I am often asked what happens at Villa Kaioa in winter… insinuating that life must be somewhat boring. Ha ha! (peals of laughter!), well let’s see….

If you have come to relax, you will be able to take long walks along the beach. At low tide it is possible to walk from Bidart to Biarritz, to Ilbarritz beach and even Milady beach, or head south to Guéthary. The colours of winter, the deep blue of the sea and the transparent blue of the sky are there to be contemplated. Walkers are lullabied by the incessant and soothing back-and-forth whoosh of the waves.

Or you can go hiking in the mountains and be enchanted by the beauty of the winter landscapes. If it’s a rainy day, you can relax at the swimming pool or in the bubbling baths at the thalasso, sea-water spa. You can try out some yoga positions or have lunch while contemplating the sea through the window or in the garden, depending on the weather. When night falls, you can catch the latest films at cinemas in Biarritz or Saint-Jean-de-Luz, drink tea or hot chocolate or simply curl up with a good book by the fireplace at Villa Kaioa.

Sports lovers will have a whale of a time! The beach is there for your daily jogging session. You may possibly be tempted to surf the waves alongside local surfers. Golfers will be able to choose from the 12 courses in the near vicinity and easily find a tee-off time to suit them. Beginners to the game will have a wealth of golf lesson courses to choose from at Ilbarritz golf course. Why not have a day on the slopes skiing – the nearest ski resorts are just an hour’s drive away; they’re not crowded and access by car is a piece of cake. If your timing is right, you will be able to go to a rugby match and cheer the Biarritz Olympique or Aviron Bayonnais teams. In the evening, famished by all that fresh air and physical exercise, you will be able to finish the day with a delicious meal at one of the many excellent restaurants in the area.

If you are more interested in discovering the Basque Country, winter is a good time to visit as there are fewer tourists. Touring the countryside by car is easy and typical Basque Country villages are waiting to welcome you: Ascain, Sare, Ainoa, or why not head further south into Spain and visit the village of Urdax. Take the coast road and you will be able to visit Guéthary, Saint-Jean de Luz, and see the church where Louis 14^th married the Spanish Infanta before crossing the border at Hendaye and heading off to Fontarrabia and San Sébastien. One thing is sure – you will adore the marvellous land and seascapes.Timelapse Pays Basque par David Othondo sur youtube

Take a visit to Bayonne and learn about the Basque people at the Musée Basque, or see the works of art at the Musée Bonnat. You can meditate for a while in the cloisters of the Cathedral before wandering around the quaint narrow streets of old Bayonne. Winter is a busy time for local fairs: spend a day at the Pottok horse fair in Hélette or Espelette, go to the sledge-dog meeting in Iraty, participate in the activities organised on the Cave Day, or join the festivities that surround the annual fairs that celebrate the local produce: cider, Bayonne hams or Espelette pimento peppers. Or else, you might choose to see how the local craftsmen and women make Makilas, Gateau Basque and chocolate… Or even try your hand at cooking some local specialities such as Axoa, Garbure or any recipe that includes duck!Foie gras renversé d\’Alain Darroze

My advice for a marvellous week’s holiday is to try a little of everything and enjoy all that a stay at Villa Kaioa in winter has to offer!

Rendezvous at 8pm on Friday in front of the church in Urrugne. We arrived punctually, although rather surprised by the time scheduled for a dinner in Spain. Then, having organised who was going in which car, we hit the road!

Exit Donostia- Saint Sébastien, direction Guernica, and just 45 minutes later we were in Astigarraga. We drove past the nearest cider houses, up a steep road and there we were…

The ribs of beef were already grilling on the barbecues, filling the air with tantalising smells that instantly made out mouths water with impatience.

“Sortzi gira… there are eight of us.”

As soon as we stepped inside, the giant barrels started spouting their cider. The idea is to stand at a certain distance from the barrel with the glass at the ready and everyone takes it in turns to catch the fountain of cider. The whole process was great fun and there was much jollity among the many people who had arrived before us even though we were there quite early.

At our table we pushed the benches away and ate standing up – a tradition dating back to the time when the cider houses where just cider production mills.

