5 Best Sights in Sare, The Basque Country, Gascony, and Hautes-Pyrenees

Not much on the Petit Train has changed since its inaugural voyage to the peak of La Rhune on June 30, 1924. Today's passengers are still enthralled by the incredible views of the Bay of Biscay and the grassy Basque farmlands below as they ascend—at the less-than-dizzying speed of 8 kph (5 mph)—in the original varnished cars made of pine and chestnut from Pyrenean forests. This high-climbing cogwheel train (one of only three in France) departs from Col de St-Ignace, 3½ km (2¼ miles) west of Sare.

One of the Labourd province's prettiest churches was built in the 16th century and enlarged in the 17th with a triple-decker set of galleries. Parish priest Pierre Axular ranks among the great early authors in the Basque language. His tomb is under the bell tower with an epitaph by Prince Bonaparte: "Every hour wounds; the last sends you to your tomb."

Follow the Sare Valley up to the panoramic Col de Lizarrieta and the Grottes de Sare. Just outside these huge caves, you can learn about the Basque region's culture and millennia-long history at the Musée Ethnographique (Ethnographic Museum). Then take a multilingual, guided tour that leads 1 km (½ mile) underground to see a son-et-lumière show.

This sweet museum traces the evolution of the most famous of all Basque pastries. Call ahead for a schedule of workshops and baking classes.

Take a guided tour of Ortillopitz, a vintage Basque country manor. Its typical architecture and traditional furnishings give a glimpse into 17th-century farm life. The rural vistas are especially lovely.