Hendaye is a resort on the Bay of Biscay, near the border with Spain. Its surroundings are characterized by an extremely picturesque coast with rocks and sandy beaches.
The history of the village begins at the end of the 16th century, when the Gothic-Renaissance church of St. Vincent. Today's appearance of the temple is the result of repeated conversions related to fires and war damage.
Due to its location right on the Franco-Spanish border, Hendaye was for centuries an arena of numerous wars, invasions and armed conflicts. On the other side of the Bidassoa River, where the yacht marina is located, is Spain. An interesting fact about the city is the island of Faisans on the border river. It has been a French-Spanish condominium since the 17th century, and each country has governed it for the next six months.
At the mouth of Bidassoa to the Bay of Biscay there is the largest and best developed beach of Hendaye. Right next to it runs a promenade which is a popular place for walks and meetings. The buildings of this part of the city are largely from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. You can see villas and pensions in the style of Belle Epoque or a Neo-Moorish casino. The Atlantic waters in this place are considered relatively calm and great for learning surfing. There are many surf schools in the city.
One of the city's most important attractions is Abbadia Castle. It was built in the nineteenth century in the neo-Gothic style by the traveler and scholar Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie d'Arrast. The castle now houses a museum presenting its cartographic and scientific collections as well as souvenirs from around the world.
The area around Hendaye is considered very picturesque. The rocky coast is intersected by sandy beaches, often lying in coves. Particularly beautiful is a fragment of the coast called the Basque Corniche, where the scenic road runs along the edge of the cliff.
