Bayonne is a city in southwestern France, very close to the Pyrenees mountains and the Spanish border.
It is famous for its salt hams, called Bayonne hams, as well as for robust stews called garbures and confits of goose and pork. Regional confiseries include pâte de cédrat, which is a citron fruit jelly, and Bayonne is home to a long tradition of chocolate making, starting with Portuguese Jews who brought chocolate techniques to Bayonne in the early 17th century after they were expelled from Spain.
Bayonne is also one of the French cities most closely associated with Basque cuisine, and is home to many Basque restaurants and chefs. Axoa stew, piment d'espelette, Ossau-Iraty cheese, and Basque cake, are all characteristic of Basque cuisine in the region.