Ainhoa

Ainhoa was founded in the thirteenth century as a staging post for pilgrims heading to Compostela over the passes, and it is laid out accordingly: one long street with houses on both sides, whitewashed with red or green timber, most of them rebuilt after Spanish troops burned the village in 1629. Many carry a carved lintel with the date and the name of the family who built them, which is a Basque habit and lets you read the street chronologically. The church has the tiered wooden galleries typical of the region, and a fronton for pelota stands beside it. A stone path climbs to a hilltop chapel above.

What you actually see

• The single street - white Basque houses with red and green woodwork.
• The carved lintels - dated stones naming the families who rebuilt after 1629.
• The galleried church - tiered wooden balconies in Basque arrangement.
• The fronton - the pelota wall in the middle of the village.

When to go

April to October; the village is small and seen in an hour. Summer weekends bring visitors from the coast. The hill chapel walk is best in clear weather.

Honest expectations

There is little to do beyond walking the street and the chapel path. Facilities are limited to a few restaurants and shops. The Spanish border traffic passes nearby.

Nearby

Espelette lies north; the Spanish border is a few kilometres south.