Hendaye
Hendaye [formerly dead link] (Hendaia in Basque) is the furthest point in the South West of France you can go, a frontier town with Hondarribia, Spain and confined on the edge of both the Atlantic Ocean and Pyrenees Mountains.
Get in
[edit]By train
[edit]Hendaye is the last station of the South-Western line of the French Railways. SNCF [formerly dead link] runs several daily TGV trains from Paris (about 6 hours, full-price ticket €85) and local (TER) trains from Bordeaux (3 hours, full-price ticket around €30)
The town is also the last station of the Euskotren, which serves the Basque Country with frequent trains to San Sebastian (Donastia in Basque) (one-way ticket costs €1.70), with connecting services to Bilbao. The station name on the maps are in Basque. These services cannot be reserved, and often do not show up on European train timetables.
In Hendaye the SNCF and Euskotren stations are adjacent, and changing between services is straightforward.
By plane
[edit]Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne International Airport is located 25 km from Hendaye. Flights from Bruxelles, Rotterdam, Geneva, Dublin, London, Lyon, Nice and Paris.
The San Sebastian airport [formerly dead link] is located in Hondarribia, just across the border. It has direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and Bruxelles.
Get around
[edit]
A free shuttle runs on two routes every day but Sunday every hour from 08:00 to 19:00, with a two-hour break for lunch.
Taxis are available.
See
[edit]Hendaye is split between the old medieval Basque Town on the hilltop, and the beach area, around two kilometres apart. The old town commands good views of the Bay of Chingoudy and the river Bidassoa estuary below to the North & West, with the impressive scenery of the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains to the West, South and East. This is where you find most of the shops, the Mairie, Pelote Basque etc. The beach area is located on a peninsula formed by the Atlantic and the beach to the north and the bay and river to the south & west. This part of Hendaye is relatively modern and it is here that you will find the Marina (on the bay side), Hotels, Casino and the Serge Blanco Thalasso Center (Serge is one the best former French International Rugby team Players).
Do
[edit]The large bay provides good sheltered facilities for water sports, windsurfing etc. at the Club Nautique and all types of facilities for boats, while the Atlantic beach has some excellent surf.
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- Churros
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]In Hendaye, there is a good choice of hotels, guest houses and camping.
- Campanile Hendaye, 102B Rue de Béhobie. Distant from the beach and on the edge of the residential area, this comfortable chain hotel has free parking on site, and easy access by road. Different room and bedding configurations that can be confirmed online. €60-€120.
- Résidence Maeva Le Sokoburu. This 3-floor luxury residence has a swimming-pool. It is in an exceptional location between the magnificent beach and the yachting marine, facing Fuenterrabia and adjoining the Serge Blanco Thalassotherapy Centre.
Go next
[edit]Hendaye as stated above is a border town, with easy access to Spain. Cheaper shopping in Irun and Hondarribia that are accessible by car or the Euskotren and a ferry boat crosses the river on a regular service from Hendaye Marina to Fonterrabia. San Sebastian is an easy daytrip, and from there onwards to Bilbao.
| Routes through Hendaye |
Bilbao ← San Sebastián ←  continues as   ← |
W  NE |
→ Saint-Jean-de-Luz → Bayonne → Bordeaux |