inn off the main road, you will find carefully prepared dishes from the kitchen of Monsieur Ducassé. a former Parisian chef who is widely respected in the neighborhood. A dinner consisting of garbure, poached salmon, foie gras de canard aux raisins, and a half-bottle of Jurançon left your correspondent in a most contented mood.
The restaurants of the Basque country fall naturally into two eategories, those in the cities and watering places along the shore and those loeated in picturesque villages in the hills. The most famed town, of course, is
Biarritz
This mondain resort is far more sophistieated than the rest of the Basque country. Ever since the days of the Empress Eugenic, it has been immensely fashionable. Its buildings are baroque but not quite blowsy, and the ensemble forms something of an arehitectural nightmare. But notables from Edward VII down have made Biarritz their favorite resort, and its vogue has never waned. The sea is gentle and the beach is irresistble here in warm weather. There is a softness to the atmosphere which soothes despite the arehitecture.
You will find lavish fare at the Palace, the Miramar, the Carlton. and many another gilded hostelry in Biarritz. Being a bird of passage. 1 assessed all the recommendations and tried the AMUASSADE DE BOURGOGNE on the rue Alcedo with pleasing results. Both Basque and Burgondian specialties were served in this cordial spot, and the prices were very fair. If you have an urge to try that stuffed cuttlefish, here is the place.
St. Jean-de-Luz
Personally, I would prefer to vaeation in this venerable fishing town, a few miles south of Biarritz. This was once a very active whaling center, and a visit to the old port will demonstrate that the fishermen are still gainfully employed. Besides unloading their eatch at the stone pier, they provide badly needed distraction to bored hotel dwellers, who watch them by the hour. Louis XIV and Marie Thérèse were married in the old church of St. Jean, near the port. It is an extraordinary structure, boasting an elaborate gilded altar screen and a triple gallery reserved for men only. In St. Jean.de-Luz you will find many hotels with commendable cooking. For purely local specialties, however, you may prefer the PETIT GRILL BASQUE, 2 rue St. Jacques. This little place on an obscure side street serves the fish soup known as tioro(very fine indeed), followed by a grilled rouget de rocbe of particular savor, together with a cool goblet of Irouléguy. I hope you like the Petit Grill Basque as well as I did.
Ciboure
Separated from St. Jean-de-Luz by a mere bridge, this old town is the setting for a most refreshing establishment, the HOSTELLBRIE CIBOURE. Loeated at a bend in the road just over the bridge, it has the atmosphere of an old relais tie paste combined with a sophistieation in keeping with its well-furbished customers. The dining room is large and well illuminated, and there is an inviting shaded garden. Monsieur et Madame Jacquet ate charming heats, and they can provide you with such local prides as tioro, piperade, and foie gras as well as the conventional French dishes, all beautifully prepared.
Bayonne
This thoroughly attractive provincial city north of Biarritz is famed for its hum, chocolate, and macaroons, and its magnificent cloistered eathedral but not for its restaurants. You'll get along all right, but here is a good place to concentrate on museums rather than on food. The Musée Bonnat is one of the finest in the provinces, especially in the field of French painting. There is also a memorable museum of Basque art in Bayonne, which couldn't resemble its New Jersey namesake less.
Cambo-les-Bains
We now leave the shore behind and take to the fragrant hills of the Basque country. Dwellers of hotels and villas take delight in motoring far up in these green-clad hills and lunching in some remote village. A worthy string of little country inns has sprung up as a result. Some of these are seattered along the Spanish border near Hendaye, while others border the river Nive along the road to St. Jean-Pied-de-Port. A most agreeable experience awaits you in Cambo-les-Bains, a hill town with a superb view of the surrounding countryside. Here you will find two restaurants near the church with atmosphere and food to match the view. One is the HOTEL ST. LAURENT, a smiling establishment which serves la piperade or poules basquaise or truite a la crème to an impressive elientele. The other is the MAISON BASQUE, a clean, modern place with Basque décor and a convivial little bar. Here is a chance to try the freshly caught salmon and trout from the mountain streams, with a glass of cool wine.
Bidarray
Farther along the road to St. Jean Pied-de-Port is an old Roman bridge, marking the village of Bidarray. Here on the banks of the river is the RESTAURANT NORMA, a good Basque auberge with a hospitable terrace and a gracious Basque host, Monsieur Bidégaray. You will find that his mountain trout has no superior in the Basque country, and he has a handsome Irouléguy to escort it.
St. Etienne-de-Baigorry
Within sight of St. Jean-Pie-d-de-Port and hovering under the hills which mark the Spanish frontier is this red, black, and white village, the site of the HOTEL. DU TRINQUET ET PYRéNéES. Your landlord, the cordial Monsieur Jean areé, welcomes you to a flowery terrace on the banks of a gurgling stream. The atmosphere is gay and sunny, and the cooking is thoroughly good. Pick a beautiful day and you are sure of an idyllic interlude here.
Pinterest
