Saint-Jean-de-Luz (; eu, Donibane Lohitzune,Donibane Lohitzune

Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia Pic d'Anie (Basque Auñamendi) is a mountain of the Pyrenees in France, located close to the Spanish border. It is high. The mountain boasts an almost perfect pyramidal shape and is surrounded by the spectacular karst landscape of. ''Larra'', i ...

es, San Juan de Luz, oc, Sent Joan de Lus, ) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Pyrénées-Atlantiques Pyrénées-Atlantiques (; Gascon Occitan: ''Pirenèus Atlantics''; eu, Pirinio Atlantiarrak or ) is a department in the southwest corner of France and of the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Pyrenees mountain range and the Atlanti ...

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

, southwestern France. Saint-Jean-de-Luz is part of the

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

province of

Labourd Labourd ( eu, Lapurdi; la, Lapurdum; Gascon: ''Labord'') is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques ''département''. It is one of the traditional Basque provinces, and identified as one of the territorial c ...

(Lapurdi).

Geography

Saint-Jean-de-Luz is a fishing port on the Basque coast and now a famous resort, known for its architecture, sandy bay, the quality of the light and the cuisine. The town is located south of

Biarritz Biarritz ( , , , ; Basque also ; oc, Biàrritz ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. ...

, on the right bank of the river

Nivelle Nivelle () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Heraldry See also *Communes of the Nord department * Nivelle Offensive The Nivelle offensive (16 April – 9 May 1917) was a Franco-British operation on the Western Front ...

( French for Urdazuri) opposite to

Ciboure Ciboure (; ,ZIBURU

Larrun Larrun (modern French: ''La Rhune'', IPA: a'run - 'good pasture', possibly a folk etymology, in French until the 20th century: ''Larhune'' ) is a mountain (905 m) at the western end of the Pyrenees. It is located on the border of France and Spa ...

is about south-east of the town. The summit can be reached by the

Petit train de la Rhune The Petit train de la Rhune or (in Basque language, Basque) Larrungo tren ttipia is a metre gauge rack railway in France at the western end of the Pyrenees, in the Basque Country (greater region), Basque Country. It links the Col de Saint-Ignace, ...

, which starts from the Col de Saint-Ignace, east of the town on the D4 road to

Sare Sare may refer to: People * Bakary Saré (born 1990), Burkinabé football player * Clyde W. Sare (1936–2015), American politician and businessman * Haig Sare (born 1982), Australian rugby union player * Hamit Şare (born 1982), Turkish alpine sk ...

. It is in the traditional province of

Lapurdi Labourd ( eu, Lapurdi; la, Lapurdum; Gascon: ''Labord'') is a former French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées Atlantiques ''département''. It is one of the traditional Basque provinces, and identified as one of the territorial co ...

of the Basque Country. Saint-Jean-de-Luz bay is a natural harbour in the south-east of the

Bay of Biscay The Bay of Biscay (), known in Spain as the Gulf of Biscay ( es, Golfo de Vizcaya, eu, Bizkaiko Golkoa), and in France and some border regions as the Gulf of Gascony (french: Golfe de Gascogne, oc, Golf de Gasconha, br, Pleg-mor Gwaskogn), ...

. It is the only sheltered bay between

Arcachon Arcachon ( ; ) is a commune in the southwestern French department of Gironde. It is a popular seaside resort on the Atlantic coast southwest of Bordeaux, in the Landes forest. It has a sandy beach and a mild climate said to be favourable for inv ...

and Spain. Thanks to its strong sea walls or dykes that protect the town from the full savagery of the Atlantic Ocean, it has become a favorite for bathers across the Basque Coast. Although the seaside resort is relatively recent, the port itself is centuries old, with the most prominent point in its history being the marriage in 1660 of Louis XIV and the Spanish princess Maria Teresa. Pêcheurs à Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Pyrénées-Atlantiques

Pêcheurs à Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Pyrénées-Atlantiques

Water from the area flows into the town from the

and its smaller tributaries, the ''Etxeberri'', ''Isaka'' and ''Xantako'' streams. There is also the ''Basarun'', and its smaller tributary the ''Mendi'', which passes directly through Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The river has been made accessible to boats and it joins the sea by the ''Erromardia'' beach. A branch of the

Uhabia The Uhabia or Ouhabia is a coastal river of the French Basque Country, in Aquitaine, southwest France. It is long. Geography It rises at ''Goizbide'' in the woods above Ustaritz and Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, where it is known as the ''Apala ...

