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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Bakhar Etchea villa, located on Rue des Pêchers in Hendaye, was the residence of writer Pierre Loti between 1891 and 1923. Appointed commander of Hendaye's naval station in 1891, he moved there to monitor the border and suppress smuggling, a lucrative activity for certain Basque bourgeois families. Despite his official mission, he became friends with smugglers, turning his house into a clandestine relay. In 1899 he renamed it Bakharetchea ("the solitaire house" in Basque), with reference to its isolation and its unique view of Txingudi Bay.

Acquised in 1903, the villa undergoes important works to gain comfort and adopt a more Basque style. Pierre Loti made it a resort, welcoming personalities of his time. He died there on 10 June 1923. The property, including the villa, its terraces, turrets and garden, is listed as historical monuments on December 16, 2010. Its rear façade dominates the Bidassoa, a border river between France and Spain.

The name Bakharetchea reflects both its isolated location and its role in the life of the writer, marked by its contradictions: naval officer accomplice of smugglers, and writer in search of Basque authenticity. The villa thus embodies a pivotal period of his life, between military duty and attachment to a local culture he idealizes.

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