On the occasion of the 16th edition of the National Tourism & Disability Days which take place throughout the month of April, and as part of our commitment to making Bidart welcoming for all, we offer you our suggestions for accessible sites.
You may already know the 1st version of our Bidart Accessible guide published in 2023, discover a preview of our new 2024 products! This initiative is possible thanks to our great partners Timothée, who suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and his mother Julie, a trader in Bidart. They share their experiences with us in Bidart and the Basque Country.
In Bidart
The savior square Atchoarena
First of all, for parking, you can easily park in one of the free PMR spaces in the Petit Fronton de Bidart car park. You will thus be in the heart of the city center, fully accessible with its triptych formation: church, pediment, and town hall. Just behind, passing in front of the Koskenia hostel, we find the Pili Tafernaberry square offering a breathtaking view of the Pyrenees. Want to sip a drink on the terrace or enjoy some tapas? The restaurants on the square are also accessible! Find the list of accessible restaurants in the digital version of our “Bidart accessible” Guide by just clicking - here -
You are interested by a guided tour? Please note that we offer guided tours on Wednesdays (during school holidays) by reservation (directly at the Tourist Office or by telephone). Don't forget to tell us if you have reduced mobility so that we can adapt it.
Artisanal sites
Because the pleasure of learning more and more should be accessible to everyone, discover two artisanal sites accessible in Bidart:
Entertainment
Bidart is full of local and free events all year round. Come stroll around the square during our 4 seasons market every Saturday morning. During the season, we extend the time with our farmers' market on Tuesday mornings for foodies or the night market on Thursdays for lovers of artisanal creations. Do you want to discover Basque culture? THE Mutxiko (Basque dances) take place every second Sunday of the month, and Bidaten Kantuz (Basque song choir) take place every first Saturday of the month. During the summer period, other singing and dancing events are offered.
In summer, we get active!
Don't miss the unmissable Basque strength festival at the Grand Fronton every Monday at 21 p.m. (paying), the Grand Chistera "Pilotari Master" tournament on Tuesdays and Fridays at 21 p.m. (paying), as well as the bare hand tournament (free ) at the small fronton of the square on weekends in the morning. The street show “Place aux artistes” also takes place every Wednesday evening with free access with artists from all over Europe.
At the beach
Uhabia is the beach labeled “Handiplage”. 3 parking spaces are available on the left of the beach parking lot Two tiralos are available on online booking from July 1st and allow access to swimming in complete safety thanks to the mat installed on the sand. On the surfing side, six surf schools have the “HandiSurf” label and offer specific lessons. Find all the information in our accessible guide.
Accommodations
Many accommodations in the town have accessible rentals, including studios, rooms, mobile homes, etc.
We give you a small list (non-exhaustive) of some accessible accommodation tested and validated by our super guide Timothée 😊:
- Sleep at Fasthotel at Laurent, with its two PMR rooms, one of which communicates with a second bedroom (non-PMR).
– Drop off your suitcases at the Inn Koskenia, right in the town center. From the PMR room which can accommodate 3 people, you will wake up every morning with a majestic view of the Pyrenees and the ocean!
– Want a studio? You have the possibility to come and stay at the hotel and apartments Goxoki. Located near the town center, Place de Bidart can be directly accessed (5-10 minutes by electric wheelchair, not recommended for manual wheelchairs).
Other accommodation also offers rooms accessible to PRMs. We are in the testing and validation phase with Timothée. We will communicate them to you soon, just a little more patience!
In the Basque Country
Many sites and activities are accessible in the Basque Country, we invite you to discover some of them!
Traveling in the Basque Country with TXIK TXAK
The Txik Txak public transport network gives you the possibility of traveling by bus over a large part of the Basque Country. An access ramp allows you to enter the bus. The price is the same as other users. The accompanying person travels for free as long as the person with reduced mobility holds the Mobility Inclusion Card.
Also, you can travel via the TPMR (Transport of Persons with Reduced Mobility) service of the Txik txak Bus network if the reservation was made no later than 18 p.m. the day before the trip.
Reservation by calling 05 47 75 76 64.
Attend a rugby match
Are you tempted by a rugby match? Come and watch the Aviron Bayonnais matches (contact at billeterie.sanderson@abrugby.fr ) or Biarritz Olympique (contact at billetterie@bopb.eu ), the two main clubs in the Basque Country.
Walk in the forest in Chiberta
You can also walk in the pretty, welcoming and preserved Chiberta forest in Anglet. It has many greenways that can be used all year round.
Freshen your head on the summit of La Rhune
Take to the skies with the little Rhune train, accessible in a manual wheelchair, and enjoy a unique panorama of the coast and the Basque Country!
Please note: to get on the train there are 2 steps of around thirty centimeters each.
Take a trip to Hondarribia
You also have the possibility of taking a trip to Hondarribia (Hondarribia in Basque) by crossing the Bidasoa (the river which separates Hendaye from Spain) aboard the boat Marie-Louise. Access is to the Hendaye marina. The boat crossing is accessible with a manual wheelchair and an electric wheelchair only at high tide.
To obtain more information for your vacation in Bidart, we invite you to consult our “Bidart Accessible” guide ou more of our other blog articles on organizing your accessible stay.
