The chemists in Ituren I was a little concerned when Josetxo (who runs the chemists in Ituren) said he would leave the pills I had ordered hanging on the outside handle of the chemist door in case I dropped by after he headed off for his evening run. Going to the chemists sometimes needs a The post Post women and chemists in Ituren appeared first on Pyrenean Experience ..read more

The Basque language seems inscrutable! When you first look at Basque language it appears an unfathomable language full of X’s, Z’s and K’s – all those letters that you don’t want to be left with after a game of Scrabble! It is so totally different from any other language and where, in Europe, a drop of The post The Basque Language – Onomatopoeias and other Idiosyncrasies appeared first on Pyrenean Experience ..read more

Zubieta is a traditional Basque village in the Pyrenees, its contrasts and contradictions, values of equality, honour and 'hard graft' are typical of Basque mountain life. The post Zubieta in the Basque Pyrenees appeared first on Pyrenean Experience ..read more

'The Pyrenees with Michael Portillo', a portrait of filming behind-the-scenes in Zubieta, a traditional Basque village in Navarre. Here, we work with Michael and learn about his family background and skills as a linguist and presenter. The post The Pyrenees with Michael Portillo appeared first on Pyrenean Experience ..read more

Children of the Comet Line resistance network, which operated during World War Two, meet for the first time. 75 years after their work ended. Maialen Larretche, now 90 years old, from Urrugne (France) and Paco Iriarte, now 86 years old, from Oiartzun (Spain) reminisce in their native Basque language. The post Basque Children of the Resistance appeared first on Pyrenean Experience ..read more

A detailed description of Jim Allison's escape from Nazi occupied Europe with the help of the Pyrenean escape route known as the Comet Line. First-hand details from the final survivors of the Comet resistance network. The post Comet Line Crossing of the Pyrenees appeared first on Pyrenean Experience ..read more

Ten things you probably don’t know about the Pyrenees. Secrets of the Pyrenees that the normal tourist does not know and inside tips to make the most of your travels. The post Secrets of the Pyrenees appeared first on Pyrenean Experience ..read more

Hiking in the Pyrenees If you are thinking of hiking in the Pyrenees, be aware of the wonderful diversity of landscapes found from one valley to the next. There is no one-shot – one-size-fits-all ‘Pyrenean Experience’. Every valley offers its own unique flora and fauna, history, culture and gastronomy. The Pyrenees from east to west. The post Hiking in the Pyrenees – stunning scenery and ancient Basque traditions appeared first on Pyrenean Experience ..read more

How colour definitions vary between cultures: Turquoise is a bit of a worry in our family. For me, at one point it is decidedly more ‘bluish’ and for my Basque daughter, that same blue / green shade is decidedly more ‘greenish’. Our colour definitions are different and where one colour bleeds into the next colour The post Seeing Life in Colours – and the need to expand our vocabulary! appeared first on Pyrenean Experience ..read more

“And it harm ye none, do what thou wilt” Healing and superstition have played an important role in the lives of the Basque people – and the witch hunts of the Spanish inquisition in the 17th century are perhaps the most dramatic example. Many women in these misty Basque mountain villages, with their strange attire The post The Cure of San Juan Xar appeared first on Pyrenean Experience ..read more