Just 20 minutes from your campsite in the south of the Landes region, discover Anglet, a renowned seaside resort in the Basque Country, located between Bayonne and Biarritz. On the program: sun, beach, forest, but also heritage, gastronomy and crafts.
Anglet beaches
Make the most of your vacation
camping in the Landes
to visit Anglet, 10 km away as the crow flies. With more than 4 km of fine sand and no fewer than eleven beaches, the area nicknamed “Little California” offers families and sports enthusiasts alike a great place to relax. Since its beginnings, Anglet has cultivated a “cool attitude”, in a Californian spirit, while remaining family-oriented.
With its neighbor
Biarritz
Anglet is the cradle of surfing in Europe. It was here that the first balsa surfboard was dropped on the waves of the Chambre d’Amour in 1957, followed by the creation of the first club – the Surf Club de la côte des Basques – in 1963. Today, Anglet boasts a dozen surf schools and as many internationally renowned surf spots: La Petite Chambre d’Amour, Les Cavaliers, La Marinella and Les Dunes.
But Anglet isn’t just for surfers. The beach at La Barre will delight your children. The program includes beach clubs, swimming lessons, beach volleyball, rugby matches on the sand and open-air cinema sessions! For cycling enthusiasts, the Boulevard des Plages cycle path links each of Anglet’s beaches. The route continues to
Bayonne
to the village of Ustaritz.
The Pignada forest
The green lung of the Basque Coast, Anglet is a resort turned towards the ocean and the forest. His Gascon motto: “Mar e pinhadar per m’ajudar”, meaning “The sea and the pine forest to help me”. The forest here extends over 220 hectares and covers more than 10% of the territory, through greenways, cycle paths and hiking trails.
In the Lazaret forest, the Promenade du Prince Impérial offers an unusual view of the port and Bayonne cathedral. Sports enthusiasts can take advantage of the Pignada fitness trail, or try their hand on the 18-hole green of the
Chiberta golf course
or climb to the top of the trees at the
accrobranche d’Anglet
.
At the mouth of the Adour, just a stone’s throw from La Barre beach, the Izadia ecological park is also well worth a visit. The site hides treasures of biodiversity. Many animal and plant species typical of coastal dune environments can be observed here. The Maison du Parc regularly hosts themed cultural, artistic and heritage exhibitions.
Did you know ? On July 30, 2020, the Pignada urban forest experienced the worst fire in its modern history. Since then, ONF teams have been working tirelessly to bring the destroyed part of the forest back to life.
English heritage
Anglet doesn’t have a town center per se, but a number of neighborhoods just waiting to be explored. Starting with Saint-Jean-Quintaou, the historic heart of Anglet, where you’ll find the 16th-centurychurch of Saint Léon, with its wooden gallery typical of Basque churches, and the 14th-century Dominican cloister, one of whose walls is a listed monument.
In the Cinq Cantons district, you can visit the Chapel of Notre-Dame du Refuge, an attractive Baroque building. In the Chambre d’Amour district, the Basque-inspired, Art Deco church of Sainte-Marie d’Anglet catches the eye. In Chiberta, Anglet’s chic district, you’ll find elegant neo-Basque villas built at the beginning of the 20th century on the edge of the pignada.
Take advantage of your stay in Anglet to visit
the Gonzalez workshop-museum
the last chistera factory in France, owned by the same family for five generations. The Chistera is the wicker and chestnut glove used to play Cesta Punta, one of the variants of Basque Pelota. Every year in May, the “Pilotarienak” tournament brings together the best bare-handed pelota players on Anglet’s Haitz Pean glass trinquet.
Gastronomy and specialities of the Basque Country
Anglet ‘s speciality is green chillies. Whether cooked as an omelette, fried or in a salad, this mild chili pepper is an essential ingredient in recipes such as poulet basquaise or piperade. Harvested from June to the end of August, it can be found on the stalls of the Quintaou market on Thursday and Sunday mornings, all year round.
Anglet also boasts numerous bistros, wine bars and restaurants, particularly in the Chambre d’Amour district. A chance to sample traditional Basque dishes: meat and fish a la plancha, Aldudes ham, marbled eel, chipirons (small squid), ewe’s milk cheese, Basque cherry cake… So many Basque specialities to pack in your suitcase.