Window shopping The network of pedestrianised streets around the cathedral in Grand Bayonne contain a wealth of quaint and distinctive shops. Especially noteworthy are rue Poissonerie and Rue de la Monnaie. Sephoria at 13 Quai Amiral Dubourdieu is a parfumerie of Parisian quality and style. There’s a very good morning market at Les Halles on the banks of the Nive. An aperitif The Caf?u Th?re at 1 Place de la Libert?as a lot going for it, with its tables spread across a spacious, airy square, near a fountain and the River Adour But the constant traffic might deter some alfresco imbibers. Caf?khi, 9, Quai Amiral Dubourdieu, plays good music and attracts a young and lively clientele.

Dinner with the locals The locals recommend two establishments, on opposite banks of the Adour. Rotisserie du Roy L? at 8 rue de Coursic (00 33 5 59 59 55 84), styles itself as “une rotisserie pour les gourmands” and provides a three-course meal for around €25 (£16). Decor is traditional, with rustic wooden tables and a stone floor. L’Absinthe at 15 quai Jaureguiberry (00 33 5 59 25 60 13) is no-nonsense, busy, similarly priced and just as heavily meat-orientated. Both offer variations of jambon de Bayonne – ham, dressed with local salt and smoked for a minimum of seven months – which is the city’s culinary speciality. An agreeable option for seafood lovers is the unpretentious Pizzeria de la Nive at 37 Quai Jaureguiberry (00 33 5 59 25 69 52) where the speciality is zarzuela, a Basque version of paella, and a full meal with wine costs about €20 (£12).

Sunday morning: go to church The twin towers that crown Bayonne’s Cathedral Sainte-Marie , Place Mgr Vansteenberghe, are unmissable points of reference wherever you wander. Only up close do you appreciate that the towers are quite different – their construction separated by 300 years of turbulent history. In fact, the entire cathedral took more than half a millennium to complete. With few architectural flourishes, the cathedral’s attractions are its setting amid narrow, winding streets, a peaceful, hidden 13th-century cloister, and some fine stained glass. Out to brunch “Brunch” is not a word that the Bayonnaise recognise.