, an emblematic river in the neighbouring Bidart district, and its smaller ''Amisola'' tributary, also pass to the sea through St Jean de Luz.

Transportation

Saint-Jean-de-Luz straddles Route départementale D810, the old

Route nationale A ''route nationale'', or simply ''nationale'', is a class of trunk road in France. They are important roads of national significance which cross broad portions of the French territory, in contrast to departmental or communal roads which serve m ...

10. The town can be reached from the A63 motorway, Exit 3 (Saint-Jean-de-Luz Nord) and Exit 2 (Saint-Jean-de-Luz Sud). The

Saint-Jean-de-Luz-Ciboure station Saint-Jean-de-Luz-Ciboure is a railway station in Saint-Jean-de-Luz and across the river from Ciboure, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. The station is located on the Bordeaux–Irun railway line. The station is served by TGV (high speed trains), Interc ...

is served by the

SNCF The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (; abbreviated as SNCF ; French for "National society of French railroads") is France's national state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the country's national rail traffi ...

Bordeaux–Irun railway The railway from Bordeaux to Irun is an important French 235-kilometre long railway line, that connects the southwestern city Bordeaux to northern Spain. The railway was opened in several stages between 1841 and 1864. Route The Bordeaux–Irun r ...

. Biarritz Airport is the closest airport to Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

Etymology

Saint-Jean-de-Luz is the French version corresponding to the

ine Basque ''Donibane Lohizune'' (it is a common mistake of understanding that 'Luz' would be a Spanish word for "light". In this case 'Luz' is a mutation of the word 'Lohitz' ('Loiz', 'Luz') in ''Donibane Lohizune'': first element: ''done'' 'saint' (from Latin ''dóminus'' 'lord, master') and ''ibane'' John, thus Donibane is Saint John; ''lohi'' 'mud; suffix ''z'' 'manner, according to; with, made of'; and suffix ''une'' 'place of': 'mud place, swamp'. The name of the town comes in accord to all the times the town has been flooded over the centuries and has subsequently built the dikes and lifted a wall by the beach.

History

Saint-Jean-de-Luz is located on the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

coast of France, just a few kilometres from the border with Spain. Its wealth stems from its port and its past, with the town being associated with both

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

, and with the capture of vessels by its own

corsaires, or pirates (English sailors used to call Saint-Jean-de-Luz the "Viper's Nest"). This prosperity reached its height during the 17th Century, which is still considered as the town's "Golden Age." During this period, Saint-Jean-De-Luz became the second largest town in the

region with a population or around 12,000, just behind

Bayonne Bayonne (; eu, Baiona ; oc, label= Gascon, Baiona ; es, Bayona) is a city in Southwestern France near the Spanish border. It is a commune and one of two subprefectures in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine re ...

Marriage of Louis XIV

Saint-Jean-de-Luz is known for its royal wedding connection. In 1659,

Cardinal Mazarin Cardinal Jules Mazarin (, also , , ; 14 July 1602 – 9 March 1661), born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino () or Mazarini, was an Italian cardinal, diplomat and politician who served as the chief minister to the Kings of France Louis XIII and Louis X ...

spent several months in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, from where he would embark on almost daily trips to

Pheasant Island Pheasant Island (french: Île des Faisans/Île de la Conférence, es, Isla de los Faisanes, eu, Konpantzia, ) is an uninhabited river island in the Bidasoa river, located between France and Spain, whose administration alternates between the ...

in the river

Bidassoa __NOTOC__ The Bidasoa (, ; french: Bidassoa, ) is a river in the Basque Country of northern Spain and southern France that runs largely south to north. Named as such downstream of the village of Oronoz-Mugairi (municipality of Baztan) in the pro ...

(near modern-day

Hendaye Hendaye (Basque language, Basque: ''Hendaia'')HENDAIA
Auñamendi Encyclopedia, Auñamendi Eusko Entz ...

) for Franco-Spanish meetings that resulted in the

Treaty of the Pyrenees The Treaty of the Pyrenees (french: Traité des Pyrénées; es, Tratado de los Pirineos; ca, Tractat dels Pirineus) was signed on 7 November 1659 on Pheasant Island, and ended the Franco-Spanish War that had begun in 1635. Negotiations were ...

