A vibrant community

I just had a very faint memory of Saint-Jean-de-Luz that I visited briefly in the early 80’s when I was still working for Lange ski boots. That old French Atlantic seaport lays a stone throw away from the Spanish border to the south and the west of the Pyrenees Mountains. In spite of an unseasonably cold and rainy weather, they were lots of visitors from everywhere and particularly from Spain. Apart from its seaside location, its beautiful Basque architecture and great food, the city has a terrific pedestrian shopping street lined up with a true variety of small and original shops (still few international “big” chains like Benetton or Quiksilver) that give it its true character and make shopping quite enjoyable and a genuine process of discovery. This certainly helps realize the importance of true small businesses in shaping a town’s character and making it very unique. A true “must-see…”