Full Day Private Basque French Countryside from San Sebastian
Description
If you were looking forward to discovering the French part of the Basque Country and you also wanted to taste the gastronomy and products of Iparralde, you are in luck. Your guide is a talented photographer so you will have pictures to remember. We are Experts in creating Experiences that you keep Forever.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We will pass the border to France and will drive inland to Louhossoa. We will stretch the legs, walk around, visit some interesting corners and pass by an amazing artisan cookie shop. There is about 40 minutes drive to the stop.
Once we start getting close to the pyrene mountain range we arrive at Espelette, one of the nicest villages in France. Strolling through the streets of this village is a real pleasure. Peppers hang from its picturesque houses, creating a postcard that is hard to forget In this village, there is a lot to see and taste. We love visiting the local vendor and trying the local charcuterie, the artisan cheese from the Pyrenees, their famous Espelette pepper and its derivatives, cherries, artisan beer, and more. We will also visit its street, the amazing Saint Etienne church, the cemetery, and the amazing and picturesque architecture in general. Later we will be able to enjoy a farm-to-table lunch in a familiar restaurant around (where they produce their own charcuterie, meat, and cheese). There is about 20 minutes drive to the stop.
Sare is a beautiful village border with Spain. Learn about the past of the village, the smugglers' story, more secrets, and which is the most famous dessert. You will also learn about the Jai Alai sport and handball. There is about 10 minutes drive to the stop.
Founded in the 13th century, Ainhoa was built to welcome and help pilgrims on the way to Santiago de Compostela. This small town has practically one large street, with 700 inhabitants, and is located exactly between Le Nive valley and the Navarre border, combining the green of its hills with the white and red facades of its old houses of the XVII century. Let´s walk the street, take some amazing pictures and get to know some local anecdotes. There is about 20 minutes drive to the stop.
There is no better way to enter to Spanish border than passing by the village of Bera, a typical Navarrees village, with its singular architecture we will be able to stop and admire these elegant and unique houses. There is about 45 minutes drive from here to SS.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Your Expert Guide will wait for you at the lobby of your hotel/apartment or on the address you are staying.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- 7 hour duration includes the travel time from one-point to another enjoying the amazing views of the countryside
Reviews(16)
This was a laid back, private tour of the French countryside. We saw several towns that were along the St James walk. The tour took a very scenic route through the old towns, which was great. Sebastián was very informative and knew a lot of the history. His English was great. The tour is a bit pricy, and you had to pay for your own lunch, but the stop for dessert was amazing!
Dear Patricia, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the scenic, laid-back route through the historic towns along the St. James Way—it truly is a magical part of the countryside. I will be sure to pass along your wonderful compliments to Sebastián. He takes great pride in sharing the history of the region, and he will be delighted to know his insights (and English!) made your day special. (And we agree, that dessert stop is an absolute must!). We appreciate your honest feedback and hope to see you again! Jon Gurrea & Earra Tours Team
It is a nice. I would have rather spent a little more time in one of the other places and just. visited one less town.
Thank you Ronda, we really apreciate your feedback. We do longer stops in the places they have more to offer such as a church, market, shops, and so on. But we are taking into account to offer both options to our guests. Thanks indeed! Jon Gurrea & Earra Tours Team
Una experiencia verdaderamente espectacular. Sebastián hizo un trabajo increíble y se nota la pasión que tiene por lo que hace. Desde el inicio estuvo pendiente de cada detalle para asegurarse de que tuviéramos un tour extraordinario. Gracias a sus recomendaciones y planificación, visitamos lugares increíbles como Louhossoa, Espellette, Sare, Ainhoa y Bera, además de rincones impresionantes como el Camino de Roland, sitios a los que probablemente nunca hubiéramos llegado por nuestra cuenta. Cada parada tuvo algo auténtico y especial, permitiéndonos conocer una cara mucho más profunda y local del País Vasco. Sebastián tiene muchísimo conocimiento de la región, conecta muy bien con las personas y se nota que es alguien muy apreciado por la gente local. Nos sentimos súper cómodos con él durante todo el día y sinceramente terminamos muy agradecidos por toda la experiencia. Definitivamente recomendaríamos este tour a cualquier persona que visite San Sebastián y quiera conocer el lado más auténtico, cultural y hermoso de la región. ¡De los mejores tours que hemos hecho! An absolutely spectacular experience. Sebastián did an incredible job, and you can truly feel the passion he has for what he does. From the very beginning, he paid attention to every detail to make sure we had an extraordinary tour. Thanks to his recommendations and planning, we visited amazing places like Louhossoa, Espelette, Sare, Ainhoa, and Bera, as well as incredible hidden spots like Roland’s Pass — places we probably never would have discovered on our own. Every stop felt authentic and special, allowing us to experience a much deeper and more local side of the Basque Country. Sebastián is extremely knowledgeable about the region, connects very naturally with people, and it’s clear he is highly respected by the locals. We felt comfortable with him throughout the entire day and genuinely grateful for the experience he created for us. We would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone visiting San Sebastián who wants to discover the most authentic, cultural, and beautiful side of the region. One of the best tours we’ve ever done!
