Once the glitziest seaside destination in France, Biarritz today is a friendly, vibrant and cosmopolitan town with magnificent beaches, elegant belle époque architecture and the distinctive sights and tastes of the Basque region. With its well-deserved title as capital of European surfing, this Atlantic jewel buzzes with life, charm and an atmosphere that is uniquely and tantalisingly, Biarritz.
One of France’s most spectacular and charming coastal resorts !
Biarritz is a large town located in the northwest of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département of the Aquitaine region. Situated on the Bay of Biscay, adjacent to Bayonne and Anglet, Biarritz boasts an enviable location between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrénées, and is in the traditional province of the French Basque Country, Labourd.
With the Spanish border just 15 minutes away, Biarritz offers an exquisite taste of the French, Spanish and Basque cultures. It is just 40 km to San Sebastian and 145 km to Bilbao, home of the spectacular Guggenheim museum. The rolling Bordeaux vineyards and their world-famous wines are 180 km to the north, whilst the magnificent Pyrénées weave their way inland from the Basque coast, separating France and Spain, yet linking the historic Basque provinces.
One of the mildest climates in Europe !
Boasting France’s most delightful climate, Biarritz enjoys plenty of sunshine all year round. During summer, the Atlantic breeze means the heat is never unbearable on the local beaches and during the winter, Biarritz enjoys one of the mildest climates in Europe. Typical of the Basque coast region where rain comes in mad bursts of about an hours duration, expect the rain in Biarritz to be over almost as quickly as it starts!
Niched between the mountains and the ocean - Biarritz enjoys a stunning setting
Biarritz is a peaceful haven niched between the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic ocean. Originally a quaint fishing village, until the end of 19th century when Napoleon III and the empress Eugenie fell in love with the regions natural beauty, Biarritz rapidly became a fashionable, refined sea side resort. This era brought a prestigious clientele to the town and hence considerably developed its architecture, elegant buildings, casinos and palaces that today form the town's reputation.
" I know not of a more charming or magnificent place than Biarritz… "
- Victor Hugo
In 1957, Biarritz welcomed its first surfers from the European continent and today has become a renowned "surfers paradise" thanks to its long sandy beaches and mild climate all year round.
Biarritz is the heart of the Pays Basque, a region with a strong cultural identity, that has preserved its traditions and offers a fantastic way of life.
30 000 inhabitants in winter and 120 000 in summer!
In and around Biarritz - so much to discover
- The Pays Basque is one of the most beautiful regions in France.
- The Atlantic coast and its natural protected environment.
- Biarritz, St Jean-de-Luz, St Jacques de Compostelle routes, etc., and numerous authentic Basque villages.
- Long sandy beaches offering a wide range of water sport activities all year round.
- Surfers paradise, with incredible waves!
- Pyrenees mountains ideal for skiing, hiking and enjoying breathtaking views.
- Spain is only 25 km away - ideal for exploring!
Biarritz sights
Le Phare de Biarritz
The landmark Biarritz lighthouse, erected in 1834, dominates Cape Hainsart and provides Biarritz’s best view of the Atlantic. The lighthouse sits 73 metres above sea level and if you climb the 248 steps of a spiral staircase to its summit, your reward is a wonderful panorama, encompassing the Rocher du Basta and the Rocher de la Vierge, the beaches, the Port des Pêcheurs, the Bellevue Casino, the tamarisks and hydrangeas, the Landes coast and the Pyrénées and even, on a fine day, the Spanish coast.
The view is almost as superb from the esplanade below!
Le Rocher de la Vierge
The impressive Rock of the Virgin owes its name to the statue of the Madonna set at its summit in 1865. Located at the end of Pointe Atalaye, this statue is said to have protected the sailors and fishers in the Bay of Biscay and has become something of Biarritz trademark. Construction of the footbridge that connects it to the mainland was directed by non other than Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, designer of the tower that bears his name.
The walk out onto the edge of the rock, with crashing surf on both sides, is the most dramatic in Biarritz. On a clear day your view extends far to the south, all the way to the mountains of the Spanish Basque country.
Place Ste-Eugénie
Located at the southern edge of Grande Plage, steps from the beach will take you up to place Ste-Eugénie, Biarritz's most gracious old square. Lined with terraced restaurants, it is the town’s most popular rendezvous, and also boasts the beautiful church, designed in the gothic Edwardian style.
Port des Pêcheurs
A natural tidal pool sheltered by rocks
Located below Place Ste-Eugénie is the colorful and picturesque Port des Pêcheurs (fishermen’s port). Crowded with fishing boats, this port for seamen and yachtsmen was created with the remainder of the imperial endowment after the works for the Port du Refuge were discontinued in 1870. All that is left of the old Biarritz can be found in the old wooden houses (“crampottes”) backed up against a cliff. Nowadays, amongst the driftwood, rope and lobster traps, you’ll be delighted to discover trendy tapas bars and restaurants where you can enjoy local seafood.
Hôtel du Palais
The Hôtel du Palais, formerly known as Villa Eugénie, is the town's most enduring landmark. Built in the mid 19th century by Napoleon III for his wife, Eugénie, the hotel that was originally dubbed "Eugénie's Basque folly" is now an elegant hotel with a Guerlain Spa.
La Chapelle Impériale
The magnificent imperial chapel was built in 1864 at the request of Empress Eugénie and was listed as a historical monument in 1981. Dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Black Madonna of Mexico, the chapel is a harmonious combination of the Romanesque-Byzantine and Hispano-Moorish styles.
Église St-Alexandre Nevsky
Located across from the Hôtel du Palais, this Byzantine-Russian landmark, also jnown as the Biarritz Russian Orthodox Church, was built in 1892 for the many Russian nobility who holidayed in Biarritz in the nineteenth century. It is claimed to be the first Orthodox Church in the French Basque region. The church is famous for its gilded dome, the interior of which is the colour of a blue sky on a sunny day.
Église St-Martin
One of the few vestiges of the port's early boom days as a whaling centre, this church was built in Biarritz towards the middle of the 12th century. It was restored in 1541 and has a flamboyant gothic chancel and a nave with low arcades. The more recent organ is one of the most spectacular in the region. Interesting architecture and breathtaking murals—what more can an art and architecture lovers ask for?
Biarritz's Twin Towns
- Augusta, Georgia, United States
- Cascais, Portugal
- Ixelles, Belgium
- Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
- Saragosse, Spain
- Mar del Plata, Argentina
