A day at Urtubie Castle

The construction of the castle dates back to 1341: King Edward III of England, then Duke of Aquitaine, wanted to build a strategic position to control the route to Spain. After the 100 Years' War, which put an end to the English occupation of Aquitaine, Louis XI travelled to Urtubie to meet the King of Castile and the King of Aragon. It was a fruitful meeting, as the king gained control of Roussillon. Very satisfied, the king even decided to make the lord of Urtubie his chamberlain (court gentleman in charge of the sovereign's bedroom).

This honorary title gave the d'Urtubie family a new importance, which enabled them to occupy increasingly prestigious positions. During the reign of Louis XIV, France also signed a peace treaty with Spain. At this time, the château underwent extension and embellishment work (which was completed much later, in 1743). Louis XIV made the castle a viscountcy in 1654, underlining its importance.

Another famous figure stayed at the château much later, in the 19th century: after the Revolution, Marshal Soult set up his command post at Urtubie in an unsuccessful attempt to block Wellington's Anglo-Spanish army from invading France.

The preservation of the castle over several generations

The château has remained in the same family since its creation. When Louis-Philippe came to power, the monument became the property of François-Louis de Larralde-Diusteguy, the last descendant of a wealthy family of former privateers and grandson of Jeanne-Marie d'Urtubie. Endowed with a large fortune, François-Louis de Larralde-Diusteguy set about renovating the château, while respecting its distinctive 14th-, 16th- and 18th-century architecture.

Once we arrived, we had two choices: to visit the garden or the château. For both, the visits are free but a detailed descriptive leaflet is provided. A guide explains only the architecture of the castle. These comments are only available at specific times.

The tour begins inside the site. There is furniture from the 16th to the 19th centuries, tapestries from Brussels, Aubusson and Beauvais, portraits of the d'Urtubie family and hunting trophies. The tour continues on to a 17th-century chapel and the 18th-century orangery, which houses an exhibition of plants from the region. Once back outside, we wander through the park and its 6 hectares of attractive English-style flower gardens.

📍 Location: 1300 D810, 64122 Urrugne

🚌 Getting there: by car, we can reach the château via the RD 810 towards Urrugne-Hendaye from Saint-Jean-de-Luz station. From the A63 motorway, take exit 2 towards Urrugne, then turn left at the first roundabout. By bus, from Saint-Jean-de-Luz station, we can board the bus in the direction of Hendaye and stop at the Urrugne Larrouleta stop.

⏰ Opening times: the park and château are open every day from April to November, except Easter Sunday. Depending on the period, opening times vary as follows:

• 1 to 30 April: 10.30am to 12.30pm and 2.15pm to 5.45pm
• 1 May to 14 July: 10.30am to 12.30pm and 2.15pm to 6.15pm
• 15 July to 31 August: 10.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 6.15pm
• 1st to 30th September: 10.30am to 12.30pm and 2.15pm to 6.15pm
• 1st to 31st October: 10.30am to 12.30pm and 2.15pm to 5.45pm
• 1 November to 6 November: 10.30am to 12.30pm and 2.30pm to 5.30pm

👛 Combined ticket price for park + château + orangery:

• Adults (over 16): €8.50
• Children (aged 5 to 16): €4.50
• Free for children under 5

👉 More information about ticketing on the château website

In addition to visits, it is also possible to sleep within the castle.

But the visit doesn't stop there. First of all, at no extra cost, there's a digital tre asure hunt in the park where you can set off in search of hidden treasure. All you need is two smartphones to download the application on site. After the treasure hunt, you can discover and compete in the wooden games of the period.

Finally, forEscape Game fans, a room has been created in an old kitchen. In this immersive pay-to-play game called "Le mystère de Saint-Jean-de-Luz" (The Mystery of Saint-Jean-de-Luz), we are asked to solve a fictitious investigation. It's a story about a collective illness following a country-style meal in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Everyone is affected, except the cook. In his absence, we infiltrate his kitchen to try and solve the mystery and find a possible antidote. Be careful, we've got 60 minutes to solve it. Don't dawdle on the way.

Open every day except Tuesday, from 9 April to 31 October, with sessions at 10 am, 11.30 am, 2.30 pm and 4 pm. Available for children aged 8 and over. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.