Seafood in the mountains
A lunch trip to the Pyrenees
It was a tradition. Whenever Charlie leaves Carwyn’s surfhouse, Carwyn would drop her off at the airport in Biarritz and they would get lunch on the way. This time, after the Quiksilver Pro France 2021, it was no different. He knew plenty of places in the area that served a three-course lunch with vine and coffee for around € 15.
Charlie had been down in Hossegor twice before and both times, he took her to a different place. This time, he had something very special in mind: They would drive past Biarritz, up to the Pyrenees, and eat in a restaurant near the French-Spanish border high up in the mountains. Already the drive up there was spectacular. It was a sunny day at the end of October and still felt a bit like summer. However, the leaves had started to turn yellow and red, and the light was magical as they drove past the town of Urrugne into the forest and the mountains.
Carwyn had not been lying when he mentioned the stunning views one could have from up there. (The place is called Ibardin and it is also popular for cheap petrol and alcohol near the border.) On one side you saw the Pyrenees reaching high up in the sky, on the other side, there was an uninterrupted view over St. Jean de Luz and towards the bay of Biarritz. You could even see that the waves were massive that day, up to 7 feet. Not to forget that the lunch was great. Charlie had a Paella. After all, they were in Spain now. When was the last time you had seafood and a sea view from a mountaintop?
Time had passed quickly, and they had to hurry a bit on the way back to the airport. Luckily, Biarritz was a very small airport. You’d still be fine if you arrived only 20 minutes before the flight.
Carwyn and Charlie drove down back towards the coast, through the towns of St. Jean de Luz, Guéthary, and Bidart. All lovely places that she should check out during a proper visit at some point.
As they drove through Guéthary, Carwyn mentioned how great the surf was there and that he used to come down all the time. Charlie got a glimpse of the beach from the car. The sea was pumping. If only she had had more time… Next year!
Another great week at Carwyn’s Surfhouse in Hossegor and at the Quiksilver Pro France had come to an end and Charlie will for sure return.
