“Saran Astia” is an old Basque proverb, meaning “In Sare, we have time”. Known for its prehistoric caves, century-old cogwheel train and free-roaming pottoks, this typical Labourd village offers visitors a timeless getaway just a few kilometers from the Spanish border. What to see, do and visit in Sare? Follow the guide!
One of the prettiest villages in the Basque Country
Around 15 km from Saint-Jean-de-Luz, nestled at the foot of the legendary Rhune and Axuria mountains, Sare (Sara in Basque) is a charming village of 2,600 inhabitants, classified as one of the “most beautiful villages in France”. In a landscape of wooded hills and valleys, watered by countless clear streams, the Basque village is home to four districts: the largest is Lehenbiscay, with its graceful old white houses, canal tile roofs and Basque red shutters. This district offers magnificent views of the mountains and the town. Note the noble Labourdine houses: Ibaria (16th century), Haranburua (17th century) with two turrets and a chapel dating from 1727, and the houses with “lorios” (porches).
In the heart of the village, the church of Saint-Martin, one of the most beautiful churches in Labourd, dates back to the 12th century. It was enlarged in the 17th century. The steeple bears the Basque inscription: “All hours hurt, the last one kills”. Cheerful, isn’t it? The commune also boasts eleven chapels or oratories, testimony to the Marian devotion of former sailors. Sare is the Basque village with the most religious buildings.
At the far end of the central square, the “plaza” for the Saratars, in front of the arched houses, stands the old pediment with its stone steps on one side, and on the other, the town hall whose façade bears an inscription with the arms granted to the town by Louis XIV, in recognition of the loyalty of the inhabitants in a local battle against the Navarrese.
La Rhune from Sare
Mount Larroun (“Larre Ona” in Basque: good pastures), better known as La Rhune, is the most famous mountain in the Basque maritime region. It is easily reached by a cogwheel train from the Col de Saint-Ignace on the Ascain–Sare road. From this frontier summit, at an altitude of 900 metres, you can enjoy an exceptional panorama, to the north-east over the Landes forest and the Labourd plain , to the west over the Basque coast and the ocean, and to the south and east over the Spanish and French Pyrenees.
DID YOU KNOW? Sare ‘s main activities are livestock farming and tourism. There are also a number of pink limestone quarries, used for tiles under the name of “dalles de la Rhune”.
The caves of Sare
It’s impossible to leave Sare without visiting the prehistoric caves of Lezea, one of the most popular sites in the Basque Country. In the heart of the Rhune massif, the Sare caves and their 45,000 years of prehistory are told through a sound and light show. The site also boasts a megalithic park devoted to ancestral monuments and burial rites, as well as a museum open to the public.
The Basque Cake Museum
Introduced in the 17th century, the recipe for Basque cake remained a secret for a long time before being revealed. Today, the dedicated museum in Sare gives you the chance to get hands-on and discover some of the secrets behind the making of this regional cake.
Our hiking ideas near Sare
Bordering on the Spanish border with Navarre, the village of Sare borders Spain for almost 30 kilometers. Excursions into Spanish territory are easy and numerous. The Pottok Bleu (little blue horse in Basque) hiking trail links four communes, including Ainhoa and Urdax in Navarre, on the Spanish side. The GR 8® stage from Sare to Cambo-les-Bains crosses the Labourd hills, offering fine views of the mountains and the Basque coast.
photo@F.Perrot/Tourisme 64 Béarn Pays basque