We went to get our first glass of cider. The opening is sealed up with beef fat. The landlord removed it and the cider gushed out. Each in turn, we placed our glasses in just the right place away from the barrel so that the cider has the chance to be aerated before ending its flight in our glass. We served ourselves to just a little at a time so that we could drink the cider at a fresh temperature.

One barrel at a time; then P. closed it up again and went to open another one.

In the meantime, the salt cod omelette had arrived at our table. No plates, just a serving dish, cutlery and bread. We served ourselves directly from the dish – delicious! From time to time, we went to get another glass of cider. It was all very friendly and there was the opportunity to chat with people from other tables who came, like us, to refill their glass. There were a lot of people speaking Basque as well as Spanish. It was easy to chat as everyone was standing up.

After the omelette, came the salt cod – cooked to perfection and with just enough garlic. And then, the ribs of beef that we had seen cooking on the barbecue. We cut small slices so that it was easy to eat, the only problem being that the meat went cold quite quickly.

To finish, we had cheese with membrillo (quince jelly) and walnuts…

After such a wonderful evening, we couldn’t go home empty-handed! We bought some bottles of cider so that at least our drivers could taste and enjoy once we were safely home…

From the 1st to 18th june, one massage a day for one person offered during your time at Villa Kaioa’s.

For a week or a week-end…

A week in june : 2400€ with 6 massages
“Summer half term”  31 may-4 june or 1-5 june : 1600€ with 3 massages
“Pentecote” : 9-13 june or 10-14 june : 1600€ with 3 massages

To book, write “RELAX” in your message http://www.biarritz-villa-kaioa.com/uk/reserve-to-villa-kaioa.php

The villa Kaioa is for 6 persons.

Summer 2011, a week is still available form 16th to 23rd july : 3200€

… a morning in may …

The Chronoplus bus network has, since the beginning of 2011, been providing Bidart with 3 main bus routes, 2 of which pass close to the Villa Kaioa.

Line A1, at the end of the lane, Corniche de la Falaise at the corner of the main road; it leaves from Uhabia and passes by the railway station at La Négresse, Biarritz before going through the centres of Biarritz, Anglet and Bayonne, stopping at Bayonne railway station, before terminating its service in the Bayonne Navarre neighbourhood. Buses run every 20 minutes.

Line 12 starts in the centre of Bidart and goes through several of the different neighbourhoods of Bidart, just like the summer shuttle service did. The route then goes on to the railway station at La Négresse, Biarritz, passing through the Izarbel Science and Technology Business Park. Buses run every 40 minutes in winter.

Another line, line C, leaves the Izarbel Science and Technology Business Park and goes to the centre of Bayonne along the RN 10 main road.

Bus route map and timetable: www.chronoplus.eu

There are moments like this on the Basque Coast, where everything comes together at the right moment to make us happy. Whole weeks of sunny and mild weather when we can soak up the energy and recharge our batteries. The sky is the purest of blues. I have never seen this blue anywhere else – it is so luminous and translucent. The deep blue colour of the sea is a stark contrast to the white of the foaming waves that crash onto the rocks. Further along, running over the sandy beach, the sea takes on hues of green and turquoise as it calls to the surfers to come and play…

The magic of long strolls along the coast, walks in the Pyrenees… everyone is smiling and relaxed. Paths cross, greetings are exchanged and everyone agrees that we are lucky to be here.

At Villa Kaioa it is possible to have lunch outside. There’s no reason to deprive ourselves…

I tell myself that those who can go on holiday in winter are really lucky…

Walk along the ocean in winter… breath… cover the links of the Biarritz and Saint-Jean de Luz golfs, in spring… play … enjoy the villages fêtes…dance… have some yoga postures in front of the sea views … meditate … discover gastronomy and taste local food… feel good … swim in the waves in september… have fun… hike in the Pyrenees and climb up to the « Rhune », in automn… move… marvel at the landscape beauty… get back in touch with your inner self… have an evening in front of the cosy fire, in winter… get relaxed…

Whatever be the season, you’ll find peace at the villa Kaioa… best wishes for 2011…

Villa Kaioa has just entered into a partnership with the new Yoga studio in Biarritz, Yo-Yoga, in order to offer Wellbeing holidays.

Practising yoga, the level of which is adapted to the individual, aims to develop toned muscles and suppleness while naturally increasing feelings of relaxation. The work is based on a series of body movements, dynamic or static, that are synchronised with breathing exercises.

