The Basque coast in Basque or Basque Kostaldea means the coast between the mouth of the Adour in Anglet ( France ) and Muskiz west of Bilbao ( Spain). It is bathed by the Cantabrian Sea. Unlike the Landes coast is a rocky coast and cut (especially the Spanish side ) with a succession of prestigious resorts (Biarritz , Saint -Jean- de- Luz, San Sebastian , Zarautz , Lekeitio and Getxo ) . A clear difference was observed between the Spanish and the French part : the latter Anglet extends at the mouth of the Bidassoa . It is relatively low and straight or slightly curved : a cliff average altitude ( 20-30 m ) constituting the termination of Labourd peneplain extends almost uninterruptedly from Biarritz to Bidassoa at the foot of which s ' shatter many beaches (due to the contribution of Finnish sands by ocean currents ) and resorts , ancient ports of whaling converted to tourism. Beyond the Franco- Spanish border evidenced by the Bidassoa , the Basque coast is much higher : the Basque mountains of Guipuzcoa and Vizcaya plunge directly into the sea, the cliffs are higher , the coastline is irregular , berries , coves, capes and estuaries open to offshore succeed , the beaches are smaller and more scarce ( the supply of sand is negligible ) , the many fishing ports are more active and tourism is less present . It is called in Spanish Costa Vasca . Cities chic Arcangues Bassussarry or Ascain are more sides. Ciboure and that there was twenty years old, was a town of fishermen and cannery workers , gentrification is not complex.