Anglet in 30 seconds
More than 43,000 inhabitants (43,271 in 2023, according to INSEE, the French national statistics institute), wedged between Bayonne (Baiona) and Biarritz. Most of the facilities of Biarritz-Pays Basque airport are on its territory. Basque name: Angelu.
11 beaches along 4.5 km of coastline, from the mouth of the Adour to Cap Saint-Martin.
A little history
1188: first known mention of the place, in the form Angles.
Around 1865: at the instigation of Napoleon III, large-scale plantations of maritime pines were undertaken to stabilise the dunes. This is the origin of the Pignada forest.
Today: the second-largest town in the French Basque Country (after Bayonne), residential and sporty.
The 11 beaches
From north to south:
- La Barre — at the mouth of the Adour
- Les Cavaliers
- Les Dunes
- L’Océan
- La Madrague
- La Petite Madrague
- Les Corsaires
- Marinella
- Les Sables d’Or
- Le Club
- La Petite Chambre d’Amour — the southernmost, towards the Biarritz lighthouse
Lifeguard cover varies from beach to beach and with the season (some only in July–August, others from April to the autumn): check the Town of Anglet website.
Must-sees
The Chambre d’Amour
The Chambre d’Amour (‘Chamber of Love’) is a cave at sea level, on the seafront between Anglet’s beaches and the Biarritz lighthouse. Legend has it that two young lovers, Laorens and Saubade, used to meet here despite their fathers' opposition; a violent storm is said to have swept them away. Entering the cave is forbidden for safety reasons; you can see it from outside, and it is lit up in the evening (21:30–01:00).
The Pignada forest
About 220 hectares of maritime pines between the ocean and the town, planted in the second half of the 19th century. It is managed by the ONF (France’s state forestry agency), has been designated a Sensitive Natural Area (Espace naturel sensible) since 1972, and is freely accessible all year round to walkers, runners, cyclists and horse riders, with waymarked trails. Wildlife: woodpeckers, jays, tits, bats, red squirrels, roe deer… Fires are forbidden and dogs must be kept on a lead.
On 30 July 2020, a fire ravaged about 76 hectares of the forest; the town and the ONF launched a restoration programme in 2021. Together with the neighbouring Lazaret forest, the Pignada forms the town’s green lung — Anglet’s motto, in Gascon, is ‘Ma e pignada per m’aida’ (the sea and the pine forest).
Izadia Park
A 15-hectare ecological park at the mouth of the Adour, a Natura 2000 site and a Sensitive Natural Area. A trail with 10 stations runs through it, and the Maison de l’environnement (environment centre) puts on exhibitions and workshops. Free entry (except guided tours); no animals, even on a lead. The park closes every year from November to early April; in season it is open Wednesday to Sunday (10:00–12:30 and 14:00–18:00 in 2026).
St Leo’s Church
The église Saint-Léon was built in 1557 with the stones of a late 12th-century chapel, dismantled in Bayonne, which commemorated the martyrdom of St Leo. The covered porch dates from 1639, the first wooden gallery from 1659 and the second from 1775. The original bell tower was destroyed in 1813–1814 by Wellington’s troops and rebuilt in 1825 as a wall belfry (clocher-mur). Stained glass by Jean Lesquibe (1972) and Charles Carrère (1994). For a long time it was Anglet’s only parish.
Villa Beatrix Enea
Restored in 2016, it now houses a contemporary art centre.
Sport and activities
Surfing
Plenty of surf schools are based on Anglet’s beaches.
Other sports
- Chiberta golf course — 18 holes, created in 1927 (designed by Tom Simpson), between the pinewood and the ocean; the site also has the 9-hole Impératrice course
- Rowing on the Adour
Getting there
- Car: A63 motorway
- Train: Bayonne or Biarritz stations
- City bus: the urban area’s network from Bayonne and Biarritz, including the electric Tram’bus (line T1, since 2019)
- Plane: Biarritz-Pays Basque airport, largely within the municipality
Active one-day itinerary
- 09:00: walk or run in the Pignada forest
- 11:00: Les Sables d’Or beach
- 15:00: Izadia Park
- 17:00: stroll to the Chambre d’Amour
- 19:00: sunset over the ocean
Frequently asked questions
Anglet or Biarritz?
Anglet is all about wide open spaces: beaches, forest, ecological park. Biarritz has more urban seaside heritage. The two are neighbours and easy to combine.
Can you surf in winter?
Yes, if you’re properly kitted out: the water is cold and you’ll need a thick full wetsuit.
Is the Pignada forest looked after?
Yes, by the ONF (Office National des Forêts, the National Forests Office), particularly since the 2020 fire. Waymarked trails. Beware of the fire risk in summer — follow the rules strictly.
An airport in Anglet?
Yes: despite its name, Biarritz-Pays Basque airport (BIQ) has more than three-quarters of its facilities on Anglet’s territory.
My favourite photo
The Chambre d’Amour at nightfall, when the cave is lit up. Or the Pignada forest, when the light filters through the trunks.
Sources
- INSEE — local area comparison tool, Anglet (2023 population, in French)
- Anglet — Wikipedia (in French)
- Town of Anglet — St Leo’s Church and Heritage (in French)
- Town of Anglet — Pignada natural area (in French)
- Izadia Park — Plan your visit (in French)
- Anglet Tourisme — Pignada and Lazaret forests, Chambre d’Amour cave, Chiberta and Impératrice golf courses
Ongi jin Angelura — Welcome to Anglet.