Bidache brings together a range of travel interests: the architectural history of the Château, the Jewish cemetery, activities along the Bidouze and the Marché Charnegou, which takes place on a set date each month. As a starting point for finding a hotel in Bidache, you might first consider whether you are mainly planning to explore heritage, go cycling and watch birds, or spend a morning at the market.
The Château and Bidache stone
The ruins of the Château de Bidache were classified as a historic monument by decree on 6 May 1942. The entrance features a classical-style portal dating from the late 17th century, between two round towers that probably date back to the 14th century. The portal and towers therefore represent architectural elements from different periods: the portal is attributed to the late 17th century, while the towers are probably older.
Bidache stone also offers insight into local materials: it is very hard limestone with flint veins, known by quarry workers as “la tigne.” Alongside the Château’s architecture, this is another aspect of the area’s heritage, this time focusing on the rock and its name.
Jewish cemetery and heritage trail
At the Jewish cemetery in Bidache, the ground, subsoil, entrance gate and surrounding wall have been listed in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments since 26 September 1995. Today, the cemetery has 94 visible tombstones that can be visited. These listed features and the tombstones offer different points of interest if you want to include a heritage focus in your visit.
Signs on each building mark the Bidache heritage trail; you can get a map from the tourist office. The self-guided visit takes 60 minutes. Another activity of the same duration is Terra Aventura – Têtu comme un Bidachot: a free, easy, one-hour geocaching activity. A paper version of the route is also available from the tourist office. This gives you a choice of two activities of similar length but with different focuses: the heritage trail or geocaching. Activity details may change, so check them before making plans.
The Bidouze, the market and the swimming pool
The paved path along the Bidouze is reserved for walking and travel by two-wheeled vehicles. It is suitable for family cycling and birdwatching in the wetlands of the Bidouze Valley. This offers a different focus from visiting historic buildings or taking part in the geocaching activity: here, the emphasis is on activity and observing nature.
The Marché Charnegou takes place in the morning on the second Saturday of each month and brings together local craftspeople and producers. If you plan to visit the market, schedule your visit for that date and check the date before travelling. This lets you distinguish the timing of a market visit from activities listed as taking one hour.
The Piscine de Bidache has a large pool measuring 25 metres long and 10 metres wide, with a depth of 1.10 to 2.20 metres. The small pool measures 8 by 8 metres and is 0.30 to 0.70 metres deep; there is also a grassy relaxation area. The small pool is therefore significantly shallower than the large one. If water depth is important to your plans, you can compare the two pools using these details. Check the facilities before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Geüs-D'oloron, Macaye, Mouguerre, Aren, Coarraze, Morlaàs, Carresse-Cassaber, Arzacq-Arraziguet.
For the broader travel overview: Pyrenees-Atlantiques.
