In the foothills of the Pyrenees, 30 minutes from Biarritz, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is a popular stop on the Camino de Santiago. The king of Navarre built a fortress on a hill above the Nive river in the 12th century, and the village grew around it. Saint-Jean became a thriving commercial centre, a military stronghold and religious site. Its history can be seen in its architecture: the 17th-century citadel; the 13th-century ramparts; rue d’Espagne, lined with artisans’ and traders’ houses; and the gothic Nôtre-Dame du Bout du Pont. The 14th-century prison is a museum.
