Hendaye is the last town in France before Spain, just across the bay from Hondarribia. We stayed there for two nights at the end of December 2019, on a four-day Basque Country road trip with Damian (6), Marc (3), my parents and my sister’s family. We spent the days in Spain and the nights in France, which was a new feeling for us.
We picked Hendaye for practical reasons: an apartment cheaper than anything comparable in San Sebastián, close to the airport we were flying home from. It turned out to be one of the nicest parts of the trip.
Quick answers
- Why stay in Hendaye? It’s cheaper than San Sebastián, 5 minutes from Hondarribia and about 25 minutes’ drive from San Sebastián.
- The beach: Ondarraitz, about 3 km of sand with gentle waves near the shore and surfers further out. We were there on Christmas morning.
- Without a car: the Topo train runs to San Sebastián in about 35 minutes, and a small boat crosses to Hondarribia in about 7 minutes.
- With kids: a flat seafront promenade, the marina, and Basque-style villas to walk past.
Where to stay in Hendaye with kids: our top 3
An apartment in Hendaye – we rented one by the bay, with a kitchen and a view of Hondarribia, for less than San Sebastián.
Serge Blanco Hôtel Thalasso & Spa – on the marina at the end of Ondarraitz beach, with a thalasso pool for rainy days.
Parador de Hondarribia – a castle inside the old walls, 7 minutes across the bay by boat.
Why we stayed in Hendaye instead of San Sebastián
Our apartment was about 500 m from the Spanish border and about a kilometre from San Sebastián airport, with a view over the bay to Hondarribia. It had a kitchen, it was cheaper than anything similar in San Sebastián, and from there Zumaia, San Sebastián and Hondarribia were all easy day trips. With eight of us and three small kids, a kitchen and space mattered more than an address. Our whole route is in the Basque Country with kids.
From my years working with hotels: border towns are almost always better value than the famous city next door, because demand (and price) concentrates in the name people search for. Hendaye is a textbook case.
Ondarraitz beach on Christmas morning
On our last morning, 25 December, we went straight to the beach. Ondarraitz is a long sandy beach, about 3 km, that works for families and surfers alike. Even on Christmas Day there were surfers out catching waves, and we loved watching them. Behind it runs a long seafront promenade, easy with pushchairs and scooters.
Things to do in Hendaye with kids
The seafront and the marina
The modern part of Hendaye runs along the beach: the marina on the bay side, the hotels, the casino and the Serge Blanco thalasso centre (named after one of France’s great rugby players). It’s an easy walk with kids, with cafés along the way.
The cliffs and the coastal path
At the far end of the beach, the coast turns to cliffs, with the same striped flysch rock formations you see at Zumaia, and an easy coastal path to see them. We loved watching them. With small kids, keep to the paths and away from the edge.
Neo-Basque villas
Walking back to the car, we went through the streets of houses behind the beach. Hendaye is full of Basque-style villas, with white walls and red or green timber, and is known as the birthplace of the “neo-Basque” style.
The boat to Hondarribia
We drove, but there’s a small passenger boat across the bay between Hendaye and Hondarribia. It takes about 7 minutes, runs all year (with shorter hours in winter), and costs about €2 one way. With kids, the boat is a day out in itself. Our day on the other side: Hondarribia with kids.
Getting from Hendaye to San Sebastián
- By car: about 25 minutes. Parking in San Sebastián is the hard part: we used an underground car park by the seafront, and it was busy even in December.
- By Topo train: the Euskotren “Topo” leaves from next to Hendaye station, runs every half hour, and takes about 35 minutes. A single is €2.90 (check before you go), and children under 6 travel free.
Our guide to the city: San Sebastián with kids.
Is Hendaye worth it with kids?
As a base for the Basque coast, yes, especially in winter, when it’s quiet and much cheaper than San Sebastián. On its own it’s a small resort town for a beach morning and a walk, not a two-day destination. In summer, its long, flat beach makes it one of the easiest family beaches on this coast.
Planning the Basque coast? Compare apartments and hotels in Hendaye →
Hendaye with kids: FAQ
Is Hendaye a good base for visiting San Sebastián?
Yes. We stayed in Hendaye for two nights because it was cheaper than San Sebastián. The city is about 25 minutes away by car or 35 minutes on the Topo train, and Hondarribia is 5 minutes away.
Is Hendaye beach good for kids?
Yes. Ondarraitz is a long sandy beach of about 3 km, with a flat promenade behind it. Surfers use the waves further out, and we spent Christmas morning there watching them.
How do you get from Hendaye to San Sebastián without a car?
Take the Euskotren Topo from next to Hendaye station. It runs every half hour and takes about 35 minutes. Children under 6 travel free.
Is there a boat from Hendaye to Hondarribia?
Yes. A small passenger boat crosses the bay in about 7 minutes. It runs all year, with shorter hours in winter, and costs about €2 one way.
It looks like you spent a beautiful day together, what a gorgeous place to go see!
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Agree, the place is very quiet and people are amazing
Your kids are fortunate to travel so much!
Author
Agree! But, just yesterday, our older son told me that we are not traveling enough ahahaha
Hendaye is a place I have never heard of. It certainly looks beautiful! Awesome photos!
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Me neither, till we had to stay there while visiting Basque Country
IT looks like a beautiful place to visit!
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It really is, we enjoyed walking by the bay of Hendaye
Those skies are beautiful! It looks like a relaxing place to visit. Especially for those of us looking to get a little escape from the bleary gray winter skies.
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Yeah, for sure, this blue-sky town is a good place to escape from a winter routine.
I would love to do this. Your travel adventures are always so fun to read about! It is a dream of mine to travel Europe and some of it’s surrounding countries someday.
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I am sure you will enjoy your travels in Europe
What a beautiful town! I love finding places like this.
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I love finding such places as well
Really pretty. The structure of the buildings. Nice place to add to my bucket list.
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agree, it is a stunning place to enjoy
It sounds like a lovely place to visit. When we were in Spain, I wanted to visit San Sebastian because of restaurants and history.
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San Sebastian is an amazing place to visit too
That looks like a gorgeous getaway. The beach view looks beautiful.
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it is indeed an amazing place to stay and enjoy
This looks like such a beautiful place to visit. I can’t wait to travel with my kids.
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it is a lovely place to come with kids
What a neat place to visit! It looks beautiful, and a fun place to explore.
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Kids loved the place, and we enjoyed the beautiful scenary
WOW it looks so beautiful. France really has some stunning places!
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Agree! France is like Spain, lots of stunning places to visit.
Happy to know that you enjoyed your stay at Hendaye. Love the neo-basque architecture of their houses. It would be nice to see the rock formations too. Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience.
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Yes, the place is beautiful, and for kids it is just perfect