OK, COME.

[LAUGHS] COME AND SEE ME.

I WILL...

I WILL TELL YOU...

I WILL TELL YOU HISTORY ABOUT BASQUE COUNTRY.

MMM.

HA HA!

MICKELA MALLOZZI: I'M A DANCER... AND I'M A TRAVELER.

AND WHEREVER I GO, I EXPERIENCE THE WORLD ONE DANCE AT A TIME.

I'M MICKELA MALLOZZI, AND THIS IS "BARE FEET."

MALLOZZI: WELCOME TO THE FRENCH BASQUE COUNTRY.

I AM HERE DISCOVERING MY FRENCH ROOTS THROUGH THIS DNA JOURNEY, AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO DO THAT THAN AT ONE OF THE BIGGEST CELEBRATIONS IN THIS COUNTRY, LES FETES DE BAYONNE.

FOR 5 DAYS EVERY JULY, OVER ONE MILLION VISITORS DESCEND UPON THE LITTLE TOWN OF BAYONNE TO CELEBRATE LIFE THROUGH MUSIC, DANCE, COSTUME, AND OF COURSE, FUN.

THE BASQUE COUNTRY IS A REGION THAT OVERLAPS FRANCE AND SPAIN'S BORDERS, AND BAYONNE IS SITUATED IN SOUTHWESTERN FRANCE.

THE CITY NEIGHBORS THE POSH SEASIDE TOWN OF BIARRITZ, KNOWN FOR ITS SURFING AND IMPRESSIVE VIEWS.

THE BASQUE REGION OF FRANCE AND SPAIN IS CULTURALLY AUTONOMOUS AND HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR INDEPENDENCE FOR GENERATIONS.

ON THIS "BARE FEET" ADVENTURE, I'LL BE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS UNIQUE AND ANCIENT EUROPEAN CULTURE WHILE HAVING FUN AT ONE OF THE LARGEST PARTIES IN EUROPE.

MY FIRST STOP IS TO MEET WITH JOSE CAUZABON, A PROFESSIONAL BASQUE DANCER WHO WILL BE GIVING ME MY FIRST LESSON IN THE MUTXIKO, THE TRADITIONAL SOCIAL DANCE FROM THE BASQUE COUNTRY.

JOSE GREETS ME WITH A BEAUTIFUL DANCE DONE TO WELCOME GUESTS.

AS PART OF LES FETES DE BAYONNE'S CELEBRATIONS, THE MUTXIKO IS DONE IN THE PLAZAS AND SQUARES THROUGHOUT THE TOWN, LED BY A CALLER.

AND WITH JOSE'S HELP, I'LL BE READY.

[SPEAKING BASQUE] WELCOME.

MERCI BEAUCOUP.

IT'S MUTXIKO.

MUTXIKO.

OLDEST DANCE IN BASQUE COUNTRY.

[SPEAKING BASQUE] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: ERDIZKA MEANS HALF-TURN OR ABOUT FACE IN BASQUE, AND IT IS THE MOST COMMON STEP IN THE MUTXIKO DANCES.

CAUZABON: ERDIZKA.

DOBLA.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE DOBLA MEANS FULL TURN, WHILE A PIKA IS LIKE A COUPÉ IN BALLET, WHERE ONE FOOT UNDERCUTS THE OTHER.

ALL OF THESE MOVEMENTS ARE FAMILIAR TO ME, JUST SAID AND DONE IN VARIATION FROM WHAT I'M USED TO.

"V." JUMP.

OH, TWO JUMPS?

NOW I UNDERSTAND.

THERE'S A JUMP IN BETWEEN.

OK. MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THESE DANCES WERE ALMOST LOST OVER 40 YEARS AGO, BUT A FAMOUS BASQUE DANCER AND CHOREOGRAPHER, BETTI BETELU, REVIVED THE DANCES THROUGH TEACHING AND ORGANIZED SESSIONS AT ANNUAL FETES.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: IN ORDER TO MASTER THE DANCE, I ALSO NEED TO START MASTERING THE LANGUAGE, WHICH ISN'T EASY.

