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Bayonne cathedral spires and riverside houses reflected in the Nive
Daniel VILLAFRUELA, CC BY-SA

Bayonne

Bayonne, capital of the French Basque Country: the Fêtes de Bayonne, 14 to 18 July 2027, Bayonne ham, chocolate and Basque cooking.

At a glance

  • Home of the Fêtes de Bayonne, 14 to 18 July 2027
  • The town that gives its name to Bayonne ham
  • A historic chocolate town, making chocolate since the 17th century
  • Gateway to the French Basque Country, between the Adour and the Nive
  • 1food festival

Food festivals in Bayonne

Revellers in white and red walking past the Bayonne town hall during the Fêtes de BayonneBelarra64, CC BY-SAStreet foodJul 14 to 18

Fêtes de Bayonne

Five days in white and red, 14 to 18 July 2027: what to eat and drink at the Fêtes de Bayonne, the farmers’ counter, the Pass Fêtes and getting there without a car.BayonneView

Map of Bayonne

What to taste in Bayonne

  • Jambon de Bayonne (Bayonne ham)

    Salt-cured, air-dried ham of the Adour basin, protected by a geographical indication.

  • Chocolate

    Bayonne has made chocolate since the 17th century.

  • Piment d’Espelette

    The mild red pepper of the Basque village of Espelette, used dried and ground.

  • Axoa

    A Basque dish of chopped veal cooked with peppers and Espelette pepper.

  • Gâteau basque

    A shortcrust cake filled with pastry cream or black cherry jam.

Bayonne gives its name to a ham and has made chocolate since the 17th century: the capital of the French Basque Country stands where the Nive meets the Adour, close to the Atlantic coast. Each July it also holds the Fêtes de Bayonne, which the town calls the reference for large festive gatherings in France.

The Basque Country across the border

The Basque Country spans the border: San Sebastián, in Spain, is on the same coast.

The ham and its spring fair

Bayonne ham has carried a protected geographical indication (PGI) since 1998, says its consortium. The pigs are born and raised in the greater south-west of France. Salting and curing happen in the Adour Basin, which covers the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and neighbouring cantons of the Gers, Hautes-Pyrénées and Landes, where the “foehn effect” alternates mild, damp weather with drier days.

  • Foire au jambon: the town’s ham fair reached its 561st edition in 2024. In 2026 it ran from 23 to 26 April on the esplanade Roland-Barthes, with a curers’ marquee and a gourmet fair.
  • The farm ham contest: held on the Carreau des Halles, where members of the Confrérie du jambon (the ham brotherhood) and charcutiers test each ham with a fine probe of boxwood or horse fibula and judge its cut, drying time and smell.

Chocolate in Bayonne since 1615

The Béarn Pays basque tourist board dates Bayonne’s first chocolate workshops to 1615, when Marrano Jews fleeing the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisition settled in the Saint-Esprit district. They made a spiced chocolate drink and carried it through the streets.

  • Maison Cazenave: founded in 1854 by Pierre Martin Cazenave, on rue des Arceaux since 1864.

Five days in white and red

For the Fêtes the town dresses in white with a red scarf.

  • Wednesday and Thursday: free access in 2026.
  • Friday to Sunday: the Pass Fêtes wristband, 15 euros in 2026.

Before you go

  • Fêtes: the town fills for five days in July. In 2027, 14 to 18 July.
  • Car: during the Fêtes, traffic and parking are banned in Bayonne. Come by bus or train.
  • Station: Bayonne is on the railway towards Hendaye and the Spanish border.
  • Airport: Biarritz Pays Basque airport serves the coast.

Frequently asked questions

When are the Fêtes de Bayonne in 2027?

From 14 to 18 July 2027, dates published by the town.

What is Bayonne famous for?

Its ham, its chocolate and the Fêtes de Bayonne, five days in white and red each July.

Can you drive into Bayonne during the Fêtes?

No. Traffic and parking are banned in Bayonne during the Fêtes. The town recommends buses and trains.