Ostabat-Asme

About 1 km south of the village, a stone monument in a field marks the convergence of three medieval pilgrimage routes. The Via Podiensis (your route, from Le Puy), the Via Lemovicensis (from Vezelay), and the Via Turonensis (from Paris) all meet at this point. From here, there is one path to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Spain. The stele is modest, a stone column with a plaque, but the idea it represents is extraordinary. Three streams of pilgrims, walking for weeks or months from different start

In the Middle Ages, Ostabat was one of the most important pilgrim towns in France. The convergence of three routes created a bottleneck of pilgrims that sustained hospitals, hospices, merchants, and churches. The Codex Calixtinus, the 12th-century pilgrim guide, describes the meeting of the routes here. Today, the village is tiny and the hospitals are gone, but the street plan and some of the building foundations date from this era. Walk through the village slowly and imagine it when tens of tho

The fronton (pelota court) in the village centre is the heart of Basque social life. Pelota, the traditional Basque ball game played against a wall with bare hands or wooden bats, is the most popular sport in the Basque Country. If there is a game in progress when you pass through, stop and watch. The speed and power of the players is remarkable. The fronton is also a good place to sit and rest, even when no game is being played.

The food in Ostabat reflects the Basque-Bearnaise borderland. Look for piperade (the Basque dish of scrambled eggs with peppers and tomatoes), brebis cheese with cherry jam, poulet basquaise (chicken braised with peppers, tomatoes, and Espelette pepper), and axoa (a Basque minced veal dish). The flavours are brighter and spicier than the Gascon food further north, with the distinctive Basque use of Espelette pepper adding warmth to many dishes. A glass of Irouleguy (the small Basque appellation