THE BASQUE LANGUAGE, OR EUSKERA, IS AN ISOLATE LANGUAGE WITH NO CONNECTION OR INFLUENCE FROM ANY OTHER INDO-EUROPEAN LANGUAGE.

[BOTH SPEAKING BASQUE] 1, 2, 3.

MY BRAIN'S ABOUT TO EXPLODE.

ALL THE NAMES.

WE GOT THIS.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: JOSE TEACHES ME A FEW VARIATIONS OF THESE DANCES.

HE EVEN GIVES ME A TASTE OF THE FAMOUS FANDANGO FROM THE BASQUE REGION WHERE THE DANCERS FACE EACH OTHER WITH OUTSTRETCHED ARMS.

[SPEAKING BASQUE] TURN.

[SPEAKS BASQUE] MALLOZZI: THERE ARE BASICALLY TWO FETES HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.

THERE'S ONE FOR THE TOURISTS, BUT THEN FOR THE BASQUE PEOPLE, YOU HAVE THE TRADITIONAL DANCE, THE MUSIC, THE POETS.

OOPS!

OK!

WHOO!

MERCI!

THANK YOU.

WE'RE ALL SWEATY AND GROSS.

[EXHALES] HOLY COW!

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: LES FETES DE BAYONNE COINCIDES WITH THE ANNUAL PASTORALE, A FORM OF TRADITIONAL BASQUE THEATER PERFORMED IN THE REGION OF SOULE.

I HEAD TO MAULEON-LICHERRE, ABOUT AN HOUR EAST OF BAYONNE, TO EXPERIENCE THIS FULL DAY OF BASQUE STORYTELLING.

[SPEAKS BASQUE] MALLOZZI: JEAN BORDAXAR, YOU ARE THE WRITER AND DIRECTOR OF LA PASTORALE.

WHAT IS LA PASTORALE?

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE DAY BEGINS WITH A BEAUTIFUL MASS AT EGLISE SAINT-JEAN BAPTISTE, OR ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH, CONSISTING OF ALL OF THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE PASTORALE IN FULL COSTUME AND IN CHARACTER.

[ALL SINGING] [BELL TOLLING] THE MORNING MASS IS FOLLOWED BY A PROCESSION THROUGH THE ENTIRE TOWN, ENDING IN A SQUARE FILLED WITH DANCING THE MUTXIKO, A VARIATION OF THE DANCES THAT JOSE CAUZABON TAUGHT ME EARLIER.

[TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYING] MALLOZZI: BEHIND US IS THE PROCESSION LEADING UP TO THE STADIUM THAT THE PASTORALE'S GONNA TAKE PLACE IN.

BUT ALL OF THE VILLAGERS AND ACTORS AND MUSICIANS AND DANCERS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN THE PASTORALE ARE PROCEEDING RIGHT HERE BEHIND US.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: NEIGHBORING VILLAGES OF SOULE HERE IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY COME TO WITNESS THIS TRADITIONAL THEATER OF STORYTELLING THROUGH SONG, DANCE, AND A SPECIFIC RHYTHM OF RHYMING IN THE BASQUE LANGUAGE.

[SINGING IN BASQUE] [SINGING IN BASQUE] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE PASTORALE IS A 3-HOUR LONG TRAGEDY OF A MAIN BASQUE HISTORICAL FIGURE.

IT'S A LONG DAY FOR ALL OF THE VILLAGERS, NO?

NO.

[SPEAKING BASQUE] HA HA HA!

HA HA HA!

[TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYING] ALL: HEY!

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THIS FESTIVE TIME IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THE BASQUE TRADITIONS THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

I HEAD BACK TO THE CENTER OF BAYONNE TO MEET WITH FABIENNE RIDE, DIRECTOR OF KILIKA.

