Members of the Espelette pepper brotherhood parade through the streets of the town during the Espelette pepper festival in Espelette, southwestern France on October 25, 2026. In the Basque Country, following a summer of intense heatwaves and a historic drought, even the iconic Espelette pepper is parched; producers believe that irrigation, previously prohibited, is the only solution. (Photo by Gaizka IROZ / AFP via Getty Images)