Skip to content
Voykit
Back to Hendaye

In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.

Include in the print. Unchecked sections stay on screen, dimmed, and drop out of the PDF.

Voykit pocket guide · France

Hendaye

Hendaia

Spend 1–2 days: beach, Basque old town, and a day trip to San Sebastián (Spain).

Hendaye is a frontier town on the Atlantic, split between a historic hilltop Basque quarter and a modern beachfront. It offers a compact mix of beach, water sports, a casino, and easy cross‑border trips to Spain, making a short stay sufficient.

ParisAbbevilleAigues-MortesAire-sur-l'AdourAisereyAix-en-ProvenceAix-les-BainsAjaccioAlaigneAlbertAlbiAlençonAlériaAlèsHendaye200 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
France
Local name
Hendaia
Best months
Jun–Sep
Avoid
Nov–Feb (cool, rainy)
Stay
1–2 nights

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
EUR
Money
Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
Daily spend
Budget €50–80 excl. bed · Mid €80–130 excl. bed · High €130+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
Emergency
Police 17 · Fire and ambulance 18 · Medical emergency (SAMU) 15
Plugs
Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
Tipping
Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
Water
Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
Toilets
Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.

What things cost

ItemPrice
Coffee at a café€2–3
Croissant€1.5–2.5
Surfboard rental (hour)€15–25
Taxi (5 km (3.1 mi))€12–18

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

BIQ · Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne International Airport
25 km (16 mi), shuttle or train to Hendaye

Typical fares

Hendaye → Biarritz airport (shuttle)
about €12, 30 min (check)
Euskotren Hendaye → San Sebastián
about €5 one‑way, 30 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

Free hourly shuttle (08:00–19:00, except Sunday) covers town centre and beach; taxis available; walkable between old town and beach (≈2 km (1.2 mi)).

See and do

Known for

  • Beach and surf
  • Basque old town
  • Serge Blanco Thalasso Centre
  • Casino
  • Water‑sports club

Day trips

WhereHowTime
San Sebastián (Spain)Euskotren from Hendaye, about 30 min, no reservation needed≈1 h total
Irun (Spain) – shoppingCar or Euskotren, 10 min≈30 min
BayonneTER train, 20 min≈45 min

Sleep

Campanile Hendaye
Chain hotel, free parking, near road, rooms €85–155, breakfast €15
Camping Hendaye Ametza
Family campsite, walking distance to beach, €30–50 per night
Camping Eskualduna
Sea‑view site with pool, €35–55 per night

Phrase card

EnglishSay or show
Excuse me / SorryBarkatubarkatu
Thank youEskerrik askoeskerrik asko
How much is it?Zenbat da?zenbat da?
Where is the beach?Non dago hondartza?non dago hondartza?
Can I pay by card?Txartela erabil dezaket?txartela erabil dezaket?

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
  • Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
  • Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
  • Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
  • Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
  • Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
  • Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres

Scams and watch-outs

  • Shuttle does not run on Sundays; plan alternative transport.
  • Cross‑border train (Euskotren) has no reservation system; check schedules.

Hendaye is safe; stay aware of occasional pickpocketing on busy beach days and respect border controls when crossing into Spain.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Hendaye yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Beach and surf
  • Basque old town
  • Serge Blanco Thalasso Centre
  • Casino
  • Water‑sports club

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

HendayeHendaia

Helbide honetara, mesedez

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

  • Police17
  • Fire and ambulance18
  • Medical emergency (SAMU)15

US Consulate in Bordeaux (check address); other embassies in Paris.

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/hendaye). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.