Old Castle

The Chateau-Vieux

A stop on the Bayonne audio-guided tour, the Chateau-Vieux is a medieval fortress with a very ancient past. As early as the first century, the Roman castrum stood here, a fortified enclosure intended to protect the troops settled in the city then called Lapurdum.

From Lapurdum to Bayonne

In the fourth century, the Romans withdrew, giving way to the Vascon people, who gave their name to Vasconia, the future Gascony. In the tenth century, the city took the name of Baiona, which means good river in Basque, and its port became one of the most important on the Atlantic coast. In 1023, Bayonne became the capital of Labourd.

What to see

The Chateau-Vieux, built on these ancient foundations, was over the centuries the seat of local power. An austere fortress, it bears witness to the strategic role of Bayonne. Observe its massive walls, remnants of the city's long defensive and political past.

Practical information

The Chateau-Vieux is in the historic centre of Bayonne. A fortress in the heart of the city, it can be viewed from outside; access conditions should be checked depending on the season.

What does the name Baiona mean ?

Good river in Basque; the city took this name in the tenth century.

What is the Chateau-Vieux built on ?

On the foundations of the former first-century Roman castrum, which protected Lapurdum.