Yoga helps eliminate aches and pains, physical problems and stress associated with bad body posture in our daily lives.

Make your stay at Villa Kaioa the occasion to relax mentally and physically. Villa Kaioa and Yo-Yoga offers different formula to suit your rhythm:

- daily sessions – 5 times a week at Villa Kaioa, for maximum relaxation, whether you are a beginner or experienced in Yoga techniques.

- Sessions upon request, at Villa Kaioa.

These lessons are available to everybody staying that Villa Kaioa, regardless of their level of experience.

www.biarritz-villa-kaioa.com/uk/stay-yoga-pays-basque.php

Las Bardenas Reales, an isolated semi-desert area to the south of Pamplona, straddles the regions of Navarre and Aragon. That particular Saturday, we decided to go hiking.  The weather forecast for the Basque Coast said that the skies were going to be overcast, but 200km further south we were sure to have great weather.

Les Bardenas Reales, a total change of scenery just 2hr30 from Villa Kaioa

With a little foresight, we set off armed with a guide book even if it was rather old and dog-eared.  We prepared our picnic and, although it was only the month of March, a full bottle of water for each hiker, some good walking shoes and we were ready to go!
Getting there was a piece of cake – motorway all the way and the journey went very smoothly until 20km from our destination.  There the GPS flipped and sent us along roads that we were never supposed to find.  Finally, we arrived from the south instead of arriving by the north!
Access into the park is via a small, rather secretive road.
And there, suddenly we saw incredible rock formations and spectacular chimney rocks, the results of years of wind erosion; they have a kind of other-world appearance.  We were all amazed by the unforgettable landscape that stretched before our eyes.

I was also surprised to see so much greenery – the plains are irrigated.

Listed as a Natural Park and a Biosphere reserve by UNESCO, the Bardenas Reales is comprised of 2 natural reserves– Rincon del Bu and Caidas de la Negra – and 3 geographical areas.  We chose to explore the Bardena Blanca, in the centre and the “El Rallon” itinerary, which is supposed to take about 4 or 5 hours.  This itinerary can also be followed on foot or by bike, which, I must say, made me feel rather confident about the difficulty of the track.

We left the car at the side of the narrow road and set off to walk on the path that runs along the Barranco de los Cabrones.  The Barranco reminded me of a dry river bed: all twists and turns.  Some people talked of a ravine.  Whatever you wanted to call it, it was magnificent.  We walked on the hard sand in the steppe-like terrain.  The path was uneven and we came across the gullies that have given the area its Spanish name, barranco.

Then we were facing the Rallon…
According to our map, the path took us around the Bardena Blanca before it started climbing.  The ascent was not so difficult and definitely worth the effort.  The sun didn’t feel so hot because the wind is still cool – indeed, such sculptures weren’t carved out just by chance.

The countryside is absolutely magnificent.  To our right we had the Bardena Blanca, which bears its name well.  The landscape is beige and pale under the sun, in a stark contrast with the blue sky.  But it is the mountainous relief that really takes your breath away.  It seems as if the mountain has been folded like a piece of fabric, patterned with patches of colour and even brownish and dark red stripes that led me to suppose that the soil is rich in minerals here.  The Bardenas that we could see a little further away seemed almost white.  Some areas were pointed and others were flatter, but everywhere seemed to be carved out into a festival of shapes and forms.   We all compared our impressions: one person saw the head of a dog, and another made out a king and queen looking down on their subjects… we were all very creative!  Everyone added their thoughts, their feelings…

Our walk along the Bardena Blanca was very pleasant because we were sheltered from the wind and, before we knew it, we had arrived at the end of the Bardena and got ready to penetrate the interior of this magic landscape.  It was amazing to think that we were going to be able to adventure into the heart of those chiselled rocks.
A stone staircase climbed up to a promontory and it seemed quite steep – too much for me to want to attempt it.  I preferred to be among the rocks rather than contemplating the view.
And in any case, I was beginning to get hungry…
We made several attempts along different tracks that climbed up between the rocks.  We didn’t find the right one.  Doubtless our guide book was too old.

