Bayonne. The largest city of the French Basque Country is as charming as it is quaint and is a must-see while in South West France. Boasting timber-framed architecture, a Gothic cathedral, and plenty of cute spots to grab a drink or a bite to eat, here's your ultimate guide to the best things to do in Bayonne, as well as what to know before you go.

In the local language of Basque, Bayonne is known as Baiona. Most signs in the area are bilingual for French and Basque.

In all honesty, during my recent weekend in Biarritz with some friends, we weren't planning on visiting Bayonne as we weren't sure that we would have enough time to see the city.

However, the journey between the two cities is a simple bus ride of around half an hour each way and you can easily see all of Bayonne's best attractions over the course of an afternoon. For more inspiration, be sure to check out our French Basque Country itinerary.

The Fêtes de Bayonne was originally created around the tradition of bullfighting (Bayonne is the oldest bullfighting town in France), with the city opting to create a festival which mirrored that of Pamplona in Spain, and the running of the bulls. Today, there is unfortunately still bullfighting in Bayonne.