This week we did what you do when you live on the Spanish-French border: we took a quick day trip to Hendaye, a small beach town right across the frontera. It takes about twenty minutes in car from Donostia. Leaving the city, you pass the centros comerciales, then you are briefly in the countryside before you hit Irún, cross a bridge, and then find yourself in France.

Upon arriving, we got down to the first order of business: eating. We sat in a small cafe in the center of Hendaye-Plage. The food was simple, fresh, and delicious.

mille fuielle des tomates et mozzarella au pistou avec jambon serrano

assortiment des beignets façon "tapas" with tigres, calamari, cod croquettes, and fried shrimp

The beach at Hendaye is extremely wide, and across the inlet you can see the hills of Spain. Hendaye is also reachable from Hondarribia, by ferry.

When in France....CHAMPAGNE! A perfect summer day is a cold glass of champagne at two o'clock in a beachside French cafe, I think.

 

 

This is gateau Basque, which our waitress translated to English as "cake from here". Of course, it really means Basque cake, and it's a traditional pastry from the south of France (or north of Euskal Herria, depending on how you look at things). They are filled cakes, featuring pastry cream, black cherry jam, or another flavor baked into the center. Yum. Perfect any time of day, but especially after a leisurely two hour lunch in Hendaye.