Did you know that King Louis XIV got married in Saint-Jean-de-Luz? Well, wouldn't you?

In 1660, King Louis XIV of France was wedded to the Infanta Maria Theresa of Spain. The title infanta was given to the children of the king in Spain and Portugal.

While the marriage itself was not a particularly happy one – King Louis had numerous public love affairs – the story of the wedding has gone down in history as being somewhat legendary.

The reason the marriage was arranged in the first place was to ease the growing tensions between France and Spain. It was thought that the union of these two royal youngsters would do a lot of diplomatic good. Although it was met with some resistance by members of each country who resented the idea of a union between the two countries.

Nevertheless, the wedding happened and as a thank you for being so hospitable, the French king granted Saint-Jean-de-Luz some tax exemptions, which lasted for 30 years.

Portrait of King Louis XIV

The wedding took place in Saint-Jean-de-Luz because of its ideal location right on the border of France and Spain. Then, as now, Saint-Jean-de-Luz flourished and was considered the perfect spot for a religious, royal wedding. The wedding ceremony took place in the Saint Jean Baptist Church, which stood in the centre of the town. Visitors travelling to Saint-Jean-de-Luz today will still find the church in its original location. It is a living relic of a bygone era.

One interesting thing about the wedding between these two royals is what happened to the door after the ceremony. It is said, although not proved, that after the wedding was over, Louis XIV had the door that they had used to enter the church walled up so that no-one could ever use it again.

People in the baptist church in Saint Jean de Luz - © Saint-Jean-de-Luz

If you are interested in history then Saint-Jean-de-Luz, in the Basque Country, is a prime spot to let yourself be transported back in time whilst still enjoying the best that France has to offer. The antiquated architecture, combined with a gourmet cuisine scene and some excellent coastal landscapes, will make you wish you can stay in this little fairytale town forever.

France Just For You

Experts in self-drive tours in France

Travelers Reviews

5.0
Martha
Emilie did a fantastic job of planning our 13 day trip from Avignon to Bordeaux, with time spent in Provence, Cathar Country, Basque Country, and Bordeaux. Emilie is an excellent & responsive communicator. Emilie tailored our trip from reserving the rental car and the bed & breakfasts (wonderful places with wonderful hosts), setting up private …
Kristina
I can't say enough good things about Emilie and France Just For You! From start to finish, Emilie was responsive, listened to our requests (and changes) and planned a wonderful trip for our 20th Anniversary. Her attention to detail did not go unnoticed and everything was perfect. We will definitely use them again our our next adventure.
Mary-Lynn & Ron from the US
We used France Just For You to make all the arrangements so we could travel without having deal with all the details, and they did a beautiful job of doing so- our lodging, car rentals, entry vouchers, everything! We saw a lot in eleven nights, and France Just For You made it seamless- Thanks so much!
Jodi
My husband and I have both been to Europe multiple times in our school/college days but not since we've been married- so over 19 years! We finally got it together to plan a return trip together. Since it had been so long we weren't confident in planning it on our own but didn't want to be hearded around like cattle. Anyway, we found Emilie and she …
Mervyn
My wife and I and two friends decided we would like to visit France and by chance I found Emilie's website and initiated an online conversation with her over a year ago. We really did not know what we wanted to do, nor where we wanted to go and so our planning became a moving feast, most ably supported by Emilie. How she ever put up with our …
Beverley & John
We've just come back from an amazing holiday planned by Emilie. The detailed guide book and all the maps and brochures we received were way beyond our expectations. The information on local customs and language helped us immensely during our stay in France. Emilie was prompt and courteous answering our many questions while planning our custom tour …