What did king Louis XIV do in Saint-Jean-de-Luz

A very special host!

This building is known as "Louis XIV's house" because the king was hosted here when he came in the city for his wedding, on June 9th 1660.

But it’s also known as Lohobiague house, named after the Basque ship owners who raised it in 1643.

Lohobiague's widow received the king with great pomp and ceremony, pampering him like a clover!

After his visit, she even gave him a gorgeous cutlery made of enamel and vermeil! But let’s get back to the point... king’s wedding!

Louis arrived in Bayonne on May 8th with the Court. He spent one week here in Lohobiague’s house: and on August 26th, the royal couple finally get in Paris...

A royal wedding

Luxury and glamour

On June 9th... Sun rose on the little Basque harbour...

Louis went out from the Lohobiague's house to join Maria-Theresa’s house, his future wife. The weather was fine... Small clouds flew on blue sky...

Once he had met his wife, Louis and his courtiers went to the church of Saint-John-the-Baptist. Oh, what a procession!

They had entirely recovered the streets with luxurious tapestries, while French and Swiss guards stood to attention.

First came cardinal Mazarin, as proud as a peacock in his classy clothes. Louis wore a dark suit with golden embroideries and frills.

Maria-Theresa, wearing a French-style suit, had a white satin dress and a heavy purple velvet coat, with a crown on her head.

Behind them, Ann of Austria and Louis XIV’s brother.

3 hours!!

And don’t forget the whole bunch of dolled up courtiers... What a gush of luxury!

The Mass lasted 3 hours. 3 looong hours!

Oh my gosh, the young queen was baking under her heavy velvet coat...

Wedding night and party

After that, the royal couple went outside the church, to the Infanta house.

Louis and Maria-Theresa had an "intimate" supper here, in the Lohobiague's house: oh, just a thick and lively crowd of courtiers, to spy on all their conducts!

Courtiers even followed them by the wedding bed...