Fetes de Bayonne - France

Little did we know that, following San Sebastian, our journey would lead us straight to the epicentre of France's grandest festival, Fetes de Bayonne. We were astounded at our luck in finding a remarkable place to stay amid all the action, the beautiful Hôtel Villa KOEGUI Bayonne.

Welcome to Bayonne, the proud host of the Fêtes de Bayonne, a vibrant festival spanning five days, with our arrival coinciding with its grand finale! This was going to be fun!! Like most destinations, our travel strategy usually involves looking at the map and choosing a midway point to our final destination to cut down on travel time, making Bayonne an ideal pit stop en route to Bordeaux.

As we approached the city by bus, we were greeted by a wave of festival attendees, all uniformly dressed in red and white, mingling throughout the city. Originating in the 1980s, this dress code was inspired by the city of Pamplona's colours, boasting approximately 3 million participants over the festival's five-day duration. The city transforms into a pedestrian zone, with entry tickets required for access.

The atmosphere was electric across the bridge as we navigated the buzzing crowds. Eager to dive into the festivities, our first order of business was hotel check-in and outfit planning—a challenge given our limited wardrobe options, but we had a plan!

Soon, outfitted appropriately, we were at the gates, ready to buy our entry bracelets, scouring for those iconic red scarves and belts. The unity in theme across the festival was breathtaking, earning our absolute admiration.

The inaugural "Fêtes de Bayonne," or "The Big Summer Festival," took place on July 13, 1932, initiated by a group of Aviron Bayonnais rugby team friends. Inspired by Pamplona's San Fermin celebrations (notably the Running of the Bulls), they wanted to bring a similar vibrancy to Bayonne.

We navigated the crowds and strolled around, taking in the joy, singing and laughter amongst all the people; their energy was infectious.

We would pause to listen to the performances of street musicians and artists entertaining the crowds until a quaint fromagerie Christophe Fromager beckoned us to pull up a pew, inviting us to unwind with wine and delectable cheeses amidst the drunken revelry of festival-goers, some impressively still on their feet five days in, although admittedly a few weren't upright.

Next, we ventured to the arena for the bull runs; we quickly realised we weren't the only ones with that plan. Deciding to skip the long ticket line, we plunged back into the festive melee, exploring the myriad events, stages, and nightly fireworks that dotted the city, from joyous rides and games on the bridge to the DJ-saturated parks and squares.

We found ourselves a cute little bar to escape the heat and crowds for a G&T. All establishments were serving from reusable glasses provided by the festival, which you could return and receive a few Euros refund; we were proud of the festival's eco-consciousness. Our quest for food led us to scout the food trucks, along with everyone else, to score a hotdog and frites, which led us into the nightly parade, a delightful spectacle of floats, dancing and confetti throwing.

The night unfolded with more dancing and bar-hopping the makeshift bars, grateful for the opportunity to immerse in the rich culture and traditions of enchanting Bayonne.

Watching the city return to its calm demeanour post-festival was fascinating. There was a tremendous amount of cleanup, aided by fortunate weather, and the rain gods quickly erased the lingering traces of the past days' festivities.

We enjoyed relaxing and roaming the town for a few days to discover her true self and architectural brilliance. Bayonne has etched a permanent mark on our hearts with its unique charm and festivities.