Basque crafts: linen, makila, espadrilles, chistera and txapela — where to buy them

A souvenir of the Basque Country can be much more than a fridge magnet: here, a number of workshops still make objects on the spot that have been handed down from generation to generation. Here are the great classics, and where to find them at the source.

Basque linen

Basque cloth started out as a linen cloth that protected livestock from insects. It then became household linen: tablecloths, tea towels, napkins. Its stripes are often said to represent the seven Basque provinces. In 1953, some fifteen weavers joined forces to regulate production in the Basses-Pyrénées department.

Today, three weavers still produce Basque linen (linge basque) in the area:

• Lartigue 1910 — founded in 1910 by Calixte Lartigue near Oloron-Sainte-Marie, the firm first wove canvas for espadrilles before moving on to Basque linen in the 1980s. It weaves in Bidos and, since 2012, in a workshop-shop in Ascain. A Living Heritage Company (Entreprise du patrimoine vivant) since 2017, it obtained the ‘Linge basque’ geographical indication in 2021. Shops in Ascain, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Espelette, Biarritz, Bayonne and Bidos.
• Ona Tiss — founded in 1949, it too made espadrille canvas before turning to household linen in the 1980s.
• Tissage Moutet — founded in 1919 in Orthez, in Béarn, a pioneer of colourful patterned jacquard weaving.

Tip: for authentic linen, look for the ‘Linge basque’ geographical indication.

The makila, the Basque walking stick

Both a walking stick and a weapon, the makila is an object of honour: it is presented to distinguished figures, including popes and heads of state. The shaft is made of medlar wood, worked on the living tree two or three years before it is cut: the bark is scored as the sap rises to create the patterns. The wood then dries for ten to twenty years. The ferrules are brass, nickel silver, silver or gold, the grip is plaited leather, and the pommel is horn or metal.

• Atelier Ainciart Bergara, in Larressore — the Ainciart family has been making makilas since the 1780s; in 1926, Marie-Jeanne Ainciart married Jean Bergara, hence the double name. Each makila is made to measure, according to the build of its future owner, and engraved with their name and a Basque motto. The craft is listed on France’s intangible cultural heritage inventory. Free tours of the workshop, Monday to Friday (8:00–12:00, 14:00–18:00) and Saturday mornings (9:00–12:00), except public holidays. About fifteen minutes from Bayonne.

The Mauléon espadrille

Mauléon-Licharre (Maule), in Soule (Zuberoa), is the home of the espadrille. In the early 19th century, the Béguerie family launched large-scale production there. Between 1896 and 1911, the workforce grew from 537 to 1,585, a large share of them seasonal women workers from Spain, known as the ‘swallows’ (hirondelles). In 1976, the town was producing around 15 million pairs a year with 3,000 workers, before a steep decline in the mid-1990s, when the big retail chains started sourcing from Asia.

A handful of manufacturers keep the craft alive, among them Armaite, Tauzin Père et Fils, Megam, Prodiso and Don Quichosse. At Armaite, around 12 pairs a day are sewn by hand, compared with 700 to 1,000 by machine: hand-sewn espadrilles are therefore rare. An application for an ‘Espadrille de Mauléon’ geographical indication was filed in 2016, but it was rejected.

The chistera

The long wicker glove used by pelota players is still made by hand in Anglet, at the Fabrique de chisteras Gonzalez, run by the same family since 1887. You can visit it by appointment (in French): guided tours on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 17:00 (€5 per adult). For the game itself, read our guide to Basque pelota.

The Tolosa txapela

On the other side of the border, in Tolosa, Boinas Elósegui has been making berets since 1858. The company, founded by Antonio Elósegui, describes itself as the only beret maker in Europe to carry out every stage of production in one place. The berets are made of merino wool; fulling, which gives the fabric its felted look, takes about four hours.

Our shopping tips

• Buy at the workshop whenever you can: you will see the craft in action and be sure of where it comes from.
• Beware of imitations: ‘Basque-style’ linen and imported espadrilles are everywhere in souvenir shops.
• For a makila, plan to place an order: it is made to measure.

Sources

• En Pays Basque (tourist office) — Lartigue 1910 (in French)
• Paysbasque.net — The last Basque linen weavers; What is left of the Mauléon espadrille?
• INPI — Geographical indications database: Espadrille de Mauléon (in French)
• Wikipedia — Makila (in French); Makhila Ainciart Bergara (official website)
• Anglet tourist office — Fabrique de chisteras Gonzalez
• Tolosa town council — How Elósegui berets are made

Ongi etorri — and happy shopping!