Skip to content
Voykit
Set your trip — dates, party, bagsPlanner

Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · France

BayonneBaiona

Give Bayonne 2 nights as a base: old town on foot in a day, then use it as the rail and bus hub for Biarritz, the Basque coast and Spain.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Mid-July (Fêtes de Bayonne: packed and pricier), Aug (busiest and hottest)
Airport
BIQ
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • France and Monaco ↗France has run temporary identity checks at its internal Schengen land borders since 2015; carry a passport or EU/EEA national ID on trains and buses from Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg.
  • France and Monaco ↗Nights in France and Monaco draw on the same Schengen 90-in-180-day allowance as the rest of the area; Monaco does not reset or pause it.
  • France ↗France is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors' fingerprints and photo at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
  • France ↗TGV (including the low-cost Ouigo) and Intercités night trains need a seat reservation: a rail pass alone does not let you board.
  • France ↗Paris, Lyon and other large cities run low-emission zones that require a Crit'Air sticker on cars; check before you drive a hire car or your own car into a city.
  • France ↗Carry your passport or national ID card: police can ask for identification, and hotels register foreign guests.

Bayonne is the working Basque town that Biarritz gets the credit for: half-timbered quays on the Nive, a Gothic cathedral, ramparts, chocolate history and the best ham in France. It is also the transport hub of the BAB conurbation (Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne), so it works as a base rather than a stop. Two nights covers the old town properly and leaves a day for the coast or the mountains.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Bayonne, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee at a bar counter€1.50–3 (≈ US$2–4)
  • Street or quick mealJambon de Bayonne sandwich or plate€5–12 (≈ US$6–14)
  • BeerPint of beer€5–8 (≈ US$6–10)
  • Metro or bus rideTxik Txak single bus ticketValid 90 min with interchange (check)€1.20 (≈ US$2)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week€8–20 (≈ US$10–25)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (Musée Basque, Bonnat-Helleu, chocolate museum)€6.80–9 (≈ US$8–11)
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per person€28 (≈ US$35)
  • Mid-range bedHotel double room, a night, per room€110 (≈ US$130)
  • High-end bedHotel double room, a night, per room€180 (≈ US$250)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €60 (≈ US$70) · Mid €110 (≈ US$130) · High €200 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Cathédrale Sainte-Marie and its cloisterJambon de Bayonne (air-dried ham)Musée BasqueFêtes de Bayonne in mid-JulyChocolate-making heritage
Airports
BIQ Biarritz Pays Basque (5 km southwest of the centre; Txik Txak bus 4 runs downtown about every 20 min, 20 min, last around 22:30 (check))

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Bayonne: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

12°C

5°C

13 rd

Feb

13°C

5°C

12 rd

Mar

16°C

7°C

12 rd

Apr

17°C

8°C

13 rd

May

21°C

11°C

12 rd

Jun

24°C

14°C

10 rd

Jul

26°C

16°C

9 rd

Aug

27°C

17°C

10 rd

Sep

25°C

15°C

10 rd

Oct

21°C

12°C

12 rd

Nov

16°C

8°C

13 rd

Dec

13°C

6°C

13 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is walkable: station to cathedral is about 1 km across the Adour bridge. Txik Txak runs the BAB network; N1, N2 and N6 are free town-centre shuttles, other routes cost about €1.20 for 90 min including interchange (2026 estimate). Multi-journey and day passes are sold at the kiosk by the town hall and at tobacconists, not on the bus. Trains and buses cover Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Hendaye and Spain.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Biarritz

go

Door to door: About 40 min

Txik Txak bus from the centre, about 20–30 min

Take the bus, not the train: Biarritz station is 3 km from the beach and centre.

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

go

Door to door: About 1.5 h

Train from Bayonne, about 1 h 10 min

Pilgrim town at the foot of the Pyrenees; go early, the valley fills by midday.

Hendaye

go

Door to door: About 50 min

Hourly local train, about 40 min via Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Biarritz

Border beach town; from Hendaye, Euskotren continues to San Sebastián.

Sare

caution

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Bus or train to Saint-Jean-de-Luz, then onward bus or taxi

Caves and mountain railway; thin public transport, easier with a car.

