Louis XIV officially became King of France in 1651 until his death in 1715. His residence “Maison Louis XIV”, located in Saint-Jean de Luz is today the most expensive house in the world.
The house of Louis XIV or Lohobiague-Enea
Lohobiague-Enea was the name of the house before it became the “House of Louis XIV”, in honor of the King after he stayed there for 40 days between May and June 1660, the year in which the Treaty of the Pyrenees was signed, ending the war with Spain on condition that Louis XIV married his cousin, the Infanta Maria Theresa of Spain. Classified as a historical monument, the house of Louis XIV, with its traditional Basque architecture, was built in 1648 by a couple of wealthy shipowners including Johannis Lohobiague and his wife Marie-Sol de Hirigoyen.
The village of Saint Jean de Luz or Donibane Lohitzun
Before the 19th century, St. Jean de Luz was known as a fishing and shipping village. Today, its appeal is focused on the beauty of its beaches and the Basque Country. The village’s 12th century port is a testament to the enormous success of the fishing and tropical trade of the time, which is why mansions were built there and today constitute the architectural wealth of the country. On the other hand, the city suffered a lot from the Spanish oppression that lasted until 1659, before the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees.