A home-from-home for travellers in the Basque Pyrenees

“The Basque Country is the No. 2 MUST SEE place in the world 2009” Lonely Planet

If you are travelling independently to the Pyrenees, and intrigued to know more about the (often misunderstood) culture of the Basques, then do sound me out for ideas. Apart from our beautifully-renovated Basque cottage to rent, Iaulin Borda, we work together with the farms in our hamlet to offer our guests a totally unique range of local walks, and cultural and gastronomic experiences. Iñaki is a Spanish teacher and offers lessons at all levels too. 

Having lived here for a decade we are lucky to have the support of local Basque friends; farmers, foresters, millers, musicians, teachers, smugglers and lawyers - all of whom allow us a privilged, backstage entrance to Basque mountain life.     

Basque Culture & Gastronomy are Inseperable

 We can show you our favorite hidden Basque restaurants such as Lorea’s and Iziar’s Michelin-recommended restaurant in Donamaria where you can learn how to make traditional Basque ‘sopa de ajo’, and sample Txakoli, a local white wine, before sitting down to a glorious lunch.

 Philipe, at the water mill in Amaiur, will help you make your own traditional Basque corn talos (with corn flour ground in the very same mill) before offering us a rustic lunch of talos, chistora and cider and you can also try Sagrario’s home-made sheep’s cheese on her farm in Ameztia.

 If you are here during the main fiesta season, join us in the village square with local friends to experience a Basque ’comida popular’. 

In short, we can introduce you to all those secret nooks and crannies of Basque mountain life that guide books have yet to write about … let alone discover!  

 

For the culturally-curious independent traveller, for linguists, walkers and nature lovers we can design holidays to include any of the following:  

Home-cooked lunch on Merce’s terrace in Ziga

 

*    Pretty cottage or farmhouse accommodation.       *    Local guided walks for all levels and interests.      *    Visits to the vulture breeding grounds in Itxusi.   *    Basque gastronomy and cooking classes.                   *    Pagan carnivals and fiestas.                          *    Horse-riding on old smuggling routes.                    *    Spanish lessons with professional teachers.            *   Farm visits.                                                                  *   Pick-ups from Biarritz or San Sebastian.  

  Please enquire.

 

SPECIAL LOW SEASON PROMOTIONS FOR TWO

 

Full immersion Spanish & Walking Week in the Pyrenees

This week includes professional Spanish teaching, walks, Basque culture and gastronomy and all activities are facilitated by native Spanish speakers and teachers.

 ACCOMMODATION:

A week’s accommodation at Iaulin Borda, a self-catering Pyrenean Basque cottage in Ameztia, Ituren,  Navarra. The cottage has a fully-equipped kitchen, downstairs bathroom, en suite double bedroom and large light open-plan dining and living quarters. Iaulin Borda also has Wifi and a large south-facing terrace. The cottage would be for your exclusive use. Continental Breakfast is also provided.

TENTATIVE ITINERAY:

Day 1

• Pick-up from San Sebastian/Biarritz/Pamplona.  Welcome dinner at the house. The setting of objectives for the week ahead.

Day 2 – 7

The following activities will be facilitated by native Spanish speakers and professional teachers and all activities will be used as an informal platform for the teaching of Spanish.

• Five morning walks through the villages and hills of the Basque Pyrenees. (There is a whole portfolio of walks here for different levels, abilities and interests so we prefer to decide on the walks once we meet our guests and know the local cultural agenda). The walks always include cultural insights into the mountain Basque culture; visits to farms, mills, museums and other places of cultural interest etc.
• Five restaurant lunches at a variety of Basque restaurants in the area including the Michelin-recommended restaurant of Bentas de Donamaria where Lorea is always happy to give you a demonstration of traditional Basque cooking techniques. 
• Five days of 2 hour bespoke Spanish tuition, conducted by a professional Spanish teacher and tailored to your level and needs.
• Evening aperitifs.

 Within this programme a day is left free for you to make the most of the area.  Local buses go to Pamplona and San Sebastian and we can help you with all sorts of ideas to make the most of your day. On a Friday to Friday programme this free day tends to fall on the Tuesday. 

Day 8

Return to San Sebastian/Biarritz/Pamplona

Price 1000 Euros per person (based on 2 people sharing).        Please enquire.

 

Walking, Basque Culture & Gastronomy Week

ACCOMMODATION:

A week’s accommodation at Iaulin Borda, a self-catering Pyrenean Basque Cottage in Ameztia, Ituren,  Navarra. The cottage has a fully-equipped kitchen, downstairs bathroom, en suite double bedroom and large light open-plan dining and living quarters. Iaulin Borda also has Wifi and a large south-facing terrace.  Continental Breakfast is also provided.  

TENTATIVE ITINERAY:

This option is ideal for non-linguists who are interested in walking and gaining an insight into the Basque culture and cooking of the Spanish Pyrenees.

Day 1

• Pick-up from San Sebastian/Biarritz/Pamplona.  Welcome dinner at the house. The setting of objectives for the week ahead.

Day 2 – 7

All  walks will be facilitated by a professional English guide.

• Five 3 – 5 hour walks through the villages and hills of the Basque Pyrenees. There is a whole portfolio of walks here for different levels and abilities, including a visit to the vulture breeding grounds in Itxusi (weather permitting). However, I always believe it unnecessary to decide on the walks until I know the local cultural agenda and understand my guests’ interests in a little more depth. The walks always include cultural insights into the mountain Basque culture; visits to farms, mills, museums and other places of interest.
• GASTRONOMY: Two Basque cooking lessons followed each time by a 3-course traditional Basque lunch at Lorea’s Michelin-recommended restaurant at Bentas de Donamaria. A rustic Basque peasant lunch of freshly ground corn talos, chistora, cheese and cider at a working watermill in the area as well as the chance to try the local sheep’s cheese made on the neighbouring farms.
• Evening aperitifs.

Within this programme a day is left free for you to make the most of the area.  Local buses go to Pamplona and San Sebastian and we can help you with all sorts of ideas to make the most of your day. On a Friday to Friday programme this free day tends to fall on the Tuesday. 

Day 8

Return to San Sebastian/Biarritz/Pamplona

Price:  650 euros per person (based on two sharing).      Please enquire.

 

Tailor-made weeks for Small Walking & Rambling Groups 

If you would like to organise a week of full-board accommodation and a full programme of walks and cultural events do ask too. 

Well over a decade of experience living in the area means that we have many personal contacts which  allows walkers an extra dimension to their stay and a privileged insight into the Basque way of life.  

We adapt our programme of walks to all age groups, levels and interests. The landscape is so diverse; from low-lying walks along the river valley to panoramic ridge tops walks with views of the Atlantic. Whatever your interests please Contact us. 

 

” We feel lucky to have found a unique and still little-known part of the Pyrenees and, just as the Basque farmers have made us feel so welcome, we too would like to welcome you. For personal reasons, and for stories better told in the book I keep promising to write,  I owe much to the local people and would like to help introduce new-comers to this fascinating yet often  misunderstood culture of the Basques.”  Georgina  

If nothing else, please consider us, and our farmstead at Marionenea in Ituren,  as a reference point or a home-from-home. And, if passing through the area, please feel free to drop in for a glass of wine on the terrace.  (See Google Maps)

 

What is the mystery of the Basque people? The story behind the headlines?  Where did they come from?  And why has the beauty of their mountain pastures, their culture and language remained so inscrutable for so long?      Please enquire 

 We also do a Walking with Basque Pagan Culture & Gastronomy week from 16th – 23rd September 2012.