Self-Launched: Pyrenees to Toulouse — Basque Country, Pau & the Pink City

Fly or train into Biarritz (BIQ airport is a 10-minute bus ride or 30-45 min walk from the centre; Line 11 bus costs about £1.50). If arriving from the UK, the cheapest route is usually a budget flight to Biarritz or Bordeaux plus a TER train, or Eurostar to Paris then TGV to Bayonne/Hendaye and a local TER to Biarritz. Check into a hostel or budget hotel near the Grande Plage or in the Saint-Charles quarter, then spend the late afternoon on the beach and the Rocher de la Vierge headland. Grab pintxos and a glass of Irouléguy at a bar in Les Halles' surrounding streets for dinner.

🚌Airport bus Line 11 (~£1.50) or walk; local buses around town

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Biarritz (dorm £25-35, private twin from £60-80)

• →Beach walk at Grande Plage and Rocher de la Vierge
• →Evening pintxos around Les Halles

Start early at Les Halles market in Biarritz — the covered market runs daily, and the covered hall is liveliest on weekend mornings. Then do the countryside loop independently: take the TER train from Biarritz to Bayonne (about 10 mins, ~£2) and connect by TER to Cambo-les-Bains, or use the Txik Txak regional bus network (line 45/811) toward Espelette. In Espelette, book a farm visit and tasting at L'Atelier du Piment directly by phone/email or drop in on the day (~£8-12 per person) — you'll see the pepper drying racks, learn about AOP Espelette harvesting and taste piment-flavoured charcuterie and chocolate. Have lunch in the village (try poulet basquaise, ~£12-15). In the afternoon take the bus or TER to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the medieval citadel and start of the Camino Francés — walk the ramparts and Rue de la Citadelle for free. Return to Biarritz on the evening TER via Bayonne.

🚌TER train Biarritz–Bayonne–Cambo (~£2-4 each way) plus Txik Txak buses (~£2 per ride, day pass ~£6); or a full-day regional bus pass

🛏Same Biarritz hostel/budget hotel

• →Les Halles market, Biarritz (free)
• →L'Atelier du Piment farm visit and tasting, Espelette (~£10)
• →St-Jean-Pied-de-Port citadel and Camino old town walk (free)

Morning train from Biarritz to Pau: TER via Bayonne (roughly 2h, ~£18-22) or a through connection; book on the SNCF Connect app in advance for cheaper Prem's fares. Check into a budget hotel or guesthouse in the old centre. In the afternoon, do Pau's orientation walk yourself: start at the Château de Pau, follow the Boulevard des Pyrénées for the classic panorama of the snow-capped peaks, then descend into the old town lanes around Rue du Château and the Église Saint-Martin. Browse Les Halles market (daily mornings, best Friday with local producers) and buy a picnic of Ossau-Iraty cheese, Bayonne ham and local pastries. Optional: pay the entry fee for the Château de Pau interior (~£6), birthplace of Henri IV.

🚌TER train Biarritz–Pau (~£20)

🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Pau old town (£45-65 twin, ~£25-35 dorm if hostel)

• →Boulevard des Pyrénées viewpoint (free)
• →Les Halles market browse and picnic shop
• →Château de Pau (optional, ~£6)

Take the morning TER train from Pau to Lourdes (about 30 minutes, ~£5-8 each way, runs several times daily). The Sanctuary is a 15-minute walk from the station and free to enter: walk past the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception above the grotto, see the mosaics of the Rosary Basilica, and go into the vast Underground Basilica of St Pius X. Allow 2-3 hours. Have lunch in town (~£10-14) and consider the free walk up to the Château Fort viewpoint. Return to Pau by late afternoon; the evening is free — try a Jurançon sec by the glass in a bar off Place Clemenceau (~£5-7).

🚌TER train Pau–Lourdes return (~£12-16)

🛏Same Pau hotel/guesthouse

• →Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes (free)
• →Underground Basilica of St Pius X (free)
• →Old town and river walk

Take a local bus or a short taxi from Pau to Lescar (bus ~£2-3, ~20 mins) and walk the old town and the Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste terrace for foothill views. Continue to Gan (the Pau–Gan bus or a 15-minute train; Gan has its own SNCF station on the Pau–Oloron line, ~£3) in the heart of the Jurançon AOP district. Book a cellar visit and tasting directly with a small producer — options include Domaine Cauhapé (the best-known, book ahead), Clos Lapeyre, Domaine Bellegarde or Domaine Larredya; expect a tasting to run £8-15 per person, often with a light plate of local cheese and charcuterie, or around £20-25 with a full lunch. Most require an email or phone booking a few days in advance and many close Sunday. Return to Pau for a free evening.

🚌Local buses/train Pau–Lescar–Gan (~£6-8 return) plus short walks

🛏Same Pau hotel/guesthouse

• →Lescar old town and cathedral terrace (free)
• →Jurançon wine cellar tour and tasting (~£15)
• →Optional light lunch with local producers (~£10)

Take the train east: TER Pau–Toulouse via Tarbes (about 2h30-3h, ~£22-30; book in advance on SNCF Connect). Check into a hostel or budget hotel near the Capitole or Saint-Cyprien. Spend the afternoon on a DIY orientation walk: Place du Capitole, the Basilique Saint-Sernin (free entry), the Jacobins convent with its palm-tree vault, and the Garonne riverbanks and Pont Neuf at golden hour. Toulouse is very walkable and the metro (two lines) covers the rest, ~£1.70 per ride or a day pass ~£5. Dinner: a cassoulet or Toulouse sausage at a neighbourhood bistro (~£16-22).

🚌TER train Pau–Toulouse (~£25) plus local metro

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Toulouse centre (£20-35 dorm, £50-70 twin)

• →Place du Capitole and old town walk (free)
• →Basilique Saint-Sernin (free)
• →Couvent des Jacobins (~£4)
• →Garonne riverbank sunset walk

Book a small-group food tour of the Marché Victor Hugo in advance via GetYourGuide or the Toulouse tourist office — expect around £45-60 for 2-3 hours including tastings of cheese, charcuterie, foie gras and pastries, or do it self-launched for free by browsing the stalls and buying your own tasting plate (~£12-15) from a fromager and a charcutier upstairs. Spend the afternoon on the self-guided Toulouse essentials: the Cité de l'espace (if space interests you, ~£22), the Musée des Augustins (~£5) or the Fondation Bemberg, plus a slow wander around Saint-Cyprien and the Canal du Midi. Evening: an optional group dinner or a quiet wine bar.

🚌Metro/tram day pass (~£5)

🛏Same Toulouse hostel/budget hotel

• →Marché Victor Hugo food tour (~£50) or self-guided tasting (~£15)
• →Musée des Augustins (~£5)
• →Canal du Midi walk (free)

Depart at any time. The airport shuttle runs from the city centre to Toulouse-Blagnac (about £7, 20 mins) and the main station is Matabiau for onward trains to Bordeaux, Barcelona or Paris. If you have a late flight, leave your bag in the station lockers and do one last coffee and croissant in the Place Saint-Georges arcades.

🚌Airport shuttle (~£7) or train from Matabiau

🛏—

• →Last morning in the old town