KILIKA IS A GROUP OF ARTISTS THAT BUILDS AND WORKS WITH GIANT PUPPETS.

TOGETHER WITH THEM, I'M GOING TO EXPERIENCE A COMPLETELY UNIQUE TRADITION TO THE BASQUE CULTURE.

WOMAN: KILIKA IS A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS, GIRLS AND BOYS FROM 12 TO 70.

MEANS WHEN YOU FEEL-- HEE HEE HEE!

TICKLE.

YEAH.

TICKLE, TICKLE, TICKLE.

AHH, KILIKA MEANS TICKLE.

YEAH, IT MEANS--YES.

MALLOZZA, VOICE-OVER: KILIKA WAS CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH LES GRANDES PERSONNES.

GRANDES PERSONNES.

IT'S A COMPANY FROM PARIS.

GRANDES PERSONNES MEANS BIG PEOPLE.

RIGHT?

YEAH.

BIG, BIG ONES.

WE'RE NOT PROFESSIONAL.

IT'S JUST TO HAVE PLEASURE WITH PEOPLE AND-- 'CAUSE YOU HAVE A PASSION.

THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT.

IT'S MAGIC.

THEY ARE MAGIC.

WE DON'T DO ANYTHING, BUT THEY ARE MAGIC.

WHOA.

YOU WILL SEE.

YEAH.

YES.

ALL RIGHT.

OK. OK, READY TO GO.

OK. OK. OH, JEEZ.

SO, OK. [LAUGHS] HELLO!

WELCOME TO LES FETES.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: TOGETHER, THE ARTISTS OF LES GRANDE PERSONNES AND THE VOLUNTEER ARTISTS OF KILIKA CREATED GIANT PUPPETS BASED ON THE BASQUE MYTHOLOGY.

RIDE: THIS ONE IS CALLED LIZUN.

SHE'S A LITTLE MAGIC PUPPET.

SHE'S BETWEEN THE ANIMALS AND THE HUMAN.

MALLOZZI: AND WHAT ANIMAL IS SHE, THE OTHER HALF OF HER?

SHE HAS DUCK FEET.

[LAUGHS] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: MENDI IS A CHARACTER KNOWN AS THE CHILD SHEPHERD OF THE MOUNTAINS, CARRYING A LAMB ON HIS BACK.

HE IS ALSO KNOWN FOR BEING A LITTLE MISCHIEVOUS.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] HA HA HA!

I LOVE IT.

HE'S COMING TO LIFE.

IT'S LIKE MOVEMENT LIKE THAT.

AND YOU HAVE TO BE VERY, UM... SOFT?

YES, SOFT.

VERY SOFT.

YEAH.

OH, WOW.

YEAH, YOU REALLY HAVE TO STAY STRAIGHT, OR ELSE I'M GONNA FLY.

A LOT OF CORE.

YOU GUYS, AB WORK.

YEAH!

I LIKE IT!

IT'S LIKE A DANCE.

MOVE EASY.

YES.

OH, YES.

OH, YES.

MALLOZZI: WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE HER COME ALIVE MORE?

BE A CHILD.

OK?

OK. BE A CHILD.

YEAH.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: AFTER MY CRASH COURSE WITH KILIKA, WE MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH THE STREETS OF BAYONNE TO BRING MENDI AND LIZUN TO THE REVELERS GETTING READY FOR THE OPENING OF LES FETES.

[VILLAGERS SINGING IN BASQUE] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: NOW IT'S MY TURN TO FEEL THE MAGIC OF LIZUN AND LET HER PLAY WITH THE PEOPLE WE MEET HERE IN BAYONNE.

OOH!

IT'S HOT AND HEAVY, BUT IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

BECOMING ONE OF THESE PUPPETS HAS BEEN LIKE NOTHING I'VE EVER DONE BEFORE.

I WAS DANCING, BUT IT'S ALL IMPROVISATION, INTERACTING WITH THE KIDS, INTERACTING WITH EVERYBODY HERE.

