Getting There -- Ten trains per day link Bayonne and Paris (trip time: 5 1/2-8 hr.; one-way fare: 72€/$94). Nine trains per day arrive from Bordeaux (trip time: 2 1/2 hr.; 22€/$29 one-way). For train information and schedules, call tel. 08-92-35-35-35.

There's bus service from Biarritz, 15 minutes away. Bus no. 1 departs from Biarritz at 12-minute intervals throughout the daylight hours, depositing passengers on place de la Mairie in Bayonne; the one-way fare is 1.20€ ($1.55). There's also bus service between Bayonne and outlying towns and villages not serviced by train. For bus information in Bayonne, call tel. 05-59-52-59-52.

Bayonne is near the end of the N117 roadway, easily accessible by car from Toulouse and other cities in the south of France. From Paris, take A10 south to Vierzon, then N20 south to Limoges. Continue on N21 south to Tarbes, and turn west along N117 to Bayonne.

Visitor Information -- The Office de Tourisme is on place des Basques (tel. 05-59-46-01-46; fax 05-59-59-37-55; www.bayonne-tourisme.com).

Special Events -- During the 4-day Fête de Bayonne, the first week in August, a frenzy of outdoor concerts and dancing fills the streets. The celebration is intense. For free concerts on fair-weather Thursday evenings in July and August, head to the gazebo on place de-Gaulle, where styles range from jazz to traditional Basque. Contact the Office de Tourisme for more information.