Espelette (Pyrénées-Atlantiques)

Espelette (Ezpeleta in Basque) is a French commune located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

Historically and culturally, Espelette is part of the province of Labourd, one of the seven territories comprising the Basque Country (not to be confused with the Basque Community). The commune is located in the Lapurdi Garaia (Haut-Labourd) area, in the south of this territory.

The commune is also part of the Cambo-les-Bains catchment area. It borders Spain (Navarre) to the south via a quadripoint. The neighboring communes are Ainhoa, Baztan, Itxassou, Larressore, Souraïde, and Ustaritz.

Economy

Espelette pepper (ezpeletako biperra in Basque) is an agricultural product. It is a specific pepper (Capsicum annuum, varieties under the name Gorria) grown in the Basque Country, particularly in Espelette. These designations of origin are preserved through the European Union’s “Protected Designation of Origin” system when used commercially. It is the only spice to benefit from this label in France.

In addition to a strong agricultural focus, the town also has a tanning industry.

The town is home to the Baskalia cheese company, which is one of the top fifty agri-food companies in the department. Espelette is part of the Ossau-Iraty appellation area.

Tourism

The Barons of Ezpeleta had a castle built around the year 1000. Baroness Juliana Henriquez died without descendants in 1694, and bequeathed the castle to the inhabitants of Espelette. In 1997, an archaeological survey on its outskirts, in the form of trench surveys, revealed the remains of a late medieval fortress. These remains are in fact those of a vast enclosure flanked by 5 towers, in the shape of an irregular polygon which, it seems, extended over the entire district. The corner tower was listed as a Historic Monument in 1937 and the entire castle in 1993. It houses permanent exhibitions.

Saint Etienne church dates back to the 17th century. It was listed as a historical monument in 1925 and is considered one of the most beautiful in the Basque Country, with a dungeon bell tower, a Renaissance portal, three floors of galleries, and a 17th-century altarpiece. A cemetery of disc-shaped steles has been created near the church to preserve our heritage and pay tribute to our ancestors.

Transport

The city does not have a train station. However, the city is served by line 40 (Espelette-Bayonne) with a frequency of 2 hours. The trip takes 45 minutes and costs €1.40.