GUIDE / GUÉTHARY / ANTECHAMBER TO PARADISE
“Everyone who has visited the Basque country longs to return; it is a blessed land.”
What makes the Basque country so different to anything else? The location, by the Atlantic Ocean, makes it appear as though placed on the border to eternity.
The vastness of the ocean, continuing for as long as one can see, creates a sense of solitude. It also brings a freshness and clarity to the air.
Everything is more vibrant here; The cliffs are more dramatic, the sea appears to have a personality of its own, and the local language is strange and mystical. The latter is because linguistically speaking, the Basque language is a “language isolate”, meaning that it is unrelated to any other existing language.
The Basque people are indigenous to this area, where the ancient language is spoken by less than 30 percent of the inhabitants (and most of those people tend to live south of the border, on the Spanish side).
Today, Basque is the only surviving language isolate in Europe and is thought to date back to prehistoric times.
The reason it has been able to survive is that the Roman Empire was not as strong in this part of the world as in others, allowing the local culture to thrive in ways it did not in places closer to Rome.
The allure of the region is particularly present in the French part of the Basque country.
On the Spanish side, much of the land has been industrialized, while the French side has retained its small-scale and elegant character.
The town of Guéthary, with only a little less than 1,500 inhabitants, mirrors this perfectly. Inhabited since the early 12th century, it gained notoriety in the 1920s when it became popular among artists, including Pablo Picasso and Paul Klee, who made Hótel Le Madrid the centre of their social life.
A few decades later, in 1962, Catherine Deneuve took her first surf lesson here, an image which perfectly captures the lowkey glamour of this small seaside town.
“The fact that Guéthary was a hotspot in early 20th century is evident in its architecture.”
The fact that Guéthary was a hotspot in early 20th century is evident in its architecture.
Many of the most prominent buildings, including the former casino, are elegant interpretations of art déco, with whitewashed facades, terracotta-tiled roofs and woodwork painted either navy or deep-red, adaptations to traditional Basque building traditions.
“The most perfect thing about Guéthary is that there is nothing else to do but to sunbathe (and surf, if so inclined).”
The most perfect thing about Guéthary is that there is not much else to do but to sunbathe (and surf, if so inclined). That means that this is a place to relax in relative anonymity, far away from people who want to see and be seen.
Though elegant, it is still informal and focused more on well-being than appearances. For those who want a temporary taste of a more urban experience, the train connects the town with nearby Biarritz, Bayonne and Bordeaux. Perhaps this is why designer and journalist Julia Chaplin has called it, “the anteroom to paradise”.
For those not familiar, an anteroom is a sort of small waiting room, a room before another room. On the French Basque coast, Biarritz is undoubtedly the star, leaving Guéthary to take the perfect position of younger and more liberated sibling, away from the spotlight and slightly under the radar.
TO LISTEN TO
Sslowness-soundtrack to Guéthary
TO STAY
Guéthary’s number one cultural institution, offering only five rooms, some with ocean view.
563 Av. du Général de Gaulle
Guéthary
Intimate and charming, in a traditional Basque villa, with beautiful, flowered garden.
415 Av. du Général de Gaulle
Guéthary
TO EAT AND DRINK
The restaurant of Hôtel Briketenia, with 1 star in the Michelin Guide.
142 Rue de l'Église
Guéthary
+33 5 59 26 51 34
Locally sourced ingredients, combined in an unpretentious style, run by Marine Poughon and Olivier Henry, both of who trained at Guérard in Eugénie-les-Bains. Ten minutes from Guéthary.
6 Avenue de la grande plage
64210 Bidard.
The social centre of Guéthary, regardless of time of day. Stop by for a coffee, a drink, lunch or dinner.
563 Av. du Général de Gaulle
Guéthary,
+33 5 59 26 52 12
Surf-styled bar overlooking the ocean.
Chem. de la Plage
Guéthary
+33 5 59 54 98 92
Rustic and charming restaurant in the Basque countryside, a few minutes from Guéthary.
2621 Chem. d'Ostalapea
Ahatze
+33 5 59 54 73 79
Natural wines and excellent food, throughout the day.
548 Av. du Général de Gaulle
Guéthary
+33 9 72 83 44 60