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
Mary & Dan
Emilie, Our trip has been fantastic! We appreciate all that you did to make it so wonderful. Many, many thanks! The itineraries, special experiences--- like the 4x4 wine tour, wine picnic, and cooking with Catherine---and the unique accommodations made our vacation very very special. We start toward home tomorrow, leaving your beautiful country but …
Lawrence
Staying in B&B’s is a great way to see the country and meet the people who live there in their normal environment. And, “France Just for You” provides an excellent way to have this experience. Emilie’s knowledge and detailed planning made the trip exciting and enjoyable! We will definitely seek her out for our next trip to France.
Marjorie
My husband and I found France Just For You on the internet, while trying to plan a trip to France. We knew, given our desire to see both Normandy and the south of France, that we would spend hours deliberating about the details. We provided Emily with a budget, the duration of our vacation and a few must-sees and she provided us with a three-week …
Lucelle
I was amazed when I came across the website that ALL the reviews were excellent. From the moment I started dealing with Emilie I received amazing service in planning our wonderful trip to France. I will not repeat all the details that are in the previous posts but highlight some of the exceptional service that I received. The booking of the …
Jenifer
When planning my 60th birthday celebration, my sister and I stumbled upon France Just For You, which saved us from the potential nightmare of traveling with 40 strangers on a bus. As a result, my sister and I, along with our husbands, experienced a trip of a lifetime! From the beginning, Emilie was extraordinarily responsive, informative, and more …
Pamela
We just returned from a fantastic three weeks in Southwest France. I highly recommend the services of France Just For You, we could never have planned the trip ourselves as well as they did. Laura did the planning and gave us an amazing itinerary, and was available at a moment's notice when we had a plane cancellation on our flight to Bordeaux and …