Arcangues, the authentic Basque Country
data-modal-image-caption=The church of Arcangues in the heart of the old village, which has only one inhabitant, the priest. data-modal-image-credit=F.Perrot> 
Every day, Le Figaro visits a charming village that has won over celebrities. In this picturesque and verdant village near Biarritz, discretion is a religion.
" There is a corner of France where happiness blooms, where we know in advance the joys of paradise," sang Luis Mariano. The singer of Mexico , born in Irun, adored the "northern" Basque Country, as they say here. And above all Arcangues, a stone's throw from Biarritz . "Arrangoitze" means "at the top of the valley" in Basque, this village offers, as its name suggests, a breathtaking view of the ocean and the Pyrenees. "While Luis Mariano was very glittery, he lived here simply, wearing a beret. Even back then, celebrities appreciated the tranquility and discretion of the inhabitants," notes Hélène Etchevers, a guide at the tourist office.
Before him, fashion designer Jean Patou already had his villa in Arcangues, fleeing the European elite gathered in the Biarritz seaside resort. "If Luis Mariano returned, he wouldn't be out of place: Arcangues remains the ideal Basque village with its pediment, its town hall and its church. Now entirely pedestrianized...
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