Bayonne, the Basque Coast
The old City of Bayonne is near the coast. It has old Roman origins, with a Latin name of Lapurdum, which was corrupted to Labourd, name that was extended to cover the whole westernmost Basque province in France. The city enjoyed great prosperity and security under English rule till 1451. The Sephardic Jews, in their flight from the Spanish Inquisition, brought that Mexican drink with them, chocolate. Not much appreciated in Spain; it made, after some time, a great fame for itself in France.
Bayonne is even today the center for chocolate manufacturing in this country. But earlier it had reached the peak of its commercial success with the manufacture of armament, along a series of streets originally known as the streets of the forgers. The bayonet is supposed to have been designed and produced here originally. Recently there has been a slight economic recovery of the place with the discovery and industrialization of a gas field in the area, but as world oil prices have varied so much, even this hasn't been the panacea sought after. Tourism still is of great importance for the town.
Besides visiting this lovely small city, we visited the old town of St. Jean de Luz, and Biarritz, the latter quite a difference from the two older towns.
The old City of Bayonne is near the coast. It has old Roman origins, with a Latin name of Lapurdum, which was corrupted to Labourd, name that was extended to cover the whole westernmost Basque province in France. The city enjoyed great prosperity and security under English rule till 1451. The Sephardic Jews, in their flight from the Spanish Inquisition, brought that Mexican drink with them, chocolate. Not much appreciated in Spain; it made, after some time, a great fame for itself in France.
Bayonne is even today the center for chocolate manufacturing in this country. But earlier it had reached the peak of its commercial success with the manufacture of armament, along a series of streets originally known as the streets of the forgers. The bayonet is supposed to have been designed and produced here originally. Recently there has been a slight economic recovery of the place with the discovery and industrialization of a gas field in the area, but as world oil prices have varied so much, even this hasn't been the panacea sought after. Tourism still is of great importance for the town.
Besides visiting this lovely small city, we visited the old town of St. Jean de Luz, and Biarritz, the latter quite a difference from the two older towns.
