The resort town of Biarritz was once the vacation spot for royalty and other famous people. These days it’s a tourist town with excellent beaches, a busy nightlife and an abundance of good restaurants. In summer, the resort really comes alive with hordes of locals inhabiting the beaches.
Biarritz is a resort town, not an historical landmark, although it does have some interesting sites. The Museum of the Sea, the Imperial Chapel, Asiatica Museum, and the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, with its curious onion dome, are all worth visiting.
Biarritz's main promenade is called the quai de la Grande Plage, and is overrun with cafes, surfing and souvenir shops and the occasional boutique. Walking along the promenade you’ll come to the illustrious Hôtel du Palais, once a palace for the Empress but now an up-market place for dinner.
The place Ste-Eugénie, situated south of the Grand Plage, is Biarritz's fabulous old square. Here there are lots of great restaurants and cafes, and it’s an ideal place to sit and muse over the day’s events. The quaint port area, Port des Pecheurs, is also worth a look.
To find the less busy, secluded beaches you can take the path over the rocky promontory,the plateau de l'Atalaye. The spiritually significant Rocher de la Vierge (Rock of the Virgin), is located a little further down.
Not far from Biarritz is St Jean de Luz, a charming seaside resort with a busy fishing port. The town centre of St Jean de Luz is appealing, with its Iberian and Moorish influences. The town is not far from the Spanish border, and the Spanish influence is noticeable.
By car, Biarritz is a major thoroughfare for the Basque country. From Paris, take the A10 south to Vierzon, change to the N20 south to Limoges, continue on the N21 south to Tarbes, and finally turn west along the N117 to Biarritz. A popular way to get to Biarritz is by high-speed TGV train, via Bayonne. The rail station is three kilometres south of the town centre, in La Négresse. There are 10 trains a day to Bayonne, and several to Paris. Biarritz has a busy international airport, but flights arrive only from other European cities, so if you’re arriving from further a field you’ll have to connect via Paris, Madrid or other centres.
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