A Short History of Hendaye

Originally Hendaye was part of Urrugne, s small village consisting of a few houses grouped around a little fishing port.

During the 16th century the population increased significantly.  The people of Hendaye devoted themselves to deep-sea fishing: c0d off Newfoundland and whaling off the coast of Norway.  This increase in population required the construction of a church.  The Parish of St Vincent was thus created in 1617, independent of the Parish of Urrungne.  The establishment of a separate burgh was to follow and thus in 1654 the town of Hendaye was set up as an independent community by Anne of Austria, Regent of the Kingdom of France.

The history of the 17th and 18th centuries is riddled with fights, quarrels and sometimes deadly combat between the fishing communities of the estuary - Hendaye, Irun and Fontarrabie - over fishing in the River Bidassoa and latterly the fishing for sardines in the open sea.

In 1793, at the time of a war between France and Spain, Hendaye was completely destroyed.  The inhabitants were either killed or fled.  It took many years to rebuild the town.  In 1864 the rail bridge over the Bidassoa and the international railway station were completed which permitted the inauguration of the railway from Paris to Madrid.  Goods traffice between France and Spain led to the development of the town and to the increase of its population.

The beginning and rapid expansion of Hendaye-plage dates from this period. This led to the building of the Casino in a Moorish style in 1884, a number of hotels and a golf course all of which attract great numbers of tourists.  Many villas were built in the Basque style along avenues which were borderd with non-native plants.