, one clause of which was the marriage of

Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Vers ...

to Maria Theresa, the Infanta of Spain. Saint-Jean-de-Luz and its church were chosen to host the royal wedding on 9 June 1660. The marriage is one of the most important political marriages in history that brought an end to a bitter war. Today, visitors of the cathedral can see that the main door is bricked off. Two legends circulate this oddity: First, it has been said that the door the couple passed through was later closed to represent the closing of the troubles between France and Spain. A more popular theory among the locals is that the king, Louis XIV, ordered the door to be closed off, so no other couple could walk into the church to be married in his footsteps.

Peninsular War

The

Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of ...

set up his winter headquarters in the town during the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...

, 1813–14.

End of the nineteenth century

To the end of the nineteenth century, Saint-Jean-de-Luz became a popular beachside resort town for the surrounding high-society. Like Biarritz (called "The queen of the beaches, the beach of kings"), Saint-Jean-de-Luz was particularly appreciated by the French and Spanish aristocracy. By the early 1900s, it turned into the scene of

Carlist Carlism ( eu, Karlismo; ca, Carlisme; ; ) is a Traditionalism (Spain), Traditionalist and Legitimists (disambiguation), Legitimist political movement in Spain aimed at establishing an alternative branch of the House of Bourbon, Bourbon dynasty ...

conspiratorial activities. The composer

Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In ...

, a native of the nearby town of

Ciboure Ciboure (; ,ZIBURU

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, where he was centered for almost his entire life. Following

Marshal Pétain Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...

's call for an armistice on the outset of World War II, a coastal fringe of the Basque Country fell in the German occupation area. Before the agreement was enforced, a retreating Polish Army was evacuated from the town in mid June 1940.

Postwar

After 1945, some of the traditional fishing-based industries of the Fargeot district gradually disappeared, mainly by overfishing and competition from elsewhere. The change strengthened the transformation of the town towards more luxury and tourism industries. In Saint-Jean-de-Luz over 40% of dwellings of the town are second homes. Saint Jean de Luz 001

In the 1960s, the town expanded northwards (Avenue de l'Ocean) and also southwards in the direction of (the Urdazuri district). Since the 1970s, St Jean de Luz has been connected to

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...

to the north and Spain to the south by the motorway, and more recently by the TGV railway. St-Jean-de-Luz boasts extensive and attractive land and scenery, as well as a well-preserved coastline which has so far escaped urbanisation. Indeed, some of the Basque coast has seen a degree of development, but the area between Fort Socoa and the Abbadia nature reserve and castle remains well protected. Saint-Jean-de-Luz (RPS 14-09-2014) staircase

Saint-Jean-de-Luz (RPS 14-09-2014) staircase

Population

Cultural heritage

The town features a large number of residences built in the 17th and 18th centuries along the Quai de L'Infante, Rue Mazarin, Rue Gambetta and at the Place Louis XIV. In some respects this is testament to the families, shipowners and Basque merchants from this period. One of these, built alongside the Quai de L'Infante around 1640, is called the "Maison Joanoenea," and it is here that the Queen Mother,

Anne of Austria Anne of Austria (french: Anne d'Autriche, italic=no, es, Ana María Mauricia, italic=no; 22 September 1601 – 20 January 1666) was an infanta of Spain who became Queen of France as the wife of King Louis XIII from their marriage in 1615 unti ...

, stayed before the marriage of Louis XIV to Maria Theresa, the Infanta of Spain on 8 May 1660. The Infanta stayed there on 7 June. Locally this house is referred to as the "Maison de l'Infante", and it has become a popular tourist attraction and museum. A monument in the Verdun Square honours the memory of the fallen soldiers from

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, and another monument on the Quai L'Infante is dedicated to the resistance movement Orion. This second plaque commemorates the importance of the work of French escape networks which helped people evade capture in

Occupied France The Military Administration in France (german: Militärverwaltung in Frankreich; french: Occupation de la France par l'Allemagne) was an interim occupation authority established by Nazi Germany during World War II to administer the occupied zo ...

during World War II. Finally, there are some bunkers still visible along the coast. These formed part of the infamous

Atlantic Wall The Atlantic Wall (german: link=no, Atlantikwall) was an extensive system of coastal defences and fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the coast of continental Europe and Scandinavia as a defence against an anticip ...

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

defences against the anticipated

Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

invasion of Westen France. Some remains are still visible on the Santa-Barbe promenade.

