Soule: the Basque summer begins with the Tourist Office

IN BRIEF

Launch of the summer season in Soule by the Basque Country Tourist Office
New for 2025: better web visibility for activities and providers
Start of an immersive experience at the fortified castle of Mauléon with the game “Matalaz and the musketeer”
Opening of the Dantzan space dedicated to Souletine dance in Barcus
Numerous outdoor activities: hiking, mountain biking, pelota basque, caving, canyoning
Visits to local farms and culinary workshops (chocolate, pastries, regional products)
Support for local gastronomy and promotion of short supply chains with the Tokikoa label
Richness of traditional markets and gourmet events every week
Implementation of public transport solutions to facilitate the discovery of the region

With the arrival of summer, Soule inaugurates its tourist season under the sign of discovery, local gastronomy, and cultural innovations. Under the leadership of the Basque Country Tourist Office, new projects are emerging, with a particular focus on historical immersion, outdoor experiences, and a renewed highlighting of the region’s gastronomic riches. In this context, Barcus and the recently taken-over inn Chez Pitxe serve as a symbolic backdrop for this launch, bringing together tourism professionals, restaurateurs, and local stakeholders to unveil a promising season in the interior of the Basque Country.

Launch of the season in Barcus

The kick-off of the summer season brought together many local stakeholders in Barcus, at the inn Chez Pitxe, symbolizing the new dynamic instigated by the takeover of the establishment by Mikael and Angélique. This event, orchestrated by the Basque Country Tourist Office, marks a commitment to enhancing the visibility of professionals in the sector and optimizing the online presence of providers and activities, ensuring better attractiveness. Jean Otazu, the office director, presented the new developments for 2025 while recalling the importance of the foundational work done during the winter.

Immersive experiences and revisited heritage

The season is enriched by a new immersive adventure within the walls of the fortified castle of Mauléon. The experience called “Matalaz and the Musketeer” invites residents and visitors to embark on an interactive historical intrigue, where the escape of priest Matalaz, initiator of a revolt in 1661, becomes the central thread of a playful journey through the monument, guided by a dedicated application. This innovation illustrates the desire to amplify the region’s heritage tourism potential.

Highlighting local traditions

The pastoral occupies a prominent place with the creation “Ürrats Kolektiboak,” performed several times this summer in Barcus. The Dantzan mediation space, integrated into the third place Barkoxe Bizi, offers an immersion in Souletine dance, anchoring Basque culture at the heart of modernity. Moreover, the initiations to pelota basque, culinary workshops, and marked hikes invite participants to experience the richness of living heritage.

Outdoor activities for everyone

The Soule territory offers a multitude of outdoor activities suitable for all ages and levels: hiking on marked trails, mountain biking with the Pôle Xiberoa, water activities, fishing, caving, or canyoning. The treasure hunts in Euskara via the Tèrra Aventura app in Mauléon, Tardets, Larrau, and Iraty provide fun family adventures, coupled with the discovery of natural heritage. To prolong the exploration, visits to farms, notably the Uhartia duck farm in Barcus, or chocolate workshops are available.

Local flavors and gourmet markets

Basque gastronomy shines through the Tokikoa initiative, which promotes local dining made from certified products: AOP, organic farming, Idoki farmer label, IGP, while favoring short supply chains. The traditional markets of Tardets and Mauléon, complemented by events such as the gourmet markets in Haute-Ville and the Écopiknik in Tardets, have become popular rendezvous points. Highlights include the market of female farmers in Arrast and the farm festival at Gohetxia, illustrating attachment to conviviality and the promotion of local produce.

Mobility and new transport routes

Aware of environmental issues, the region promotes soft mobility through the strengthening of the public transport network. The 66 Txik Txak line, connecting Tardets to Iraty via remarkable sites like Holzarte, will operate from July to August at an attractive price. At the same time, a new Chéraute – Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port line complements the transport offerings, while the attendance figures for the Tardets-Bayonne line attest to the growing enthusiasm for environmentally-friendly transport modes in the Basque Country.

Resources for further exploration

To better prepare for your stay or to learn more about the evolutions of tourism in the Basque Country, several online resources are available: discover the reasons for the recent decline in regional visitation in this explanatory article, find suggestions for summer visits in this guide, and explore the starred restaurants in the area via this selection. For outdoor enthusiasts, Anglet offers its must-dos to discover via this link. Finally, to enhance the travel experience, many smartphone applications are listed here.