The Pelota Glove

The markets were bustling as we cycled past, and the strawberries looked especially appealing.  However, we knew from experience that strawberries do not travel well so didn’t purchase anything.

There was a fabulous cycle path out of town and along the river and we were soon in the countryside.  We passed a sculpture of a pelota glove, known as a chistera, and ball.  Pelota is a popular game in the Basque Country which is played in a walled court with a ball and basket-like rackets fastened to the hand.  Made from willow, the glove is used to catch and throw the “pelota” (the ball) which can travel at more than 200km/h.

A quick stop at a boulangerie for some pastries in Saint-Pee-sur-Nivelle provided some fuel for the climb which started soon out of town.  It was less than 2kms in length but included some super steep gradients of over 14%.  We had to push the bikes up some short, sharp pinches and were pleased to finally reach the top with views across the farmland.  

Soon after Ustaritz we found the another lovely cycle path along the Nive River.  We detoured into Villefranque for lunch at a restaurant offering “plat du jour” – however, it wasn’t nearly as good as the lunches we had enjoyed in Spain.  Still, we appreciated the protein content of the massive steak.

Back on the cycle path, we soon reached Bayonne and turned off for our accommodation situated in the heart of the old town.  The host insisted speaking to us in French and we managed to capture the gist of it, a promising start to our seven weeks in France.  

The streets below our apartment were lined with market stalls and we enjoyed wandering through the town with its attractive buildings adorned with colourful shutters as we sought out supplies for dinner. 

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