Paramoudras are unusual geological features in the form of balls of sedimentary rock, usually pierced by a gallery.
Consisting of rocks harder than the surrounding stratum, erosion makes them appear in some sites, such as Jaizkibel in the Spanish Basque Country.
With the proximity of the ocean, these large balls are reminiscent (minus the color) of Tintin’s mushrooms on the “shooting star“. Or, with a little imagination, layers of nougat, a dog’s or monkey’s head…
The origin of paramoudras is still debated. The most widespread hypothesis evokes differentiated mineralization around the burrow of an unknown marine worm . Another that mineralization would have occurred around a water or gas channel. In both cases, precise oxidation-reduction conditions were required.
Apart from these geological curiosities, the site of Jaizkibel is worth a visit. Away from the roads, between ocean and low mountains, it is a preserved area with the Justiz hostel as only store. Many shy pottoks help stretches of grass to fight against invasive heaths. As for the robins, they fight in their own way by approaching intruding bipeds.
The mention of the forced landing of the aviator Roland Garros in May 1911, who ran out of fuel before refueling in Saint Jean de Luz during the Paris Madrid race, also brings an epic side to Jaizkibel.