St Jean de Luz is a bipolar town.
From mid September till the start of July there is a local Basque population of some thirteen thousand. During the summer months the population trebles as erstwhile empty apartments and houses are crammed with second home owners and tourists. It is wonderful for the local economy and a significant culture shock for those of us who live here year round.
Take Rue Gambetta. On any given spring afternoon it is a pleasant street filled with lovely shops and locals who spend time idly chattering with one another. Shift forward two months and the street is a chaotic melange of malcoordinated pedestrians and young children running at full pelt endangering all with their toppling ice creams. It is still a wonderful place, just different.
Basque of the day:- change :: aldaketa