Tourism

Nowadays, St-Jean-de-Luz depends strongly on tourism with safe clean beaches, notable high quality hotels and a seawater spa, swimming pools, a casino, golf courses and a conference centre that is under construction. The town also benefits from regional tourism, with many attracted by the pedestrian area full of shops open all year round. It also attracts a large number of visitors from Basque Country, Spain, or

Gipuzkoa Gipuzkoa (, , ; es, Guipúzcoa ; french: Guipuscoa) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. Its capital city is Donostia-San Sebastián. Gipuzkoa shares borders with the French depa ...

along with many from nearby

and the rest of southwestern France. The city is particularly attractive to retired people, many of whom come to settle there from other areas across France. Saint jean de luz - église

Many cultural and sporting events are held throughout the year. There are internships and public concerts of classical music organized by the Académie Ravel, usually in the auditorium of the same name. There is a film festival dedicated to young filmmakers, a surfing film festival and

Basque Pelota Basque pelota (Basque: '' pilota'', Spanish: '' pelota vasca'', French: '' pelote basque'') is the name for a variety of court sports played with a ball using one's hand, a racket, a wooden bat or a basket, against a wall (''frontis or fronton ...

championships.

The tradition of the Basque ‘Trials of Strength'

The origin of Basque Trials of Strength is found in the daily tasks carried out across the region. For centuries, young Basque farmers pitted themselves against each other in physical challenges. Labouring in the forests of the Basque country gave rise to the challenge known as ''aizkolariak'' (based on lumberjacks working with an ax or ''arpanariak''), as well as athletic sawing of tree stumps and wood. The construction of buildings, often based on large stones for the cathedrals and monasteries led to the development of the challenge known as ''arrijasotzaileak'' – literally those who lift stones. Several events originate from working in the fields, the best known of which is ''lastoaltxatzea'', the lifting of straw bales. This is done either using a pitchfork or a pulley, and is often organized in tandem with ''joko'' (cart-lifting), ''zakulasterka'' (individual relay or sack races), and ''untziketariak'', a race involving pitchers of milk. Also well-known is ''soka-shot'', or tug-of-war, which is an internationally recognised discipline celebrated in fourteen countries. During the summer, demonstrations of ''Force Basque'' are organised by the local Xiste organization, often at the main municipal arena in Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

Carnivals, festivals, and events

* Basque carnival of ''Ihauteriak'' held in February * Weekend Andalusian festival of Pentecost * Festival of ''Saint Jean'', patron saint of the city, held end of June * Tuna Festival held second Saturday of July along with the Amateur Tuna Festival * Sardine Night Festival – end of July and into August * Since 1953, the local Basque Yacht Club has organised an international Amateur Tuna Fishing Championship in August * Classical Music of the Basque Coast Festival in September with concerts and free master classes * Maurice Ravel International Academy of Music holds classes in first half of September * Rue de la République Festival organised by local merchants, third weekend in September * Young International Film Directors Festival each October * International Basque Choral Singing Festival Festival around Halloween (1 November)

Climate

Well known personalities connected to the town

;18th century * Joachim Labrouche, born 1769 in

Hendaye Hendaye (Basque language, Basque: ''Hendaia'')HENDAIA
Auñamendi Encyclopedia, Auñamendi Eusko Entz ...

died 1853 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, French political figure; ;19th century * John O'Byrne, Count O'Byrne, born 1834, died 1905 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz; * Tirso de Olazábal y Lardizábal, Count of Arbelaiz, born 1842 in

Irun Irun ( es, Irún, eu, Irun) is a town of the Bidasoaldea region in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Autonomous Community, Spain. History It lies on the foundations of the ancient Oiasso, cited as ...

, died 1921 in

San Sebastián San Sebastian, officially known as Donostia–San Sebastián (names in both local languages: ''Donostia'' () and ''San Sebastián'' ()) is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality located in the Basque Country (autonomous community), B ...

, a Spanish Carlist politician; *

Ernest William Hornung Ernest William Hornung (7 June 1866 – 22 March 1921) was an English author and poet known for writing the A. J. Raffles series of stories about a gentleman thief in late 19th-century London. Hornung was educated at Uppingham School; as ...

, born 1866 in

Middlesbrough Middlesbrough ( ) is a town on the southern bank of the River Tees in North Yorkshire, England. It is near the North York Moors national park. It is the namesake and main town of its local borough council area. Until the early 1800s, the a ...

