Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The three-foot-long paddle-wheel ship hanging in the center was a gift from Napole-
on III's wife, Eugènie. It's a model of an ill-fated ship that had almost sunk just offshore
when she was on it. The 1670 Baroque altar feels Franco-Spanish and features 20 French
saints. Locals of this proud and rich town call it the finest in the Basque Country. The
box seats across from the pulpit were reserved for leading citizens who were expected to
be seen in church and set a good example. Today the mayor and city council members
sit here on festival Sundays. The place has great acoustics, and the 17th-century organ
is still used for concerts (around €10, mostly in summer, get schedule at TI or online at
www.orgueluz.c.la
,
tickets available at door and possibly in advance at the TI).
As you leave the church, turn left to find the bricked-up doorway—the church's ori-
ginal entrance. According to a quaint but untrue legend, it was sealed after the royal mar-
riage (shown on the wall to the right in a photo of a painting) to symbolize a permanent
closing of the door on troubles between France and Spain.
