Some in the crowd then threw eggs at the bar guarded by riot police in the south-western town of Bayonne.
Mr Sarkozy described the protesters - Basque nationalists and supporters of his rival Socialist candidate Francois Hollande - as "hooligans".
He left the bar after about an hour.
The Basque region straddles south-western France and northern Spain.
Sarkozy 'saddened'
Mr Sarkozy was met in Bayonne by a hostile crowd, who jeered him and shouted insults.
Some chanted "Nicolas kampora", which in the Basque language meant "Nicolas get out".
Mr Sarkozy was also showered with campaign leaflets calling for greater Basque autonomy. (+ video) » | Thursday, March 01, 2012