AND PEOPLE'S FACES CHANGE WHEN THEY SEE THE PUPPET, WHETHER THEY BECOME HAPPY, WHETHER THEY BECOME SCARED, EXCITED.

THEY DON'T REALLY SEE ME AS A PERSON.

THEY SEE US AS A PUPPET, AS ONE UNIT.

TRULY BONNE FETES.

LOOK AT THIS.

SOAKED.

COMPLETELY SOAKED.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: BEFORE TOMORROW'S OFFICIAL OPENING OF LES FETES DE BAYONNE, I HEAD A FEW MILES OUT OF THE CITY TO THE NEIGHBORING TOWN OF ANGLET.

I'M REUNITED WITH MY OLD FRIEND ELISA AND HER MOTHER, MAMA MIKELA.

I WAS GRACIOUSLY HOSTED BY THEM YEARS AGO, AND THEY ARE SO GENEROUS TO HAVE ME BACK AGAIN TO DIG EVEN DEEPER INTO THEIR BEAUTIFUL BASQUE CULTURE.

TODAY, MAMA MIKELA AND ELISA ARE SHARING A VERY TRADITIONAL BASQUE DISH WITH ME, MADE FROM THE FARM-RAISED DUCK IN THE AREA.

SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT HERE IS A DUCK IN A JAR, AND IS IT SURROUNDED BY DUCK FAT?

IS THAT WHAT IT IS?

WOW.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

WE TAKE IT.

OK. AND IT'S LIKE A FAMILY TRADITION TO DO THIS DURING THE FETES.

IT'S VERY TAUT.

AND WHAT IS THE DISH YOU'RE GONNA SHOW US TODAY?

THE NAME OF IT IS PARMENTIER DE CANARD.

SMALL PIECES OF DUCK, MASHED POTATOES AND PEPPER WITH A-- MAMA MIKELA: SWEET PEPPER.

OH, RED--PIMENTOS.

RED PEPPERS.

OH, GOOD, GOOD.

ABSOLUTELY.

NOW, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY SIMPLE DISH, BUT IT'S--IS IT ONE OF THE MOST TRADITIONAL OR WELL-KNOWN DISHES FROM HERE?

YEAH, IT'S BOTH A SPECIALTY OF BASQUE CULTURE AND BASQUE COOKING AND MANY, MANY FARMS ARE-- THEY'RE DUCK FARMS.

YEAH.

A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THE SPANISH BASQUE COUNTRY.

AND THE FRENCH BASQUE COUNTRY IS VERY SMALL, BUT YOU'RE ALL VERY CONNECTED, RIGHT?

THE LINK BETWEEN THE FRENCH PART AND THE SPANISH PART OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY ARE REALLY, REALLY STRONG.

THE LANGUAGE IS THE SAME, WITH MANY DIALECTS, BUT WE UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER, AND WHEN WE GO TO PAMPLONA, TO BILBAO, SAN SEBASTIÁN, IT'S REALLY LIKE-- LIKE A BROTHERHOOD-- MAMA MIKELA: STRONG.

YEAH.

YEAH, REALLY STRONG.

YEAH, YEAH.

WHAT DOES THE FETE MEAN TO YOUR FAMILY AND TO THE BASQUE PEOPLE HERE?

BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF TOURISTS.

LIKE, A MILLION PEOPLE COME, RIGHT?

EVERY YEAR PEOPLE, YEAH.

EXACTLY.

YEAH.

BUT FOR US, IT'S A WAY TO CELEBRATE OUR CULTURE, THE LANGUAGE, AND TO MIX TOGETHER, BECAUSE EACH YEAR, THIS IS REALLY AN AMOUNT OF SHARING AND CONNECTING AGAIN EACH YEAR.

