Sare, commune in Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France
Sare is a small village in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques in southwestern France, located at the foot of the mountains Axuria and Rhune. It features old stone houses, many dating from the 15th century, showing typical Basque architecture with exposed wooden beams and facades painted in red or green.
Sare was inhabited in prehistoric times, particularly during the Aurignacian period more than 30000 years ago, as evidenced by the Lezea cave. Over the centuries, the village maintained pastoral and trade agreements with neighboring Spanish communities, but experienced hardship during the French Revolution when its population was deported in 1794.
The name Sare comes from Basque and means 'high place,' reflecting its hillside location and historical role as a local center. Local traditions remain alive through festivals featuring music, dances, and regional food passed down through generations, as well as through pelota, a Basque ball game played in open courts.
The village is easily explored on foot and offers various hiking trails into the surrounding mountains for all fitness levels. Nearby peaks like Rhune are accessible by a cog railway built in the 1920s, which provides access to historic fortifications at the top.
The village is known for its hidden history of smuggling across mountain trails between the hills and the coast, with routes still bearing traces of this overlooked past. Additionally, isolated farmsteads scattered around the village have traditionally managed their own lands and shared resources, giving the place a unique, dispersed settlement pattern.
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Caves of Zugarramurdi
5.6 km
Caves of Sare
5 km
Museum of Witches
5.7 km
Église Saint-Martin de Sare
31 m
Parc Animalier Etxola
4.1 kmDolmen de Tomba
5.8 km
Mairie de Sare
212 mPont d'Amotz
3.5 km
Dutaria palace
5.8 km
Église de l'Assomption de Zugarramurdi
5.8 km
Redoute de Santa Barbara
1.4 km
Redoute d'Esnaur
3.8 km
Ermita Nuestra Señora del Rosario
5.7 km
Ihartze Artea etxea
642 mCromlechs d'Ascain
3.6 km
Redoute de la chapelle de la Madeleine
2.5 km
Mouiz Alchangue camp retranché
3 km
Redoute de la chapelle d'Olhain
2.7 km
Mémorial Victor Iturria à Sare
30 m
Christ on the Cross od the parish church of Saint Martin in Sare
38 mEtxeberriko ardiborda
6.1 kmSoroaundi
7.1 kmMusée du gâteau basque
1.6 km
Chapelle Sainte-Catherine de Sare
1.6 km
Lectern in the Saint Martin's church of Sare
21 mPic d'Ibantelli
5.6 km
Redoute de Zuhalmendi
2.1 km
Redoute de Mendibidea
2.1 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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