I am actually asking this question on behalf of a friend who leads such a 'fast' life that she doesn't have time to plan the slow portions of it. She has a holiday house in the Midi-Pyrénées and is planning to drive down to St Jean de Luz in July for a little two day mosey around the area with friends. They are looking for a good B and B in the 60/70 Euros/night budget and I wondered if anyone had one they could recommend? I think they don't particularly have to be in St. Jean but nearby somewhere. Also any particular tips for exploring the area? Many thanks!

I don't have any specific recommendations for the area. I do have the Basque Country Tourism site bookmarked. And coincidentally, I just read this blog post on a restaurant in the village. I was surprised to hear about it twice today.

Thanks Marta. That restaurant looks like a good tip for her. I checked out the website and just putting in St Jean de Luz came up with 353 places to stay I am hoping that someone will narrow it down a bit for my friend!

We stayed at a delightful B&B, the Maison Olhabidea, near Sare, back in 2002. Sare is about 8 miles from St.-Jean-de-Luz and is a lovely small town. I found the B&B in a Karen Brown guide, and I think the price range is within your friend's range.

Brilliant, Ann. I will pass that one along. I know that the one that they had recommended to them (highly) is about that distance away and is fully booked so I am just hoping it is not the same one.....

No way! I was also thinking Sare, and the Olhabidea b&b ! The owners run a very well recommended restaurant. The table d'hôte must be quite good.

I think she has probably left it MUCH too late as they want two nights around the 13th July. I suspect with already two of you recommending it it is probably booked up a year in advance!

That nice place you both recommended was booked up, as predicted. However the owner gave my friend a list of other possibles and four phone calls later she finally found somewhere (at twice the price!). It had to be a hotel in the end as she hadn't realised that the time they are there is the Bastille long weekend. A bit of bad planning there.....

Thank you for your help! That place looks lovely, for another time, and with advance planning.

Too bad about the B&B, Felicity, but at least your friend found a place. If she's going to visit Sare, I recommend the Hotel Arraya restaurant, owned by a brother of the owner of the B&B -- we had a terrific dinner there. It's a lovely part of France -- this makes me want to return! BTW, AinP, we'll be in Paris in May 2010, and I hope to meet you.

Thanks Ann. She will be very grateful for all these tips I am getting her!

Felicity, we have friends in France who used to live near St.-Jean-de-Luz and have a favorite restaurant there. I can easily find out its name if your friend is still going there.

Yes please, Ann.. Keep them coming as even if she doesn't use all these suggestions, I or others reading this, might in the future.

quote:

AinP, we'll be in Paris in May 2010, and I hope to meet you.

Avec plasir.

See you then, Nancy,perhaps for some oysters! And Felicity, our friends said that their favorite restaurant had changed hands and they could no longer recommend it. I'm sure your friend will eat well there, though -- one of the local specialties is a seafood platter that is spectacular.

Thank you again, Ann. Will pass the seafood info along as my friend loves that sort of food.