Bayonne, town in southwestern France, in Pyrénées-Atlantiques Department, a port at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, near the Bay of Biscay. Part of the French Basque Country (Pays Basque), it is a metallurgical and fishing center. A noted cathedral (begun 13th century) is here, and the fashionable resort of Biarritz is nearby. Called Lapurdum in Roman times, the town passed to the French crown in 1451. The bayonet was probably invented here. Population (1999) 40,078.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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