RECONNECTING, YEAH.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: WE HEAD OUTSIDE TO ENJOY THIS HOME-COOKED MEAL BY MAMA MIKELA OVERLOOKING THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE OF THE BASQUE REGION, AND ELISA POURS AND AERATES THE TRADITIONAL CIDER THAT ACTS AS AN APERITIF BEFORE ANY TRADITIONAL BASQUE MEAL.

MALLOZZI: AND HOW DO YOU SAY "CHEERS" IN BASQUE?

OSASUNA.

OSASUNA.

OSASUNA.

ALL: OSASUNA.

OHH!

YES, NOW I REMEMBER THIS TASTE.

YEAH.

[SPEAKS BASQUE] MMM.

MMM.

WOW.

WOW.

THAT'S REALLY GOOD.

THIS IS GOOD, YEAH.

THAT IS REALLY GOOD.

BON APPÉTIT.

MERCI.

BON APPÉTIT.

BON APPÉTIT.

MMM.

[TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYING] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE TIME HAS FINALLY COME.

THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF LES FETES DE BAYONNE KICKS OFF 4 DAYS OF FESTIVITIES WITH OVER ONE MILLION PEOPLE DESCENDING UPON THIS LITTLE BASQUE TOWN.

THE OFFICIAL DRESS OF LES FETES DE BAYONNE IS ALL WHITE WITH ACCENTS OF RED, INSPIRED BY PAMPLONA'S ANNUAL FEAST OF SAN FERMÍN.

RED HATS, RED BELTS, AND RED FULARS, OR SCARVES, ARE ADDED.

AND AT THE OPENING OF LES FETES IS WHEN THE FULARS ARE OFFICIALLY TIED TO OUR NECKS.

THE START OF THIS ENTIRE CELEBRATION BEGINS AT PLACE DE LIBERTÉ, WITH THE CHARACTER OF KING LEON THROWING THE KEYS TO THE CITY FROM THE BALCONY OF THE CITY HALL TO THE REVELERS DOWN BELOW.

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] KING LEON HAS APPEARED!

LES FETES HAS OFFICIALLY OPENED.

KING LEON HAS THROWN THE KEY TO THE CITY.

AND WE'RE GONNA PARTY WITH EVERYBODY.

BONNE FETES, EVERYONE.

[FIREWORKS WHISTLE AND POP] [TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYING] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE STREETS OF BAYONNE ARE FILLED WITH MUSIC AND DANCE DURING LES FETES.

THE TXISTU IS THE TRADITIONAL FLUTE KNOWN AS THE SYMBOL OF THE BASQUE FOLK REVIVAL.

TXISTU BANDS MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGHOUT THE CITY PLAYING THIS ONE-HANDED FLUTE, ALLOWING THE FREE HAND TO ACCOMPANY ON THE DRUM.

OF COURSE, I HAD TO JOIN IN MYSELF.

YEAH!

[MEN SINGING IN BASQUE] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: I FIND ARGILEAK, ONE OF THE MANY TRADITIONAL BASQUE CHOIRS PERFORMING THIS WEEKEND.

THEY WERE KIND ENOUGH TO LET ME JUMP RIGHT IN AND JOIN THEM IN SONG.

♪ LA LA LA LA LA ♪ TYPICALLY, BASQUE CHOIRS ARE MEN, RIGHT?

AND I LOVE THAT YOU'RE A WOMAN DIRECTING THESE MEN.

[CHOIR SINGING IN BASQUE] [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: MUSIC AND DANCE ARE AT THE HEART OF LES FETES DE BAYONNE, WITH PASSING DOWN THE DANCE TRADITIONS TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF BASQUE.

IN THE PLAZAS THROUGHOUT THE TOWN, YOUNG DANCERS PERFORM OVER THE DAYS OF THE CELEBRATIONS TO SHARE THE MUTXIKO, THE FANDANGO, AND OTHER DANCES TO NOT ONLY THE BASQUE PEOPLE THAT RETURN TO BAYONNE, BUT ALSO TO THE NEWCOMERS TO EXPERIENCE THESE TRADITIONS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.

