IF YOU were lucky enough to spend time in France during the World Cup, the likelihood was you ended up humming the tune of La Peña Baiona. You might not have known what it was, but the iconic tune that belongs to the fans of l’Aviron Bayonnais – Bayonne – in the French Basque Country became the anthem of an entire country. Yet ask anyone from the country’s heartlands and there’s an overriding response: you haven’t experienced La Peña until you’ve heard it at Bayonne’s Stade Jean-Dauger.
The song’s lyrics describe Bayonne’s supporters, dressed in their blue and white scarves, cheering on their men. As the team hype.
