Traditional games and sports

Another typical sport in the Basque Country is pelota. It is played bare-handed or with a variety of instruments, known as the chistera, the xare or the cesta punta. In Cesta Punta pelota, the ball can reach speeds of 300 km/h.

Pelota is a descendant of real tennis, the game much loved by Henri IV, king of France and Navarre and born in Pau in 1553. The word “tennis” comes from the French word “tenez”, which was pronounced to the opposing player when the ball was served.

A whole tradition is perpetuated around pelota: the instruments provide plenty of work for craftspeople, the “fronton” wall is the soul of every village and the tournaments are highly colourful gatherings.

When we say scrum, lineout or fly half, we are of course talking about rugby! A legacy of the British presence in the region, rugby is another element in the soul of Aquitaine.

It was first played here in 1892 in Bordeaux and quickly spread to Bayonne, Agen, Pau and Biarritz. These teams are often prominent in the national championships.

Since 1967, rugby has even had its own chapel. At the exit to Grenade-sur-Adour, in the village of Larrivière, the themed stained glass of Notre-Dame du Rugby hides a collection of jerseys of the great names of French rugby.

Bullfights, encierro – from the Spanish encerrar (enclose), a bull race through the streets of a town– or course landaise, contests involving bulls have had their aficionados for centuries. At least since 1289, when a notice prohibiting cows from being “released” was found in Bayonne…

Each year, 450 to 500 shows are held in the streets or in one of the 92 arenas in Aquitaine. Among the key ones are the French Course Landaise Championships in October; the Bayonne bullfights all through summer, and the Dax “Toros y salsa” Festival in September.

The game of skittles is by no means easy! It may be more a game than a sport but the skills and concentration required elicit admiration.

Ninepins is played on a square 4.40 metres each side, with clay soil on which the nine skittles are placed. A ball is thrown (30 cm in diameter and 6 kg in weight) in order to bring down the skittles while respecting a number of figures. A surprising game!

After displays of bravura, displays of brute strength. In bygone days, the peasants used to challenge each other while working on the farm. This is now the basis for the Force Basque games, with their own festival in Saint-Palais since 1950.

Lifting bales of straw or carts, woodcutting, races with a sack of maize over your shoulder, tugs-of-war (soka tira in Basque)… This last event has not been an Olympic discipline since 1920, but does have its own world championship!