Side Excursions and Other Stops Along The Way
St. Jean de Luz
Oh, I could have spent more time here! A couple of tourmates and me; Judy and Carl from Indianapolis, took a bus ride during some free time in Bayonne, south to the coastal town of St. Jean de-Luz. Part of what I love about Rick Steves' tours is the balance of group activities and free time you have to do whatever! The ride was just as scenic as this coastal gem, on an inlet off the Bay of Biscay. We were aiming to find; which we did, the Eglise Saint Jean Baptiste church where King Louis XIV was married in 1660. The church itself was... dare I say simple in it's design. The exterior was more unassuming compared to a more grand cathedral, but that is the beauty of it. It was very peaceful and I had quite a moment while contemplating a great many things. Afterward we walked through town, found an awesome chocolate shop and then relished in a gorgeous sunset on the water.
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This city was my favorite of the stops we made along the way.
St. Jean Pied-de-Port
After leaving Bayonne, we stopped for a walk in this small town, found at the base of the Pyrenees mountains. It's perfectly postcard scenic here.
A canopy of pink parasols...
A view of the town below, from the crest of the hill we walked up.
Roncesvalles
We've stretched our legs, and it's onward to this small village of Roncesvalles, which is a pilgrimage stop just beyond the top of the Pyrenees mountains.
Perhaps for that reason, I really felt a lightness in the air, and not because of the altitude! It was a very peaceful setting. This is the collegiate church of Santa María de Orreaga.
The chapel's facade
Burguete - Auritz
This would be our last stop before continuing on to Pamplona, for a well-deserved lunch. I think half the fun of traveling is trying new foods. The meal we had, had some very unique elements which were... interesting to try! I didn't realize just how green the mountain range was. It was so very picturesque, with striking vistas at each rise in the elevation. The road was curvy and meandering, and handled with such aplomb by the bus driver, I thought as the rest of the group did, that he win a medal for his expertise. I was very impressed!
A humble home in the town
A gorgeous mountain meadow...