Donibane Garazi / San Juan Pie de Puerto, what to see and do in the capital of Behe Nafarroa.

Discover one of the most beautiful villages of the French Basque Country, enjoy Donibane Garazi / San Juan Pie de Puerto.

Donibane Garazi in Basque, San Juan Pie de Puerto in Spanish and Saint Jean Pied-de-Port in French, this is how this incredible municipality located in the interior of the French Basque Country is known. Donibane Garazi, capital of Behe Nafarroa (province of the French Basque Country), is a town sheltered between mountains and green pastures, a place where time stands still, an urban nucleus of obligatory visit in any getaway to the north of Euskal Herria.

This French Basque municipality is located just 8 kilometers from Navarre, in the middle of the Camino de Santiago, a place where we find the river Nive (Errobi in Basque) as a guest and the citadel of Mendiguren as the main protagonist, 2 elements, which, surrounded by the solid walls of Donibane Garazi / San Juan Pie de Puerto, give us a place of legend.

The Pyrénées-Atlantiques department is, administratively speaking, the territory where this medieval town is located, an urban center, situated a stone’s throw from Roncesvalles (Orreaga in Basque), at the foot of the Pyrenees, an area worth venturing into.

1.-Walking along the walls: Surrounding much of the historic center of Donibane Garazi / San Juan Pie de Puerto, we find the walls that years ago protected the houses of its inhabitants, walls, by which today we can walk making us a small idea of the importance of this town. Walking, we link with the Eiheraberri bridge, the church and the streets that precede the citadel, a set in which you can breathe tranquility and a certain essence of the past, something very special.

2.-Watching the sunset at the Citadel of Mendiguren: To the historical and architectural value of the place, we can add the beauty of the village that we find under our feet, and is that the Citadel of Mendiguren is located in a strategic position, at the highest point of the municipality, making this place the balcony of Donibane Garazi / San Juan Pie de Puerto.

The street of the citadel marks the way, a cobblestone street, which leads directly to the walls of the citadel, from there, we have the option to choose to climb more than 50 stairs (left) or follow the road (right), both valid options to reach this ancient military building built in 1628. Once at the top, the path leads us to the “Porte du Roy” (Roy’s Gate) access through which you enter the interior of the Citadel, unfortunately, it is not currently possible to access its interior as it has been converted into a school.

Contemplate the doors to the old town: The streets of the old town of Donibane Garazi / San Juan Pie de Puerto have several entrances and exits, all of them with a great history behind them. Although the best known and most photographed is the entrance of Saint Jacques, we recommend you to visit each and every one of them.

• Porte d’Espagne.
• Porte du Roy, entrance to the Citadel.
• Porte de Saint Jacques.
• Porte de France.
• Porte de Navarre.

Tasting the typical Basque Cake: Basque gastronomy comes alive all over the French Basque Country and San Juan Pie de Puerto is no exception. For as long as we can remember, we remember hearing that the best Basque cake is the one from the French Basque Country, a fact that we have verified in many of our trips: Sara, Ainhoa, Ezpeleta, San Juan de Luz, Biarritz, Hendaye…all of them magnificent places to taste the typical dishes of our land.

5.-To know the surrounding villages: Baigorri, kanbo, Ainhoa, Ezpeleta, Sara…in short, every village in the interior of the French Basque Country deserves to be visited, in any of them you will find a small corner that you will fall in love with. If you want to make a route through the villages of the French Basque Country, you must read our article about the 7 most charming villages of the French Basque Country.

The road to Santiago and Donibane Garazi / San Juan Pie de Puerto: The union of the road to Santiago and this municipality in the interior of Iparralde (north in Basque), is very deep, and it is here, near this municipality, where most of the roads from Europe meet. A strategic stop to gather strength and continue the journey to Santiago de Compostela.

The atmosphere created by the Camino de Santiago in Donibane Garazi is breathed in every corner of the town. This is due to the roads that converge in this town from Europe, one of the most important and popular axes of this pilgrimage. Thousands of people annually travel hundreds of kilometers in what today has become a fusion of sport and faith. Remember that the first stage of this route is composed of the 26 kilometers that separate Donibane Garazi / San Juan Pie de Puerto de Orreaga / Roncesvalles. Pilgrims are part of Donibane Garazi and you?

Pay special attention to details: Engravings on the houses, typical architecture of the French Basque Country, indications of the Camino de Santiago, cobbled streets, reflections on the Errobi river…everything has a special meaning in Donibane Garazi / San Juan Pie de Puerto.

In this corner of Euskal Herria you can strongly feel the tranquility, nature, culture and history of our people, an experience you will hardly forget, remember Donibane Garazi / San Juan Pie de Puerto, the village under the mountains awaits you.