Through 10 furnished period rooms, a unique observatory in France, and even an immersive escape game, the castle invites you to discover a timeless place where geography, astronomy, travel tales, and architectural poetry intertwine.
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A masterpiece nestled between sky, sea, and cliffs
Built for Antoine d’Abbadie, the chateau is one of the rare personal creations of Viollet-le-Duc, best known for Notre-Dame de Paris and Carcassonne. This medieval-inspired building boasts crenellated towers, symbolic sculptures, and frescoes inspired by the owner’s travels in Africa and the East. Overlooking the Basque cornice, surrounded by a preserved park, Abbadia offers a stunning panorama of the ocean and the mountainous silhouettes of Hendaye.
The refuge of a humanist scholar and an tireless traveler
Born in 1810, with Basque and Irish heritage, Antoine d’Abbadie was an explorer, geographer, linguist, and a fervent believer… and the first cartographer of Ethiopia, after eleven years of travel. Elected to the Academy of Sciences in 1867, he built an astronomical observatory within his own castle, equipped with a meridian telescope, which operated until 1975. His deep connection to the Basque Country was so strong that upon his death in 1897, he was nicknamed Euskaldunen Aïta, “the father of the Basques.” He bequeathed Abbadia to the Academy of Sciences, which still owns it today.
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An immersive adventure in the heart of a castle-world
The castle opens up a dozen rooms: the library, the chapel, the bedrooms, the Oriental-style lounges, the observatory… All beautifully restored and furnished, it lets you dive into the life of a 19th-century scholar. The tour lasts about 2 hours and takes place in a place certified as a House of Illustrious People, Quality Tourism, and Accessible Tourism.
For a fun experience, Abbadia offers a 45-minute escape game: players must prove they are the worthy heirs of Antoine d’Abbadie by solving puzzles from a mysterious trunk. There are two levels available, starting from age 8 (15€ per person, by reservation). Operated by Hendaye Tourism & Commerce, the castle is open to the public all year round, except for the last three weeks of January.
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