One may be looking at the people quite aimlessly, when one of the groups strolling slowly along among the rest suddenly attracts one’s attention, owing to the extreme familiarity of one of the figures--a man a little below the average height, having an almost white beard and a very pleasant and charming manner as he talks to a little girl and boy walking with him. It is King Edward VII., with two of his grandchildren, and with them are one or two friends or members of the Court. No one pays the slightest attention to the royal group, no one raises his hat, and no one turns his snapshot camera in that direction; for it is understood that when the King of England comes to the Hôtel du Palais at Biarritz he wishes to leave all ceremony behind, and enjoy a spring holiday with as little ostentation as possible. SECTION XI BIARRITZ TO PAMPLONA AND BACK VIA SAN SEBASTIAN, 155 MILES (250 KILOMETRES) DISTANCES ALONG THE ROUTE Kil. Miles. =Biarritz= to St. Jean de Luz =16= 10 =St. Jean de Luz= to Béhobie (frontier) =10= 6¼ =Béhobie= (frontier) to Vera =15= 9½ =Vera= to Almandoz =37= 23 =Almandoz= to Pamplona =39= 24 =Pamplona= to Tolosa =58= 36 =Tolosa= to San Sebastian =23= 14¼ =San Sebastian= to Fuentarrabia =20= 12¼ =Fuentarrabia= to Béhobie (frontier) =6= 3¾ =Béhobie= (frontier) to Biarritz =26= 16 NOTES FOR DRIVERS Only those who have cars capable of climbing for many miles up some exceedingly steep gradients should attempt this little two-day journey through the Basque Country of Spain to Pamplona. The surface of the road is very dusty but good between =Biarritz= and =Béhobie=, and it is rather better and much less dusty from the frontier to a little beyond =Irurita=. Beyond that the steep gradients begin, and the surface of the road becomes loose in places, although it keeps fairly good until the long zigzag ascent to the =Col de Velate=, a pass among the mountains, 2,717 feet above sea-level. _Snow lingers in small patches at this height until April, but information as to the state of the road can easily be obtained in Bayonne, Biarritz, or Béhobie, before starting._ There is no need to fear brigands now that a couple of soldiers are always stationed at the head of the pass. Beyond the Col de Velate the surface rapidly improves, and becomes quite good when the steepest part of the descent to Pamplona has been accomplished.