QUESTIONS? CALL: + 34 650 713 759

Pyrenean Experience

  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • Your Hosts
    • Blog
    • Photos & TV Documentaries
    • Responsible Travel Pledge
  • HOLIDAY TYPES
    • Guided Walking Week in the Spanish Pyrenees
    • Self-Guided Walking Week in the Spanish Pyrenees
    • Spanish Language Immersion Week
    • Creative Retreats in the Pyrenees
    • Walking the World War II COMET Line
    • The Total Basque Mountain Experience (One Day Tour)
    • Inmersion Total en Ingles en Los Pirineos
  • ACCOMMODATION
    • B & B and Holiday Home near Baztan Valley
    • The Farmhouse
    • How to get there
    • The Baztan Valley
      • Ituren
      • Basque Valleys of the Pyrenees
      • Baztan Valley Walks and Traditions
  • DATES 2021
  • PRESS & REVIEWS
  • CONTACT
Georgina Howard
Friday, 15 February 2013 / Published in Basque Culture and Tradition, Basque Food, Basque Lifestyle

Cider Houses in the Basque Country .. and a few less trees

Cider drinking at the mushroom fiestas in Elgorriaga
SANY0055 262x350 - Cider Houses in the Basque Country .. and a few less trees

Cider drinking at the mushroom fiestas in Elgorriaga

For some reason cider has become the theme of the week … and not a drop has yet passed my lips . .. I swear!

My partner, the village lawyer, always seems to get interesting cases when the Basque cider houses open (usually between January and April) although I have to admit, the  ‘wild-boar-in-the-boot-of-the-car’ case during last year’s hunting season also had its appeal.

From what I can gather the local cider seems to reach deep into the Basques lumber-jacking genes (many of them having spent their youths as log cutters in the high Pyrenees or the French alps) and more than one Sagardotegia (cider house) has woken up on a Sunday morning to find itself with a couple of trees less than it had had the night before. Near Elizondo, a couple of evidently  ‘new-age’ Basques, also bestowed their affections on the local flora; but this time just the shrubs and flower pots outside the door. I will ask tonight what the arguments were in their defense.

The Basques have an age-old tradition of making cider, and cider was the traditional beverage way before wine was every introduced.  In days gone by almost every farmstead would have made cider for its own use and even now, if it is possible to lure my farming neighbours away from the toil of the farm for an evening on the tiles, (where does that expression come from?), then the local cider house would still be very much their first choice. Today, the Sagardotegiak are a slightly more elaborate affair offering an accompanying menu of cod tortilla, piperada, T-one steaks and sheep’s cheese etc.

I leave you all with a happy picture of Stuart, a guest of mine from last year on our Walking, Basque Culture & Gastronomy week enjoying the cider at the mushroom fiestas in the village of Elgorriaga down the road. (In his case I believe the trees (at least) were left standing!).

  • Tweet
Tagged under: Basque Country, Basque Culture, Basque history, Cider, Gastronomy

What you can read next

Life on a Basque Farm (as I never knew it)
Josetxo's chemists in Ituren
Post women and chemists in Ituren
The home of the Joaldunak
Carnival Time Again – The Bustle of Life in Ameztia

3 Comments to “ Cider Houses in the Basque Country .. and a few less trees”

  1. Georgina Howard says :Reply
    19 February 2013 at 9:07 am

    Hi Steve
    There are a couple of good cider houses around here, one in Lesaka and another high in the hills above Elizondo. However, my favourite is a really rustic one run from a farmhouse in Igeldo (on the outskirts of San Sebastian) and run by the world famous Basque Aizkolari (log cutter), José Mari Olasagasti. He is one of the main personalities of the Basque rural sports arena and is usually around at the cider house to join in and tell the stories of his life. Great food and great atmosphere. Naturally, he is one of Maika’s friends too.

  2. Steve Cracknell says :Reply
    18 February 2013 at 7:40 pm

    So what’s the nearest cider house to Ituren, Georgina? I must come and sample it one February.

  3. Stuart says :Reply
    15 February 2013 at 7:58 pm

    ¡Que guapo!

    ¡Que borracho!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

  • Basque Country Walking
  • Basque Culture and Tradition
  • Basque Food
  • Basque Lifestyle
  • Basque music
  • Basque Mythology
  • Baztan Valley
  • Bilingual Families
  • Dolores Redondo
  • Elizondo
  • Exercise and Learning
  • Ituren carnivals
  • Learning Spanish in Spain
  • linguistics and language learning
  • Spanish-English differences
  • Teaching Spanish
  • The Basque Language
  • The Invisible Guardian
  • Uncategorized
  • Visit the Pyrenees
  • Walking in the Pyrenees
  • Wildlife of the Pyrenees
  • World War II Escape Lines

Tags

Basque Country Basque Culture Basque Gastronomy Basque history Basque language basque traditions baztan valley bi-lingualism Birds Carnivals Cider comet line Elizondo farming Fiesta Francois Grosjean Gastronomy Georgina Georgina Howard Goleman Howard Ituren Joaldunak Krashen language learning Lozanov Marion Marion Howard Mills Nature Open University Pyrenees smugglers smuggling Spain Spanish conversation Spanish courses Spanish language Spanish school teaching total immersion tuition Vultures Vygotsky walking

Featured Posts

  • Comet Line children meet in France

    Basque Children of the Resistance

    0 comments
  • pyrenean experience sunset over the valley on our guided walking holidays in the Pyrenees

    Comet Line Crossing of the Pyrenees

    0 comments
  • Map of the French and Spanish Pyrenees

    Secrets of the Pyrenees

    0 comments
  • Hiking in the Pyrenees: the Baztan and Bidasoa Valleys

    Hiking in the Pyrenees – stunning scenery and ancient Basque traditions

    0 comments
  • Colour definitions - is it green, blue or grey?

    Seeing Life in Colours – and the need to expand our vocabulary!

    0 comments

Location

Mapoflocation 350x262 - Cider Houses in the Basque Country .. and a few less trees

Contact

Phone UK: +44 (0)121 711 3428

Phone Spain: +34 650 713759

Email: info@pyreneanexperience.com

Info

  • Privacy Policy
  • Responsible Travel Pledge
Responsible Travel
  • TripAdvisor
  • GET SOCIAL

© 2021 GEORGINA HOWARD All rights reserved

TOP
This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use. To find out more, read our Privacy Policy.