Known for its elegant coastal resorts, the city of Biarritz is the perfect luxurious getaway worth visiting. The city was the summertime destination of Eugénie de Montijo (Napoleon III’s wife). She transformed the fishing village into an elegant beach town that is now synonymous with upper-class style. For her vacation, the empress built a big palace (that has been transformed into a luxury hotel).

The city’s streets also nods to Biarritz’s imperial past: Avenue de la Reine Victoria, Avenue de l’Impératrice, and Esplanade Elizabeth II. Beautiful mansions adorned with oriel windows and turrets reminisce Biarritz’s 1800s splendor.

Even though the city’s royal influence is no more, Biarritz’s prestige has remained. Actually, the city is now known to be among the beach destinations in the country and is definitely among the most elegant. Clean sandy beaches, handsome coastal villas, and chic restaurants offer an urbane ambiance.

Here Is Why Biarritz is Worth Visiting:

Grande Plage

This beach is the city’s most central one and has been attracting socialites since the Belle Epoque. This broad sandy beach starts at Bellevue close to the Boulevard du Général de Gaulle and spans to the Hotel du Palais. In the summer, the beach is full of sunbathers and their flashy cabanas.

From May to October, lifeguards are on duty with additional hours in the high season. Nevertheless, it is important to know that the Grand Plage is full of surfers while water safety paramount. At particular periods if strong currents, swimming, bathing, and surfing are not allowed. With the beach, there is the impressive Quai de la Plage Promenade, which is great for strolls. This broad pedestrian walkway offers amazing views of the breaking waves and the cit’s lighthouse afar off.

At the end of the Grande Plage, there is the Hotel du Palais. Built by Emperor Napoleon III for Eugénie, this fascinating palace is a national monument symbolizing the Second Empire elegance. It has been used as a hotel since 1893 and is a five-star luxury property that has two swimming pools, a spa, and a great restaurant with breath-taking ocean views. Visitors enjoy the most sensational Basque cuisine while they absorb the surrounding views.

Biarritz Aquarium (Le Musée de La Mer)

This incredible aquarium seats on a Cliffside, a phenomenal piece of the oceanfront building facing the Rocher de la Vierge. In fact, the 7,000-meter property is one of Europe’s largest aquariums with over 20 aquarium tanks. The tanks are filled with different types of species, from sea urchins and lobsters to hammerhead sharks and turtles. Biarritz Aquarium maps species from all the Seven Seas, including a range of an 11-meter-long Caribbean lagoon and tropical fish.

Part of the major attractions here is the outdoor terrace that features a sealed pool, where the beautiful sea mammals play and swim. Families and children will love the seal feeding time (10:30 am to 5 pm) that occurs twice in a day. They get to watch how fast the seals bolt up huge amounts of fish. In addition, the terrace has a wonderful 1800-degree ocean view. Biarritz Aquarium is located at Esplanade du Rocher de la Vierge.

Elegant Squares and Boulevards

The graceful squares, streets, and boulevards of the city exemplify Biarritz’s aristocratic past. The Place Georges-Clemenceau, located in the city center, is a lively spot. It connects with many of the city’s major streets. The Place Bellevue, which offers views of the ocean and beach, is not far from there.

And to the south of the Place Bellevue, along the Boulevard Maréchal-Leclerc- a is a scenic area of the city. It is wrapped in the craggy inlet between Cap Atalaye and the Rocher du Basta, on top of the old fishing harbor. This waterfront boulevard is a great starting point for a beautiful stroll along the city coast.

With lots of charming scenes, the city is a delightful destination for a walking tour or a scenic stroll to learn about history while appreciating the views. Alternatively, you can take a Biarritz Discovery Segway tour to see the city’s major attractions. On the tour, participants will have the opportunity to see the most popular landmarks while learning about Biarritz’s culture, architecture, and history.

Rocher de la Vierge (Virgin of the Rock)

Virgin of the rock is an incredibly striking landmark- Virgin Mary’s statue perching in the ocean on a high narrow rock. Going by what a local legend says, fishermen caught out in s storm were led back to the port by what appeared to be divine light. In appreciation, the fishermen erected on the rock a statue of the Virgin Mary. Later on, Emperor Napoleon III will make the place accessible to the public from the shore. In 1887, Gustave Eiffel created a strong metal bridge at the emperor’s request.

To reach this site, visitors must walk across the pedestrian bridge (Passerelle Eiffel), suspended atop the waves of the ocean. This experience is one of the most exciting things to do in the city. The scenic walks offer fantastic coastline views, stretching from the mouth of the Adour River to the Spanish frontier.

Other awe-inspiring viewpoints of the Basque coastline are located close to the Esplanade du Port-Vieux and the Esplanade du Roche-de-laVièrge, where there is a big prospect of the Cote de Basque, opened to the entire force of the breakers, stretching to the Spanish hills.

Surfing Beaches

Confined by cliffs and accessible by a pedestrian or staircase track, the Cote des Basques is the most popular surfing beach in the city. It is so famous that it earned the reputation of being the birthplace of surfing. The refreshing waves provide the perfect conditions for surfing. It is no wonder that many tournaments take place there every year. Those who are new to surfing are guided on everything they need to know to be safe.

In the occurrence of high tides, swimming is not allowed. The beach is a nice place to walk along the ocean while appreciating the gorgeous coastal scenery. Close to the Cote des Basques is the Plage de Marbella. It is another paradise for bodyboarders and surfers because of its powerful waves. This pristine, sand beach is rough and wild and can only be reached by a staircase.

Basque Country Excursion

For an intimate Biarritz experience, a visit to the Basque Country will be delightful. The village of Espelette is one of the places to have a feel of the region’s rich Basque heritage. The picturesque place is popular for its red peppers. The peppers are grown on nearby farms. As visitors will discover, AOC is a label that designates the geographical quality and origin- an important ingredient in Basque cooking is the Priment d’Espelette. 

The town of Espelette hosts the Pepper Festival (Fete du Piment de Espelette) in late October. During the festivity, the farmers’ markets display Piment d’Espelette peppers and various regional culinary items for sale. When you visit the festival, you will savor the tasty country meals and entertainment, featuring dance performances, concerts, games, and parties.

Cité de l’Océan

In an elegant modern building near the Plage de la Milady, the Cité de l’Océan is a museum dedicated to familiarizing the public on the fascinating science of the oceans. This art repository’s interactive and creative exhibitions make learning about ocean-related themes, interactive and fun.

Displays center on particular topics like the origin of waves and climate change. There is also a virtual surfing experience that gives visitors the chance to feel what it is like to ride the ocean waves without getting soaked in water. Cité de l’Océan screens a 3-D show in a small theater that simulates being in a submarine 1000 m under the water. The museum is located at 1 Avenue de la Plage.

Is Biarritz Worth Visiting? – Summary

Since the 1800s, the astonishing city of Biarritz has been a premier seaside resort. It has an aristocratic heritage that is very much palpable as soon as you enter. And as you may have imagined, residents of Biarritz have an unmistaken refined taste. It is worth visiting if you are big on surfing and would fancy a wide oceanfront view subsumed in a sophisticated ambiance.

Do you think that Biarritz is worth it? Let us know in the comments.

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