Villefranque, Labourdin village located at the gates of Bayonne continues to keep its village spirit and is surrounded by Mouguerre, Saint Pierre d’Irube, Jatxou, Ustaritz and Bayonne. We stopped there this week, and made an appointment at the Eskularia bar-restaurant to various actors from the village. Around the table, Xan Trecu, owner of the establishment, Yvan Castagné, director of the Niminoak leisure center, Hugues Pluvinage, organizing member of the Milafrangan Gaindi race and Thibault Bribet, co-manager of Pasarela Guinguette and Nature Aventure 64.
The Eskularia bar-restaurant
We can say of Eskularia that it is the typical restaurant that we can expect to find in a village. Located in the heart of the village, it offers home cooking that its cook and boss, Xan Trecu, wants to share. It offers workers’ meals there every lunchtime as well as à la carte menus in the evening. In addition, theme evenings are regularly organized there such as “kantuz” evenings, lounges,… Xan Trecu also manages the trinquet which is adjoining the restaurant and notably hosts the Villefranque pelota club, Eskulari, the club of pasaka of Saint Pierre d’Irube and also the amateurs of the village who rent slots during the week.
The Nimiñoak Leisure Center
The particularity of this entity is that it comes in the form of an association with an office that makes all the decisions. Nimiñoak was created by Yvan Castagné in 2003. In addition to a leisure center without traditional accommodation which welcomes children from 3 to 12 years old on Wednesday afternoons and during school holidays, Nimiñoak has also set up a reception for the teenagers of the village: the young point. With these young people, they go to camp (skiing, white water, mountain biking) but have also made a humanitarian trip to Morocco or even offer trips to theme parks such as Warner Bros in Madrid, Port Aventura in Salou, Disneyland…
Pasarela guinguette
It was in 2021 that the guinguette came out of the ground on the bank of the Nive at the level of the Villefranque footbridge. Thibault Bribet, from Saint Pierre d’Irube and his associate had the idea of creating this meeting place in a place with a lot of walkers (towpath) but also a place with a beautiful view of the Pyrenees, squares of parking and far enough from the road to be safe. Throughout the 2021 summer season, the two partners offered catering thanks to different food-trucks that followed one another and drinks. They organized themed evenings there, including two days devoted to the Pamplona festivities, which brought together 500 people each time. Pasarela guinguette awaits many of you this summer on the banks of the Nive.
In addition to the guinguette, they offer nautical activities under the name of Nature Aventura 64; you can find paddleboarding, kayaking… all on the Nive.
Milafrangan Gaindi
Created in 2012 Milafrangan Gaindi is a trail-type race which is organized every year on the second weekend of June. The particularity of this race is its course of 12.545 km which is rather arduous. During this race, several things are offered, starting with a hike, open to all, and which goes in a specific direction. In the other direction, it’s running that starts. At the same time, and in partnership with the Nimiñoak leisure center, mentioned above, two small races are offered to the children of the runners but also a daycare system so that the athletes can participate in the race without having to worry about their children.
This year, and for the first time due to the elections, the Milafrangan Gaindi race will take place on a Saturday afternoon, Saturday June 11th. See you on their website so as not to miss the registrations for the race!!