ONE OF THESE GROUPS IS BILAKA, A DANCE COMPANY BASED HERE IN BAYONNE THAT COMBINES THE TRADITIONAL BASQUE DANCE WITH AVANT-GARDE EXPRESSION AND CONTEMPORARY DANCE TO CREATE A NEW WAVE OF BASQUE VOICES.

MAN: IN OUR COMPANY, THERE ARE DANCERS AND MUSICIANS.

AND WE START WITH A TRADITIONAL REPERTOIRE OF BASQUE CULTURE IN DANCE AND MUSIC.

AND WE MIX WITH CONTEMPORARY DANCE, CONTEMPORARY MUSIC.

[MUSIC PLAYING] MALLOZZI: WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION TO START THE COMPANY?

WE WERE 20 YEARS OLD, AND WE WANTED TO DO ACTION MUSIC AND ROCK, AND WE WAS THINKING, WHY, WE CAN MIX THE TWO THINGS.

MM-HMM.

AND THAT'S WHY.

YEAH.

[MUSIC STOPS, CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: PLACE JACQUES IS THE PLAZA WHERE THE HEART OF ALL BASQUE TRADITIONS TAKE PLACE DURING LES FETES.

HERE, THE GEANTS, OR THE GIANTS, KICK OFF THE DAILY KARRIKALDI, WHERE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE GATHER TO DANCE THE MUTXIKO.

THE GEANTS REPRESENT THE EMBLEMATIC FIGURES OF THE CITY'S HISTORY, FROM THE GOVERNESS TO THE FAMOUS LOCAL CHOCOLATE MAKER TO KING LEON HIMSELF.

THE GEANTS END THEIR TOUR OF THE PLAZA AND REMAIN IN THE CENTER TO GUIDE THE UPCOMING MUTXIKO DANCES AROUND THEM.

I FIND JOSE CAUZABON, MY TEACHER FROM EARLIER, WHO PREPARED ME FOR THIS EXACT MOMENT.

[TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYING] OH!

WHOA.

IT'S COMING TOGETHER.

YES.

I FEEL IT MORE.

AND IT'S BETTER WHEN ALL THE PEOPLE AROUND, YOU FEEL THAT ENERGY BRINGING YOU FORWARD.

IT'S NICE.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE KARRIKALDI NOT ONLY HOSTS MUTXIKO DANCES IN PLACE DE JACQUES, BUT ALSO SING-ALONGS OF THE BASQUE MUSICAL TRADITION.

[ALL SINGING IN BASQUE] WE'RE HERE WITH MAMA MIKELA AND ELISA, AND WE'RE GONNA BE SINGING SOME BASQUE SONGS.

YOU CAN BUY A LITTLE BOOK SO WE CAN FOLLOW ALONG.

IT'S ALL IN BASQUE, SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, BUT I'M SURE IT'S ALL GONNA BE FUN.

[ALL SINGING IN BASQUE] THAT'S A HARD WORD TO SAY.

[SINGING CONTINUES] MALLOZZI: ELISA, WHAT DOES THAT SONG MEAN?

IT'S ABOUT THE [SPEAKS BASQUE].

IT'S THE SPIRIT, THE WAY YOU WANT TO LIVE YOUR LIFE.

[ALL SINGING IN BASQUE] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE BASQUE SONGS SUNG AT THE KARRIKALDI SPEAK OF THE HARDSHIPS THAT THE BASQUE PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO OVERCOME OVER CENTURIES OF OPPRESSION.

AND ABOVE ALL, THESE SONGS ARE ABOUT SOLIDARITY AND FREEDOM.

[ALL SINGING IN BASQUE] AS EVENING COMES, THE ENERGY CHANGES THROUGHOUT BAYONNE.

THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT FETES DE BAYONNE, ONE FOR THE LOCALS, LIKE WHAT WE EXPERIENCED AT THE KARRIKALDI, AND ONE FOR THE TOURISTS, WHICH SEEMS TO OVERTAKE THE TOWN AS THE SUN SETS.

BUT WITH LOCALS MAMA MIKELA AND ELISA AS MY GUIDES, WE STILL GET THE TRADITIONAL BASQUE EXPERIENCE TONIGHT.

WE HEAD TO A PEÑA, TRANSLATED TO A CAVE IN SPANISH, MEANING THE CELLARS AND FORMER ANIMAL STALLS OF THE CITY'S HISTORICAL CENTER.

IN THEM ARE THE HEADQUARTERS FOR CULTURAL CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS THAT HOST PARTIES DURING LES FETES WITH BANDAS PLAYING MUSIC, SINGING, FOOD, AND OF COURSE, WINE.

[ALL CHEERING] [ALL SINGING IN BASQUE] [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: LES FETES DE BAYONNE IS A PILGRIMAGE OF SORTS FOR THE BASQUE CULTURE ONCE A YEAR HERE IN FRANCE, RECONNECTING THOSE FROM AROUND THE WORLD WITH BASQUE HERITAGE FOR 4 DAYS OF SONG, DANCE, POETRY, ART, TRADITION, FOOD, AND FAMILY.

RETURNING HERE TO RECONNECT WITH MY OWN ADOPTED BASQUE FAMILY, MAMA MIKELA AND ELISA, I DIG EVEN DEEPER INTO WHAT THIS FETE IS TRULY ABOUT.

THE SOLIDARITY OF THE BASQUE PEOPLE IS CLEAR, AND THEIR UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL IDENTITY CONTINUES TO NOT ONLY SURVIVE, BUT THRIVE.

MILLESKE, MERCI, AND THANK YOU, BAYONNE.

I HOPE TO MAKE THIS PILGRIMAGE BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN TO MY NEWFOUND BASQUE ROOTS, A DANCE AND MUSIC REUNION FOR MY SOUL.

[TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYING] AND I'LL SEE YOU ON MY NEXT "BARE FEET" ADVENTURE, WHEREVER IT MAY TAKE ME.

HA HA HA!

MALLOZZI: YOU CAN STAY CONNECTED WITH US AT TRAVELBAREFEET.COM, WHERE YOU'LL FIND EXTRA BONUS VIDEOS, JOIN OUR "BARE FEET" SERIES CONVERSATIONS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, AND STAY UPDATED WITH OUR NEWSLETTER.

[KISSES] YEAH?

YES!

WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU.

WELCOME BACK.

WE ARE BACK HOME WITH ELISA.

WHERE'S YOUR MAMA?

SHE'S COMING RIGHT NOW.

YEAH.

SHE DISAPPEARED.

EVERY TIME.

MAMA MIKELA!

[INDISTINCT] [SPEAKING BASQUE] [LAUGHS] ANNOUNCER: "BARE FEET" IS FUNDED IN PART BY...

THE ISLAND OF IRELAND.

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR HEART.

FILL YOUR HEART WITH IRELAND.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN THROUGH THE YUEN FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES; AND BY THE ANN H. SYMINGTON FOUNDATION.

ANNOUNCER: THE FARMERS AND PRODUCERS AT LANDCRAFTED FOOD IN GRAYSON COUNTY, VIRGINIA, ARE DEDICATED TO SUSTAINING AND SERVING OUR FARMS AND COMMUNITY, WITH THE GOAL OF PRODUCING FOODS THAT ARE AS GOOD FOR THE LAND AS THEY ARE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO EAT THEM.

LANDCRAFTED FOOD.

STUBBORNLY REAL.

FARMER OWNED.

TAUCK, GUIDING TRAVELERS AROUND THE WORLD SINCE 1925, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE ONCE IN A LIFETIME ONLY HAPPENS ONCE.

HOW YOU SEE THE WORLD MATTERS.

[CHILD BABBLES]