Wow, Ivan! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with Earra Tours, and we're incredibly grateful for your detailed description. We have no doubt you had an unforgettable experience with Sebastian. Thanks for visiting, and we hope to see you again for more adventures! Best regards, and see you soon!
Una experiencia verdaderamente espectacular. Sebastián hizo un trabajo increíble y se nota la pasión que tiene por lo que hace. Desde el inicio estuvo pendiente de cada detalle para asegurarse de que tuviéramos un tour extraordinario. Gracias a sus recomendaciones y planificación, visitamos lugares increíbles como Sare, Ainhoa, Espellette, el Camino de Roland, entre otros pueblos y rincones que probablemente nunca hubiéramos descubierto por nuestra cuenta. Cada parada tuvo algo especial y auténtico. Sebastián tiene muchísimo conocimiento de la región, conecta muy bien con las personas y además se nota que es alguien muy querido por la gente local. Nos sentimos súper cómodos con él durante todo el día y sinceramente terminamos muy agradecidos por la experiencia. Definitivamente recomendaríamos este tour a cualquier persona que visite San Sebastián y quiera conocer el lado más auténtico y hermoso del País Vasco. ¡De los mejores tours que hemos hecho! —————- An absolutely spectacular experience. Sebastián did an incredible job, and you can truly feel the passion he has for what he does. From the very beginning, he paid attention to every detail to make sure we had an extraordinary tour. Thanks to his recommendations and planning, we visited amazing places like Louhossoa, Espelette, Sare, Ainhoa, and Bera, as well as incredible hidden spots like Roland’s Pass — places we probably never would have discovered on our own. Every stop felt authentic and special, allowing us to experience a much deeper and more local side of the Basque Country. Sebastián is extremely knowledgeable about the region, connects very naturally with people, and it’s clear he is highly respected by the locals. We felt comfortable with him throughout the entire day and genuinely grateful for the experience he created for us. We would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone visiting San Sebastián who wants to discover the most authentic, cultural, and beautiful side of the region. One of the best tours we’ve ever done!
Wowwww Ivan! Muchas gracias por detallar tu experiencia con Earra Tours y estamos enormemente agradecidos por detallar así la experiencia. No tenemos duda que hayas tenido una experiencia inolvidable con Sebastian. Gracias por la visita y esperemos tenerte de nuevo para más aventuras. Saludos y hasta pronto! Jon Gurrea & Earra Tours Team
First we would like to thank Jon for being so helpful and courteous with everything-communication, advice,service, and follow up. We never felt we were “on our own “ or unsure about the booking. Our guide,Sebastián, was excellent. From pick up to drop off he was outstanding in providing help,information, and being all around friendly. He was so enthusiastic, it felt like we were all seeing everything for the first time. The tour took us through an amazing landscape and he provided wonderful detail and delightful surprises. Our stops in each village gave us a chance to explore and learn about the Basque culture and language. We highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see a part of the world that is very special and unique.
Kaixo Frank! wow! thank you indeed for appreciating every aspects of the tour, my caring and organization included, it means a lot to me. Very happy to see you had a blast with our guide Sebastian and had the best day. Eskerrikasko desde el corazón. Hope to see you again soon enjoying our top food and wine tours. Take care! Jon Gurrea & Earra Tours Team
Our guide Jon Gurrea was so knowledgeable about the Basque region and language. The tour was a lot of fun and the places we went to were picturesque and interesting. Great balance between the countryside and the coast. All the tastings were delicious.
Thank you Coralie!!! I love to see you had blast visiting one of the most amazing corners of the Basque Region. Best regards!
John was amazing! Incredibly knowledgeable and so fun. We loved seeing the small Basque towns and will definitely book with Earra Tours the next time we are in San Sebastián.
It was an excellent private tour of the French Basque Villages. Danny was fantastic and took such great care of my mum who is 80 and me. It was a great day to remember !!! He treated us like family from the first minute he met us.
Dear Sheree, it was very nice to meet you. Thank you for your feedback and we are glad Danny made your day unforgettable. We hope to see you soon again. Jon Gurrea & Earra Tours Team
Our tour guide Jon, was very knowledgeable and fun! We really enjoyed having lunch at a local place with local hard working farmers and villagers. This tour takes you to Basque French villages you’d never find on your own. Such a lovely day!
Dear Jamie, thank you so much for the glowing review and kind words! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your time with me. Ensuring our guests have memorable experiences is our top priority. We look forward to welcoming you back for more adventures. Warm regards, EARRA! Jon Gurrea & Earra Tours Team
John was the best tour guide we have ever had. He was so much fun and just such an easy person to talk to. He loves the area and his enthusiasm is infectious! We had an absolutely lovely day exploring Basque Country with John!
Dear Tina, wowww! I am over the moon with your lovely review! It’s great to know you enjoyed our great French Countryside Tour and valued our passion. We strive for complete client satisfaction and you saw it. Best regards to all of the family, Jon Gurrea & the Earra Tours Team