Picnic in the heart of the Bardenas

The hunger pangs started getting the better of me.  We sat down at the highest point and gazed out over the breathtaking scenery that we had just climbed: the mountains sculpted by wind, and probably eroded by the rain too, are absolutely extraordinary.  We ate our picnic and left feeling restored, with light hearts and a full stomach!

We decided to take the stone staircase up to the promontory.  Did I say staircase?  Some steps were completely tilted; others were simply hanging out over the void as if they were doing some sort of balancing act with nature.  Climbing up was somewhat intimidating and to be honest I didn’t make it to the top.  I was more drawn by a track I had spotted along an inner cirque surrounded by mountain slopes.  I waited there.  It was hot and I felt soothed by the calm atmosphere of this magic place.

We finally climbed down the magnificent stone staircase and when we reached the bottom, we realised that it was already 3 o’clock in the afternoon.  We didn’t have time to finish the circuit and we ended up by going back along the path we had already taken. We thought this would be rather frustrating but we discovered a different landscape on the return leg of our hike.  The light had changed, the sun had already gone down and the mountain relief was no longer visible.  We found ourselves in a magnificent and peaceful world.

Once we got back to the car, we thought it would be a good idea to leave the park on the opposite side to which we had entered it.  But it wasn’t to be our day – we didn’t find the right road!

It really didn’t matter one jot!  We had already decided that we would go back for more Bardenas adventures.  With just a 2-hour drive from Villa Kaioa, the Bardenas Reales are easily accessible!

Following the civil war in Spain (1936-1939), Franco’s victory provoked the exile of the Basques and their government, presided over by José Antonio de AGUIRRE.

Father José Luis RODRIGUEZ followed them to Paris and became part of the PNV (Partido Nacionalista Vasco).  This priest was born in Bilbao on 16th October 1904.  He was in charge of catholic publications and was very attached to the Basque culture.  The Caudillo, who forbade the use of the Basque language, Euskara, and, in keeping with his practice of punishing people of the cloth who opposed his regime, banished him.

After the Second World War, his sister Higinia and he came more and more often to Bidart, where they rented a small house on the Corniche belonging to the Etchayde family.  Artists faithful to the Basque tradition, they created a ceramic workshop “Kaïoa” (the seagull), above the Erretegia cliffs that, being rich in clay and shale, provided them with the greater part of their raw materials.  In summer, their friend, Miss Leroux, would sell some of the articles they produced in her local souvenir shop “Fandango” that used to be where the bodega is now.

Pichet Kaioa (photo Martine Castel-Dargassies)

They were thus able to live from the sale of what they produced, supplying customers with a varied range of useful objects (jugs, plates, dishes, cups, etc.) or religious items, such as Madonna and child statues.  The brother and sister used varied colours but green and dark red are more often than not featured along with geometric patterns and decorations inspired by nature.

In 1958 Father José Luis Rodriguez designed the coat of arms that is displayed on the façade of Bidart town hall and which reminds us of the whale fishing history of the port, with the ship, harpoon and Koskenia lighthouse.
The older members of Bidart describe the Priest as being a highly original, intelligent and cultivated man with kind eyes that shone beneath his traditional Basque beret.  He said the daily mass in our church and went to La Roseraie on Sundays for the children of workers in the mining company, the Charbonnages de France, who had been sent on holiday to the Basque Coast.  He also opened his workshop to the children of Bidart where they were able to learn about the art of ceramics; one of these children is now currently working in the renowned porcelain factories in Sèvres.

The cross on his grave where he lies in the cemetery of the parish church is decorated with the head of Christ that he himself made and placed in front of this is a white marble plaque with an engraving “with gratitude from the children of La Roseraie”.

As an illustration of his humour and kindness, M. J. Garat, a Bidart resident, tells this anecdote: “a couple of holiday makers had been in raptures over a beautiful vase and couldn’t decide whether they could buy it or whether they should put it back on the shelf.  He asked “Do you like it?” and as they eagerly told him that they did indeed like the vase, he said “Well then you can take it!  You can send me a cheque when you can….” Flabbergasted, they couldn’t believe their ears, but the Priest insisted and the lucky couple left with their precious pottery…  “You should always trust people”, he said, “and anyway, if they don’t pay, it doesn’t matter….!”

From Martine Castell-Dargassies,   with the particular help of Christiane Sarrasola and Jacques Garat.
100 years of Bidart heritage.