Sare, an authentic Basque village

“Saran Astia”, “In Sare, we have time”… Such is the motto of this village nestled at the foot of the legendary Axuria and La Rhune mountains, where the traditions of celebration, sport and contraband have endured through the ages. This charming place has seen so many illustrious figures pass through: Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, Edward VII and Winston Churchill, Pierre Loti and Luis Mariano. The novelist Pierre Loti even took Sare as his model in his famous novel “Ramuntcho”, adapted for cinema in 1938.

To visit Sare is to stroll through a wonderfully preserved village, nestled in the green valleys of the Labourd region. A traditional Basque village, you’ll find the traditional Basque pelota court not far from the church and town hall. Along the medieval streets, admire the Labourdine houses with their white facades and red half-timbering, testimony to the great wealth once derived from whaling and cod fishing.

Sare’s architectural heritage is full of treasures. Lintels carved directly onto the facades of houses commemorate village life several centuries ago, indicating the name of the dwelling, its date of construction and sometimes the occupation of its first occupants. The wash-houses, now abandoned, have been taken over by the surrounding nature and offer a picturesque setting. Medieval bridges still span the waterways as they did several centuries ago: the best known, named Granada (Granadakozubia), is located in the Istilarte quarter 1.5 km from the village centre.

Sare undoubtedly possesses one of the most beautiful churches in the Labourd region, protected as a Historic Monument since 1982. The Saint-Martin church is topped with a five-storey bell tower that can be visited in season or by appointment. Its bell is one of the most sculpted in France. The adjoining cemetery is also worth a visit, as it bears witness to Basque traditions and know-how in the field of funerary art. Here you can admire various stelae with discoidal crosses, engraved with symbols on one or both sides according to a specific rite.

To discover Sare and the characteristic architecture of the Labourd province, don’t miss the Ortillopitz Basque house. This 17th-century building immerses you in the local culture and reveals the central place of the etxe (the house in Euskara) in Basque life. The visit allows you to understand how Basque families of old lived, between livestock farming, agriculture and age-old traditions.

An unmissable site in the Basque Country, the prehistoric caves of Sare are the third most visited site in the region. Nestled in the heart of exceptional nature and classified Natura 2000, these caves reveal an underground world where history has left its mark for over two million years.

The guided sound and light tour, lasting 45 minutes to an hour, reveals the unique geology of these cavities formed by the action of water on limestone rock. The 900-metre route takes you past impressive stalactites and stalagmites, gours (geological water basins), a water mirror and fossils. The guide provides information about prehistoric habitation and tells you about Basque mythology, particularly the work of José Miguel de Barandiaran, an eminent prehistorian and ethnologist passionate about popular beliefs and myths.

The Sare caves are home to over ten species of bat, whose role in the environment is explained during the visit. The site museum, which is open to the public, allows visitors to learn more about the subjects covered in the caves, while the megalithic park presents a reconstruction of the various monuments erected by man during the Protohistoric period.

Outside the village, a discovery of the mountains that tower above it is a must. La Rhune, the mythical mountain of the Basque Country, rises to 905 metres altitude and offers a spectacular panorama over the French and Spanish coasts, as well as the Pyrenees mountain range. In fine weather, the view extends from San Sebastián to Capbreton.

The ascent can be made on foot (allow at least two hours) or with the famous La Rhune rack railway. This vintage tourist train, dating from 1924, takes you to the summit in 35 minutes. Along the way, you’ll encounter the famous pottoks, those sturdy little mountain ponies, free and wild emblems of the Basque Country, as well as griffon vultures.

The Lizarrieta pass, located between Sare and Etxalar at 441 metres altitude, is another popular hiking spot. It is one of the main French sites for counting bird migration during autumn. At the foot of the pass lies one of the oldest forests in Europe, with oak trees whose trunks exceed two metres in diameter. A picnic area and several hiking trails await you there.

The Galtzada, an old medieval route, crosses Sare from one end to the other. Once an essential road for reaching Spain, it is now a leisure path where numerous hikes begin, allowing you to discover the town and its surroundings.

With its 36 kilometres of border, the village of Sare extends deep into Spanish Navarre. You are here in the heart of former contraband territory. Espadrilles, animals, ball bearings or lace, many inhabitants of Sare smuggled goods from one side of the border to the other, following the flow of products. This border history has shaped the village’s identity and forged lasting ties with neighbouring Spanish towns.

A visit to Sare would be incomplete without tasting its gastronomy. The Basque Country is the land of good taste, and this typical village has plenty to surprise your taste buds. Don’t forget to sample the gâteau basque, a typical Labourd delicacy of which Sare is one of the capitals. The Basque Cake Museum offers an original guided tour by a pastry chef, followed by a tasting.

Take advantage of your visit to savor our sheep’s milk cheeses, local charcuterie and apple juice and cider. Seasonal fruit and vegetables are grown with respect for the environment, so you can rediscover the authentic taste that gives Basque cuisine its personality.

For families, Sare offers numerous activities. The Etxola animal park, located 7 km from the village centre in the direction of the caves, invites you to discover, approach and stroke domestic animals from around the world: buffalo, dromedaries, ornamental poultry, four-horned sheep, zebus, llamas… Children can also take a ride on a pony or pottok.

The Suhalmendi trail, a family walk to the pass offering one of the most beautiful panoramas of the Basque Coast, allows you to discover the Basque Pie Noir pig through a route of ten fun interpretation panels.