( UK) died in 1921 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a British writer; *

Feodor Chaliapin Feodor Ivanovich Chaliapin ( rus, Фёдор Ива́нович Шаля́пин, Fyodor Ivanovich Shalyapin, ˈfʲɵdər ɪˈvanəvʲɪtɕ ʂɐˈlʲapʲɪn}; April 12, 1938) was a Russian opera singer. Possessing a deep and expressive bass v ...

, born 1873 in

Kazan Kazan ( ; rus, Казань, p=kɐˈzanʲ; tt-Cyrl, Казан, ''Qazan'', IPA: ɑzan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Volga and the Kazanka rivers, covering a ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

died in Paris in 1938, a famous singer who owned a villa in Sainte-Barbe; *

, born 1875 in the nearby town of

Ciboure Ciboure (; ,ZIBURU

Jesús Fernández Duro Jesus ( AD 30 or 33) was a Jewish preacher and religious leader who most Christians believe to be the incarnation of God and Muslims believe was a prophet. Jesus may also refer to: People Religious figures * Elymas Bar-Jesus, a Jew in the ''Act ...

, born 1878 in

La Felguera La Felguera is a parish of Langreo, and the most important district in the municipality of Langreo (Principality of Asturias) in northern Spain, with 21.000 inhabitants. It is located 18 minutes by car to Oviedo, the capital of Asturias. La Felg ...

(Spain), died 1906 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, noted flyer, received the Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur *

Pierre Etchebaster Pierre Etchebaster (8 December 1893 – 24 March 1980) was a French real tennis player, (in French ''jeu de paume''), the original List of sports#Racket sports, racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis is descended. Life Born in Sa ...

, born 1893 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz died 1980, seven times

Real Tennis Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original racquet sport from which the modern game of tennis (also called "lawn tennis") is derived. It is also known as court tennis in the United Sta ...

World Champion; *

Louis Paulhan Isidore Auguste Marie Louis Paulhan (; 19 July 1883 – 10 February 1963), was a French aviator. He is known for winning the first ''Daily Mail'' aviation prize for the first flight between London and Manchester in 1910. Biography Paulhan was b ...

, born 1883 in

Pézenas Pézenas (; Languedocien: ''Pesenàs'') is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Name The name "Pézenas" is derived from the older name ''Piscenae'', probably from the Latin word ''piscenis'', meaning fi ...

died 1963 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a French aviation pioneer; * Jean Sébédio, born 1890 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz died 1951 in

Carcassonne Carcassonne (, also , , ; ; la, Carcaso) is a French fortified city in the department of Aude, in the region of Occitanie. It is the prefecture of the department. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Carcassonne is located in the plain of the ...

, French rugby player who played for Tarbes and the French national side * André Pavlovsky, born 1891 in

died 1961 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, was a famous French architect; * Ramiro Arrue, born 1892 in

Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...

(Spain) died 1971 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a painter, illustrator, and ceramic designer whose work celebrated Basque culture; ;20th century * Julio Urquijo Ibarra, born 1871 in

Deusto Deusto, also known as Deustu in Basque and formerly known as ''San Pedro de Deusto'', is one of the eight districts of Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption ...

died 1950 in

, Basque linguist *

René Lacoste Jean René Lacoste was a French people, French tennis player and businessman. He was nicknamed "the Crocodile" because of how he dealt with his opponents; he is also known worldwide as the creator of the Lacoste polo shirt, tennis shirt, which h ...

, born 1904 in

died 1996 à Saint-Jean-de-Luz, French tennis champion; * José Antonio Aguirre, born 1904 in

Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...

, died 1960 in

buried in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, leading Basque politician and political figure; * William Biehn, born

Metz Metz ( , , lat, Divodurum Mediomatricorum, then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers. Metz is the prefecture of the Moselle department and the seat of the parliament of the Grand E ...

in 1911 and died in Saint-Jean-de-Luz in 1997 a painter specialising in Orientalist art; *

Michel Etcheverry Michel Etcheverry (16 December 1919 – 30 March 1999) was a French actor. First a teacher, he was fired in 1941 for refusing to make the Maréchal children sing, here we come! . He began his career in the theater as a stage manager, then joined ...

, born 1919 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz died 1999 in Paris, French actor; * Jean Diharce, born 1920 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a Basque poet with the pseudonym ''Iratzeder'' *

Marie Sabouret Marie Sabouret (31 January 1924 – 23 July 1960) was a French stage and film actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or i ...

