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First long stage heading south-west
The long drive is deliberately split over two days so you don't overdo it behind the wheel.
An early start pays off if you want to arrive before dusk.
Your trip starts here. Fill up the tank, stow your roof tent gear, and set off early so the long first stage stays relaxed.
A quiet, well-kept town campsite on the edge of Beaune, the heart of Burgundy. From here it's just a few minutes' walk into the small old town with the Hôtel-Dieu. Ideal for catching your breath after the long drive and eating something regional.
Second stage, arrival at the coast
This stage runs over the 5-hour guideline, but it's hard to avoid between Karlsruhe and the Basque Country. Start early and build in two longer breaks.
From tomorrow you'll stay in the same region for several nights and only drive short distances.
Long stage — plan for breaks.
A family-friendly campsite between Biarritz and Bayonne, a good base for your first days on the coast. The surf beaches of Anglet are quickly reached, as is Biarritz. Simple, quiet pitches with everything you need for a roof tent.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Surf culture and your first day by the sea
A deliberately easy day to arrive and settle in.
If the waves are good, just spend the whole morning at the beach.
The legendary surf beach of Biarritz, where European surfing began in the 1950s. Wide and flat at low tide, ideal for a relaxed morning in the water, with views of the green foothills of the Pyrenees. Surf schools and boards can be hired right on the spot.
A stylish seaside resort with the Grande Plage, a lighthouse, and the rock Rocher de la Vierge, linked to the shore by a footbridge designed by Eiffel. Lovely coastal footpaths, good cafés and a lively market. Park on level ground on the edge of town and continue on foot.
City, culture and cuisine
You stay overnight in Anglet, with only short drives today.
The market hall is liveliest in the morning, so plan your visit early.
The Basque capital at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, with narrow lanes, red and green half-timbered façades, and the Gothic Cathédrale Sainte-Marie. Famous for Bayonne ham and chocolate, both found in small shops and market halls. Park on level ground by the riverside and explore everything on foot.
A covered market hall right by the river, with stalls selling Basque sheep's cheese, Piment d'Espelette, ham and fresh fish. Perfect for stocking up on supplies for your roof tent breakfasts and a small cheese stash. At midday you can also eat cheaply at the stalls.
Villages, chilli peppers and your first hike
A change of base from the coast to the hinterland, but only short drives.
By late September, the red chilli pods are already hanging to dry in Espelette.
The glowing red village whose façades are hung with garlands of drying chilli pods in autumn. Espelette is the centre of the famous Basque chilli, which you can taste and buy everywhere. Small cheese shops and craft stalls round off the stroll.
A quiet, green campsite inland near Urrugne, well positioned between the mountains and the coast around Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hendaye. Simple, shaded pitches and a good base for the coming days in the Basque Country. From here you can quickly reach La Rhune, Sare and the beaches.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Up the Basque Country's home mountain
Set off early so you're at the top in clear weather; clouds often roll in during the afternoon.
Bring sturdy shoes in case you choose to walk down.
A historic rack railway that has been climbing the 905-metre La Rhune at a leisurely pace since 1924, the viewpoint mountain on the border with Spain. At the top, a wide view awaits over the sea, green valleys and free-roaming Pottok ponies. If you fancy it, walk part or all of the way down.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
The most beautiful village and caves
You stay on at the campsite near Urrugne, with only short trips today.
Village in the morning, cave in the afternoon fits well with the guided tour times.
One of the officially designated most beautiful villages in France, with white and red houses around the church and fronton. Quiet, unspoilt and ideal for a slow morning with coffee and local cheese. Gentle walking trails lead through pastures and woods all around.
An extensive cave system with impressive chambers and a circuit that combines geology with Basque mythology. The path is well laid out and manageable even for leisurely walkers. Around the cave there's woodland and viewpoints for a short walk.
Bay, beach and border
If the waves are running in the morning, reverse the order and surf at Hendaye first.
The way back to the campsite near Urrugne is short.
A charming fishing town with a sheltered bay, colourful harbour, and the church where Louis XIV once married. The beach is calm thanks to breakwaters and good for swimming, while the old town invites you to stroll and shop for cheese. Park on level ground on the edge of town and walk in.
The longest sandy beach in the French Basque Country, wide, flat and family-friendly, right on the Spanish border. In gentle swell it's a good spot to learn to surf, otherwise perfect for a long beach walk. Views of the twin rocks Deux Jumeaux and the mountains of Spain.
Narrow gorge and green valleys
A bit more driving than on previous days, but all under an hour each way.
Sturdy shoes for the hike, as the valley can be damp.
A small village in the green Nive valley, known for its cherries and its quiet, rural surroundings. A good starting point for hikes in the surrounding mountains and a fine example of the unspoilt Basque Country away from the crowds. Rustic inns serve sheep's cheese with cherry jam.
A narrow, legend-shrouded rock gateway in the Nive valley, through which, according to legend, Roland's horse struck a hole in the rock. A short, lovely walk along the wild river leads to the rock opening. From here, longer mountain hikes set off for the afternoon.
A flexible wave day back on the coast
A deliberately open day so you can surf to your heart's content once more if the swell is good.
If the sea is flat, use the day for one last stroll through the market in Bayonne.
One of the best-known surf bays in Anglet, with a long sandy beach and the old lighthouse perched on the cliff above. Ideal for one last surf morning or a relaxed beach day. Snack bars and level parking all around.
You return to the coast for your last night in the Basque Country, right by the surf beaches of Anglet. A quiet base for a relaxed finish before the drive home. Short distances to the sea and into town.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Wrapping up and a long journey home
The trip ends with an open finish on the return route, with no forced same-day arrival in Karlsruhe.
If you want to get home faster, take the motorway via Clermont-Ferrand; for one last quiet evening, the lake is well worth it.
A lakeside campsite in the greenery near Aubazine, a good stopover on the way back towards southern Germany. A peaceful spot by the Étang du Coiroux, with swimming available for a relaxed final evening of the trip. From here it's still quite a stretch to Karlsruhe the next day, but the trip deliberately ends open-ended.
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