Bayonne Festival 2027
Five days of music, bandas and red-and-white dress: the French Basque Country’s biggest summer celebration.
What happens
The Fêtes de Bayonne have been held since 1932. Everyone wears white with a red neckerchief. King Léon opens the festivities from the town hall balcony. For five days, banda bands play across the town, with processions, concerts, Basque pelota and courses de vaches, games with young cows in which the animals are not killed. The centre is very crowded at weekends and quieter on weekdays.
Accommodation in Bayonne and Biarritz is booked months in advance for these dates. You can combine the festival with Basque food, Espelette and Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
Where
all of central Bayonne in the Basque Country: Petit Bayonne and Grand Bayonne on either side of the River Nive.
Open map ↗Schedule
| from Wednesday 14 to Sunday 18 July 2027, as announced by the town. | Opening on Wednesday evening, with daytime processions, concerts and Basque pelota, night-time festivities and a children’s day. |
Getting there
- from Paris, take a TGV from Gare Montparnasse to Bayonne, about 4 hours.
- Biarritz Airport is 15 minutes away.
- Cars are not allowed in the centre; parking areas with shuttle buses are available.
Tickets and admission
the street celebrations are free; check the official website for 2027 access conditions to the festival zone. Concerts and bullfights are paid.
Tips
- dress like everyone else, in white with a red neckerchief and sash.
- Look for accommodation in Biarritz or Anglet; Bayonne is fully booked six months in advance.
- Evenings are very crowded and noisy; daytime is better with children.