The caves to visit in the Basque Country

Whatever the season, the Basque Country is a very pleasant region to visit. Charming villages, superb extended beaches and renowned gastronomy, escape at any time of the year. Above all, do not miss to visit the unmissable caves of the region. Filled with stories in a mysterious and rocky setting, you will be amazed.

Photos of the article: Credits in the Atl

Opening photo credit: The superb Arrikrutz Caves

Pays Basque, the caves near Bayonne to visit

Bayonne is a destination popular with holidaymakers for its beaches, culture and heritage. Push the adventure to the nearest caves, and dive into the heart of subterranean life in broad daylight.

The caves of Isturitz and Oxocelhaya, in Saint-Martin-d'Arberoue, plunge you into an incredible prehistoric universe. Between Lascaux and Altamira, browse the unique caves classified as historical monuments since 1953. Isturitz was the place of discovery of a quantity of mass-produced objects, with engraved plates and pebbles, half-round sticks and flutes, references history for this cave located between the Aquitaine plain and the Basque-Cantabrian coast. Oxocelhaya , 15 km below, is a succession of rooms decorated with rock art to discover in the depths. Signs, engravings, clay plating, it is a real sanctuary of prehistory to visit.

The caves of Isturitz and Oxocelhaya

La cave la chambre d'Amour in Anglet, a name also given to an adorable little neighborhood between the beaches of Anglet and the Biarritz lighthouse. Take out the handkerchiefs as you crisscross this place full of emotions, where Laorens the orphan and Saubade, daughter of a rich farmer, fall in love. This cave was the witness of this love where lovers find themselves in secret against the advice of their parents. One stormy day in the Bay of Biscay, the sea rose at a brisk pace, carrying away the lovebirds who kept their promise to love each other until death.

Basque Country, caves to visit all year round

Let's leave Bayonne to explore the Basque Country in search of geological wonders open to visits.

The caves of Sare, also called Lezea, are less than an hour south of Bayonne. This little jewel of local heritage is the pride of the inhabitants, in a typical village of the Basque Country classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France. In the heart of the mountains of Axturia, discover cavities such as the caves of Sare under clay soil. In the bowels of the earth, find a site of natural habitat with an atypical geology, on the immense limestone massif of Sare. Visit this place of myths that hasn't changed for nearly 2 million years during a 45-minute guided tour. At the exit, do not leave too quickly and take a walk on the open-air megalithic park. Reconstructed monuments and ancient rites recount the period from Protohistory to the Metal Age.

The photos are the property of Sylvain Sangla and M.Miranda from the information sheet of the Caves of Sare

The Verna cave in Sainte-Engrâce is the largest accessible underground room in the world. Explore the 660 m of horizontal tunnel created to survey this mineral jewel all year round. At the heart of the Pierre-Saint-Martin limestone massif, discover a huge chasm with cool temperatures of 5°C. Continue the visit by climbing the staircase of 80 steps between the rock and the scree, which offers you a panoramic view of the room, or prefer a 2-hour hike in the galleries to explore the mythical chasm of Pierre-Saint-Martin and Verna cave.

The caves to visit in the Southern Basque Country, on the Spanish side

In Oñati, the Arrikrutz Caves can be visited by walking on a footbridge, or in caving mode! The presentation of this place is superb. These are caves with concretions which are not very frequented but are worth the detour!

The Caves of Urdax are very interesting to visit. Put on your sports shoes to explore this pretty site. Only 30 minutes from the coast, it's a detour that is worth it, to change and go to meet the natural Basque country.

The facsimile (replica) of the Ekainberri Caves at Zestoa. We advise you to take your ticket in town. The access road to get to the facsimile is very pleasant. There is a small museum which explains the history of the original cave and its conservation, the paintings present...

The Zugarramurdi caves are impressive for their vast size. Near a pretty village, you have to walk a little to reach them, the parking lot is not nearby. It is an open cave, accessible at a low price and in a very beautiful environment. Follow the March of the Witches!

The caves of Santimamiñe in Biscay, can be visited with prior reservation by telephone and well in advance. It is a place of conservation, which can be discovered on a virtual tour, then you access the excavation site at the entrance to the cave. For the curious and passionate. The environment around the cave is very pleasant.

Put on your sweater and your shoes, discover the underground nuggets of the Basque Country. Stories, engravings, paintings, it's up to you to choose which cave to visit, you have all the information to have fun.

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