Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

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There is a train, it is more or less direct and takes 4 hours.
The reason I say more or less is that you need to change at Hendaye (Irun) because the tracks in Spain are different from France.

Here's a blog about a trip from Paris to San Sebastian (the Paris train stops in Bordeaux Saint Jean), good tips on restaurants and hotels plus the last part gives details about the train:

https://davidlebovitz.substack.com/p/sa ... email=true

That said, I did read somewhere that there will be direct trains linking France and Spain but I think they link Madrid to Marseille.

Ah ok thanks J that’s good to know, I’ve never traveled across borders in Europe.

rome2rio.com is a great resource for this type of inquiry.

https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Bordeaux/D ... sti%C3%A1n

Jim,

We rented a car at the airport. Visited Alex then headed out and back for Tim's 50th celebration. Autoroute fabulous to travel on once you're out of Bordeaux. Biarritz along the way also a nice stop. We also toured Rioja en route but you may be pressed for time knowing your schedule.

The train stop at Hendye is pretty simple - you have to cross over to a different platform though it’s pretty simple and you can book tickets in advance if you want.

Another alternative is a Flix bus - we used it last year but I’d take the train in preference.

I visited San Sebastian twice, April 2019 and 2022, just after the end of primeur week in Bordeaux

Yes, the easiest way is to take the train from Paris or Bordeaux St. Jean, and 1st class is a must.

Like Claudius2 says, you leave Hendaye station, go 100 meters, then go to Basque station, buy a ticket at the counter, and step on the local train. It takes around 45 minutes to reach Amara train station and from there, it's a 10-15 walk to many hotels. Hotels in San Sebastian are not cheap. It's a beautiful, incredibly friendly city, and has amazing food quality.

The pintxos tour in the old town is a must, and there is a great opportunity to choose your favorite place to eat pintxos. One of my favorite places is Beti Jai Berria. I can recommend the excellent Ikaitz with local food and Spanish wines among restaurants.

If your wallet has big money notes, you can try the expensive restaurant outside San Sebastian, Martin Beratasegui. It's a mind-boggling experience.

Remember to purchase the Spanish specialty, a mouth-melting bellota ham from black pigs.

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Few more pictures:

Mmmm thanks.

The autoroute from Bordeaux is fastest, but full of trucks so not easy to drive.
The wine list at Rekondo is fantastic and very well priced. The food is solid. The pintxos tour is a must.

Been a decade since Ive been there. Got to visit Arzak and Etxebarri. Get a heavy dose of tapas and Txakoli.

Guys
If you need a tour guide in San Sebastián, let me know as we have a good friend who lives there.

For food, you must try the Turbot - it is a local specialty and quite delicious with a Galician Alborino or a white Burgundy.

Cheers
Mark