Discover the curious story of Pheasant Island, a 200-metre-long island in the middle of the Bidasoa River between France and Spain, which changes nationalities every six months.
On a quiet stretch of the Bidasoa River between the Basque towns of Irun and Hendaye lies one of the most unusual geopolitical anomalies in Europe. Known variously as Isla de los Faisanes, Île des Faisans, or simply Pheasant Island, this uninhabited patch of land barely 200 metres long holds a peculiar place in international law: it changes national sovereignty between France and Spain, every six months.
I wanted to learn more about this curious island’s place in the histories of both France and Spain. I found myself on the banks of the Bidasoa River in March, when it was officially under Spanish jurisdiction following a handover ceremony from France in February. Every August, sovereignty changes once more, placing Pheasant Island back under French, rather than Spanish, administration.
This biannual transfer of power between France and Spain is a relic of 17th-century diplomacy. It remains in practice to this day, a tradition that is simultaneously archaic and enduring. To understand the significance of Pheasant Island, I explored its historical roots, the broader geopolitics of the Franco-Spanish frontier, and the enduring legacy of borderlands in European politics.
What and where is Pheasant Island?
Pheasant Island sits in the middle of the Bidasoa River, a natural boundary dividing France and Spain. The surrounding region is the Basque Country, a culturally distinct area that straddles both nations, and a region ignored in the drawing of national borders.
In 1659, after years of war between France and Spain, both nations sought to end hostilities after endless wars. They chose the island as neutral ground to sign the Treaty of the Pyrenees. They needed a neutral space to sign the peace treaty, a treaty which also defined the lasting border between France and Spain. Pheasant Island sits right on the border itself, and so became the perfect place for hostilities to be ended.
This treaty not only marked a formal end to decades of war but also paved the way for the marriage of Louis XIV of France and Maria Theresa of Spain, a political alliance sealed on the very island that now shifts allegiance twice a year. A stone monument in the centre of the island stands as a tribute to that moment of diplomacy, known poetically as the “Peace of the Pyrenees.”
The island became an enduring symbol of neutrality, a symbol of peace between the two countries. And despite future conflicts—such as Napoleonic invasions and Franco-Spanish skirmishes—the island remains a small but potent symbol of peaceful coexistence.
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A rare ‘Condominium’
What makes Pheasant Island unique in legal terms is its status as a condominium — a rare arrangement in which two countries jointly administer a territory. While such arrangements have existed elsewhere in history (Sudan was once administered as a joint condominium between Egypt and the United Kingdom until 1956, for example) most have faded.
This one persists, although its shared governance is strictly ceremonial today. The island is not inhabited, and public access is restricted. Only those participating in the formal handover ceremony—typically military or maritime officials—may set foot on it.
Travelling to the island, I crossed the Franco-Spanish border multiple times without passport checks, thanks to the Schengen Agreement. But still, the border remains more than just a line on a map, it’s a dividing line between two Basque communities separated by international divisions.
Sylvie, a local museum worker in Hendaye, confirmed the strength of Basque identity on the French side. “There’s a strong Basque culture over here,” she told me, in La Cite des Memoires, the local museum. “It’s as strong as it is over the border in Spain.”
Pia, a guide from the Spanish border town of Irun who runs tours of the local area, added later: “I learned Spanish in school. I speak Basque at home with my parents. It’s our first language.”
This linguistic and cultural continuity across the border contrasts sharply with the national boundary formalised by the Treaty of the Pyrenees. While the river might have symbolised division to diplomats, for the people who live along it, it often feels more like a bridge.
This frontier, however, has long served practical as well as symbolic functions. In the past, it was a hub for smugglers, bridges between Hendaye and Irun would be manned by Guardia Civil, French police and customs barriers attempting to stamp this practice out.
Despite the advent of the European Union, Pia added a modern twist to this age-old story. “People come over the border to buy their Ricard, their tobacco, their whiskey,” she said. “Because it’s cheaper here for the French. The French pop over for Paella too, but Paella is not Basque!”
Yet the border has also become a site of tragedy in modern times too. Pia notes that several migrants from Africa have drowned attempting to cross the river.
“In the past 10 years, quite a few migrants have drowned attempting to cross the Bidasoa,” she said. “Despite it being the Schengen zone, it is still very much a border – and dangerous for some people.”
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Why does Pheasant Island matter today?
In an era where borders are once again a topic of fierce debate across Europe, Pheasant Island offers a counter-narrative. It is a place where sovereignty is negotiated with formality, not force. Where traditions are maintained as relics of peace.
“The island is kind of eroding as well, so who knows how long it’s actually going to be here for,” Pia mused as we looked across from the French side of the river. Indeed, rising water levels and river erosion may one day erase this floating symbol of diplomacy.
But until then, it remains a vivid reminder of how history, geography, and politics intertwine. A place where royals once met to forge alliances. Where languages converge and diverge. And where, every six months, sovereignty is exchanged with ceremony and care.
In a continent defined by centuries of shifting frontiers, perhaps it is fitting that one tiny island in the Basque Country serves as a gentle, persistent symbol of negotiated peace.
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How to visit Pheasant Island
I stayed in nearby San Sebastian (or Donostia, in Basque) and took the Euskotren (Line E2) direct to Irun/Hendaye.
While physically visiting Pheasant Island is not generally permitted due to its status as a protected site jointly administered by the Spanish and French navies, it is still possible to view the island from both banks of the Bidasoa River.
The best vantage points are from the French town of Hendaye, particularly from the riverside promenade near the skate park and cycle path. From here, visitors can see the full extent of the island and the monument at its centre. The Spanish side, in the town of Irun, offers more limited views due to traffic on the busy riverside road.
Access to the island itself is restricted to the biannual handover ceremonies, which are formal events involving military and local officials. These ceremonies occur on or around 1 February and 1 August each year, when control shifts between France and Spain. Members of the public are not invited, and there are no tourist excursions to the island.
However, travellers can still explore the geopolitical and cultural context of the region. Local museums in Hendaye and Irun provide exhibits on the island’s history, the Treaty of the Pyrenees, and the legacy of cross-border trade and smuggling. Guides such as Pia from Bida Tour offer walking tours of Irun and the border region, giving further insight into the Basque heritage that transcends national boundaries.
For the curious, standing on one of the bridges over the Bidasoa River — with one foot in France and one in Spain — may be the closest thing to experiencing the island’s unique diplomatic status.
That’s the curious story of Pheasant Island, which changes nationalities every six months. Would you visit this nation-changing island? Let me know in the comments below!
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