Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (literally "Saint John [at the] Foot of [the] Pass"; ; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France close to Ostabat in the Pyrenean foothills. The town is also the old capital of the traditional Basque province of Lower Navarre. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is also a starting point for the French Way "Camino Francés", the most popular option for travelling the "Camino de Santiago". The town lies on the river Nive, from the Spanish border, and is the head town of the region of Cize (Garazi in Basque). The town's layout is essentially one main street with
Pied-Noir is known historically that many Sephardi Jews came following the Spanish "Reconquista". In 1870, Justice Minister Adolphe Crémieux wrote a proposal, "décret Crémieux", giving French citizenship to Algerian Jews. This advancement was resisted by part of the larger "Pied-Noir" community and in 1897 a wave of anti-Semitic riots occurred in Algeria. During World War II the "décret Crémieux" was abolished under the Vichy regime, and Jews were barred from professional jobs between 1940 and 1943. Citizenship was restored in 1943. Thus, the Jews of Algeria eventually came to be considered part of the "Pied-Noir" community, and many fled the country