Bidarray

caution

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Train towards Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, then walk or taxi

River gorges and rafting; check train times, the station is outside the village.

Pau

go

Door to door: About 2 h

Direct train, about 1 h 30 min

Château, boulevard views of the Pyrenees; a full day out.

Lescun

overnight

Door to door: 3 h+

Train to Pau or Oloron, then bus and taxi

Mountain village for hiking; not a return day trip without a car.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Grand Bayonne (west of the Nive)

Cathedral, Les Halles market, most hotels; walk to everything.

Petit Bayonne (east of the Nive)

Quays, tapas bars and the Musée Basque; quieter at night.

Saint-Esprit (north of the Adour)

Around the SNCF station and the bus stop; cheapest beds, 10–15 min walk to the old town.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€60–90 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
€90–150 (≈ US$110–180) excl. bed
High
€150 (≈ US$180)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel double room1 × 2 nights × €110€220
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × €110€440
Txik Txak bus 4, airport to centre, one way2 × €1 · check€2
Txik Txak 24-hour pass2 × €4 · check€7
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €10€20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€69
Trip total≈ €190 per person per day, bed included€758≈ US$900

2026 estimate in euros; long-distance trains and flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee at a bar counter€1.50–3 (≈ US$2–4)
Pint of beer€5–8 (≈ US$6–10)
Jambon de Bayonne sandwich or plate€5–12 (≈ US$6–14)
Lunch menu (formule) in the old town€16–25 (≈ US$19–30)
Museum entry (Musée Basque, Bonnat-Helleu, chocolate museum)€6.80–9 (≈ US$8–11)
Txik Txak single bus ticketValid 90 min with interchange (check)€1.20 (≈ US$2)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week€8–20 (≈ US$10–25)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A calm, low-crime town; the real risks are pickpockets in the Fêtes de Bayonne crowds, tidal riverbanks, and bar tabs on the Petit Bayonne quays: ask the total before you sit.
  • Several old-town sights close during the Fêtes de Bayonne in mid-July; check dates before booking.
  • Château-Vieux, the Citadelle and Château Neuf are military or university sites: outside only.
  • The intercity bus stop at Quai de Lesseps has no shelter and few facilities; it is a 10-min walk from the station.
  • Beach swimming is at Biarritz or Anglet, not Bayonne: the Adour and Nive are tidal and not swimming rivers.

Emergency numbers

European emergency (police, fire, ambulance)
112
Ambulance (SAMU)
15
Police
17
Fire
18
By text, deaf callers
114

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

BayonneBaiona

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

À cette adresse, s'il vous plaîtTo this address, please

Emergency

  • European emergency112
  • Ambulance (SAMU)15
  • Police17
  • Fire18

Embassy

No embassy in Bayonne; the US, UK, Canadian, Australian and Irish embassies are in Paris, with consulates-general in Bordeaux (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • BIQ airport → Bayonne centre, Txik Txak bus 4: about €1.20 (≈ US$2), 20 min (check)
  • Bayonne → Biarritz by bus: about €1.20 (≈ US$2), 20–30 min (check)
  • Bayonne → Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port by train: about €8–10 (≈ US$10–12), 1 h 10 min (check)

Say or show

  • Bonjour — Hello (bon-zhoor)
  • Merci — Thank you (mair-see)
  • L'addition, s'il vous plaît — The bill, please (la-dee-syon seel voo pleh)
  • Je peux payer par carte ? — Can I pay by card? (zhuh puh pay-yay par kart)
  • Où est la gare ? — Where is the station? (oo ay la gar)
  • Une tranche de jambon, s'il vous plaît — A slice of ham, please (ewn trahnsh duh zham-bon seel voo pleh)

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Bayonne. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Mid-July (Fêtes de Bayonne: packed and pricier), Aug (busiest and hottest) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 7 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for BIQ: last Txik Txak bus 4 departure field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: cathedral and Grand Bayonne, Les Halles and the Nive quays, Petit Bayonne and Musée Basque, Saint-Esprit and the station.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (cathedral, cloister, Musée Basque, Musée Bonnat-Helleu, DIDAM, Atelier du Chocolat) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Fêtes de Bayonne fixture: what closes, what stays open, and a white-and-red dress note.

Meanwhile

Back to France

Sources