, born 1924 in

La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle''; oc, La Rochèla ) is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department. With ...

died 1960 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a French actress * Franz Duboscq, born 1924 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, French politician * Jacques Pavlovsky, born 1931 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a French photographer * Charles Ducasse, born 1932 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a French footballer; * Philippe Ogouz, born 1939 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, French actor and director *

Miguel Boyer Miguel Boyer (5 February 1939 – 29 September 2014) was a Spanish economist and politician, who served as minister of economy, treasury and commerce from 1982 to 1985. Early life and education Boyer was born in St. Jean de Luz, France, on 5 F ...

, born 1939 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, economist and Spanish politician; *

Michèle Alliot-Marie Michèle Yvette Marie-Thérèse Jeanne Honorine Alliot-Marie (; born 10 September 1946), known in France as MAM, is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from France. She is a member of the Republicans, part of the Eur ...

, born 1946 in

Villeneuve-le-Roi Villeneuve-le-Roi () is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. The early 19th-century French orientalist Jean-Baptiste Rousseau (1780–1831) was born in Villeneuve-le-Roi on the boat that arr ...

, French politician who was Mayor of Saint-Jean-de-Luz from 1995 to 2002; *

André Darrieussecq André Darrieussecq (4 June 1947 – 31 July 2020) was a French rugby union player who played in the prop position. Biography Darrieussecq began his career with his hometown team, Saint-Jean-de-Luz Olympique. From 1968 to 1977, he played with Bi ...

, born 1947 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a French rugby player who played for Saint-Jean-de-Luz Olympique Rugby and the French national side; *

Sophie Audouin-Mamikonian Sophie Audouin-Mamikonian (born August 24, 1961 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France) is a French writer and author of young adult fantasy books, including the popular ''Tara Duncan'' series. Like in most of the countries which are not kingdom anymore ( ...

, born 1961 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, author of the famous French book series about heroine ''Tara Duncan'', followed by young people and translated into many languages; * Jean-Marie Ecay, born 1962 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, guitarist; * Laurence Ostolaza, born 1967 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, television journalist *

Zacarias Moussaoui Zacarias Moussaoui (Arabic: زكريا موسوي, '; born May 30, 1968) is a French member of al-Qaeda who pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court to conspiring to kill citizens of the United States as part of the September 11 attacks. He is serv ...

(born 1968), terrorist convicted in

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...

Bixente Lizarazu Bixente Jean-Michel Lizarazu (, born 9 December 1969) is a French former professional footballer who played as a left back for Bordeaux and Bayern Munich, among other teams. He also had 97 caps for the France national team. In a twelve-year i ...

, born 1969 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, French footballer and a winner of a World Cup with the French national side in 1998; *

Anne-Sophie Lapix Anne-Sophie Lapix (born 29 April 1972 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Pyrénées-Atlantiques) is a French journalist and television presenter mainly for the French news program on France 2. She used to deputise for Claire Chazal, presenting the evening ne ...

, born 1972 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, journalist and French TV presenter; *

Sandrine Mendiburu Sandrine Mendiburu (born 15 October 1972) is a retired French professional golfer. In 1999 Mendiburu recorded back-to-back wins on the Ladies European Tour, winning the Donegal Irish Ladies' Open in a four-way a playoff and Ladies Hannover Ex ...

, born 1973 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, professional golfer * Frédéric Aranzueque-Arrieta, born 1975 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, author and essayist writing about Franco-Spanish affairs; * Yoan Anthian, born 1979 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a rugby player who has represented the Armenian national side; *

Patxi Garat Patxi is a male given name in the Basque language area in northern Spain and south-west France, but more commonly a nickname for those officially named Francisco (or François in the French zone, ultimately cognates of Francis); the original Basque ...

, born 1981 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a French author, writer and performer discovered on the French TV version of Star Academy

Points of interest

Jardin botanique littoral Paul Jovet The Jardin botanique littoral Paul Jovet (2.5 hectares) is a nonprofit botanical garden located at 31, avenue Bernoville Gaëtan, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Aquitaine, France. It is open several days per week in the warmer months; an ...

* Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Saint-Jean-de-Luz

References

External links

Tourist office website

Le Festival International des Jeunes Réalisateurs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saintjeandeluz Labourd Communes of Pyrénées-Atlantiques Fishing communities Port cities and towns on the French Atlantic coast