Le Pays Basque, “Basque Country,”

is a triangular 2,000 square mile area along the French-Spanish border. One of the three sides stretches along the Atlantic Coast.

So it’s a mix of France and Spain? French & Spanish?  Nah.

Le Pays Basque is considered its own country by the 2.4 million people that live there. They have their own language, Euskera, and rich traditions. The language is NOT RELATED linguistically to any other language in Europe, a “language isolate.”

As you can see, the sign is written in French (on the left) and Basque (on the right). I immediately notice the K’s, X’s and Z’s in Basque.

The Basque Countryside –

Ainhoa, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, FRANCE

The Basque are famous herders. The region is a majority of lush green hills, rocky mountain faces and  scattered woods. A wonderful landscape for sheep, goats, and horses. On this afternoon in January, we spent the day hiking dirt trails between wilderness and pastures.

Wanderlust?    Here’s $40 on Airbnb

Wild My Little Ponies – Pottoks

In Basque, POTTOKA, is an endangered, semi-feral breed of pony native to the Pyrenées Mountains. They are considered an ancient breed of horse, particularly well adapted to the harsh mountain areas they inhabits. When you see Paleolithic cave paintings of horses, they were pottoks. Once common, they are now endangered. They are considered iconic to the Basque people and conservation efforts have been established to maintain the population and genetic diversity.

Little town, A quiet Village, Every day like the one before

The restaurant on the left is typical Basque architecture. Red shutters and half-timbering (the vertical wood and plaster decoration) and piments drying outdoors.  

To the right is Église Notre Dame de l’Assomption, “Our Lady of Ascension,” a church which dates back to the 13th century.

I love the Basque Country, it’s truly the slow life that can renew the soul. I can’t wait to go back and blaze some new trails.

Bisous,

Annie

More on Biarritz, Le Pays Basque, FRANCE