Marketplaces

Here's a destination where gastronomy is a veritable institution! From local specialities to ready-made meals and fresh regional produce, the markets of the Basque Country are sure to delight. All year round, producers set up shop in towns and villages, between sea and mountains, to offer you the fruits of their labor. Whether near the coast in Biarritz, Bidart or Saint-Jean-de-Luz, or inland in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Espelette or Saint-Palais, the markets attract gourmets and gourmands alike.

Don't forget your wicker basket as you explore the markets of the Basque Country, where there's something for every taste and budget. Do you like charcuterie? Try the delicious IGP Bayonne ham, sausage or ham from Gascon pigs. Bayonne is also the capital of chocolate. It's hard to go without a square of cocoa that melts with pleasure under the tongue! Before moving on to dessert, there are still plenty of fresh produce stands to discover. Admire the pretty Banka trout from the Vallée des Aludes, the Espelette PDO pepper or the Ossau Iraty PDO, the famous ewe's milk cheese. Recipe ideas should already be teeming in your mind when you see these beautiful, tasty products. Don't forget to make a Basque cake to finish your meal! With cream or black cherry, you'll find all the ingredients on the markets of the Basque Country.

Aperitif time comes quickly after a tour of the market. Rest assured, there's no shortage of local produce stalls where you can find Irouléguy PDO, one of the smallest mountain vineyards producing mainly red wine. Called Sagarno, which means "apple wine" (Basque cider), it offers a lightly sweetened, slightly sparkling beverage. Artisanal Basque beers are also on the rise, so try them to discover their speciality.

Now that your basket is full of fresh produce, all you have to do is cook up some veal axoa, piperade, poulet basquaise or salmis de palombe, and you're in for a treat!

Enjoy your market visit in the Basque Country!