Labourd · Iparralde

Biarritz

Once an imperial resort, now the cradle of European surfing, Biarritz combines Atlantic beaches, Belle Époque heritage and Basque culture. This guide covers the neighbourhoods to know, the beaches, the must-sees, transport and itinerary ideas.

Biarritz in 30 seconds

About 26,200 inhabitants (26,206 in 2023, according to INSEE, the French national statistics institute). 4 km of Atlantic seafront, several surf beaches, a lighthouse, an iconic rock, Belle Époque villas and a very wet oceanic climate (an annual average of about 14 °C and more than 1,300 mm of rain a year).

Located in the province of Labourd (Lapurdi), within the Bayonne (Baiona) urban area and less than 25 km from the Spanish border, Biarritz is served by an international airport (BIQ), a TGV station and the A63 motorway.

A little history to get a feel for the place

Biarritz was long a whaling port (the last known catch dates from March 1686). The turning point came in 1854: Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III and Spanish by birth, had the Villa Eugénie built here (today the Hôtel du Palais). The French imperial court spent its summers here. Europe’s crowned heads followed — Queen Victoria (1889), Queen Natalie of Serbia, then Edward VII, who holidayed here every year (it was in Biarritz, in April 1910, that he accepted his Prime Minister’s resignation).

The result: a rich heritage of Belle Époque and Art Deco villas, a historic casino and a high-society identity that the town has managed to preserve.

1956: Peter Viertel, an American screenwriter shooting the film The Sun Also Rises, had his board sent over from California. Biarritz became the cradle of surfing in France.

Today Biarritz is both an upmarket resort (Hôtel du Palais, casino) and a sporty, family-friendly destination (surfing, thalassotherapy, golf).

Neighbourhoods to know

The Imperial quarter

Around the Hôtel du Palais and the municipal casino (Art Deco, open since 1929 and listed as a historic monument, or monument historique, since 1992). Grand historic villas, an upmarket feel and a seafront promenade.

The town centre

Around Place Bellevue and Rue Mazagran. Shops, restaurants and the covered market (Les Halles). The town’s commercial heart.

Les Halles

Biarritz’s covered market, built in 1885 on the site of the old real tennis court (jeu de paume), is a must for discovering Basque produce. Open every day 07:00–14:00: come in the morning.

The Port des Pêcheurs

The fishermen’s harbour, with its 66 crampottes — small fishermen’s huts with colourful shutters — is one of the most authentic corners of town.

Milady and the Côte des Basques

The south of town, surf beaches. A more laid-back feel.

La Négresse

The station district, residential and a little out of the centre.

Beaches in and around Biarritz

Grande Plage

The postcard view. Opposite the casino, below the Hôtel du Palais. Lifeguarded in summer, packed in July–August, gorgeous out of season.

Plage du Miramar

The northern continuation of the Grande Plage, towards the lighthouse, and more secluded.

Côte des Basques

The cradle of surfing in France. South of the Rocher de la Vierge (the ‘Rock of the Virgin’). The beach is exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide (keep an eye on the tide times). Plenty of surf schools.

Marbella

A beach between the Côte des Basques and Milady.

Milady

In the south of Biarritz. A laid-back atmosphere.

Ilbarritz-Bidart

In the municipality of Bidart (Bidarte), which borders Biarritz. Lifeguarded in season.

Must-sees

The Rocher de la Vierge

THE symbol of Biarritz. Napoleon III wanted to make Biarritz a harbour of refuge: work on a first footbridge began in 1863, but storms got the better of it. It was replaced in 1877 by a metal footbridge, often wrongly attributed to Eiffel: it actually came from the Schryvers workshops in Haumont. The bronze statue of the Virgin, cast in Bordeaux, was placed on the rock in 1865. Free access all year round (footbridge closed in rough weather), with panoramic views of the coast.

Biarritz lighthouse

Built from 1830 onwards on the Pointe Saint-Martin and first lit on 1 February 1834. A 47-metre white tower, 248 steps, two white flashes every 10 seconds, visible 27 nautical miles away. Automated in 1980, a historic monument since 2009. Open to visitors (opening times vary with the season): a 360° panorama over the beaches of the Landes, the Basque coast and the Pyrenees.

Biarritz Aquarium

Housed since 1933 on the Rocher de la Vierge esplanade (it was originally the Musée de la Mer, or Sea Museum). Around sixty tanks, including a large 1.5-million-litre pool: eight species of shark (including a hammerhead), seals, a loggerhead turtle and about ten species of jellyfish. It also has a care centre for injured animals. Open all year except 25 December. Ideal with children.

Villa Belza

A neo-medieval villa (with a keep and a pepperpot turret) built on the rocks in the 1880s. Iconic. Not open to visitors (private property), but you can photograph it from a distance.

St Martin’s Church

The église Saint-Martin was Biarritz’s parish church until 1894. Romanesque in style, it was enlarged and remodelled in 1541 (an inscription on a pillar records this), then restored and embellished from 1861.

The Imperial Chapel

The Chapelle Impériale was built in 1864 at the request of Empress Eugénie by the architect Boeswillwald, a pupil of Viollet-le-Duc, and dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe. A blend of Romanesque-Byzantine and Hispano-Moorish styles. Listed as a historic monument in 1981. Guided tours only, booking required.

Musée Asiatica

A museum opened in March 1999, founded by the Biarritz collector Michel Postel and Xintian Zhu, who holds a doctorate in East Asian art and archaeology. Art from India, Nepal, Tibet and China.

Surfing in Biarritz

  • Beginners: the Côte des Basques, home to many surf schools
  • Experienced surfers: Parlementia (Guéthary) and, for specialists, the giant wave of Belharra, off the Corniche Basque

Getting to Biarritz

  • Plane: Biarritz-Pays Basque airport (BIQ)
  • Train: TGV to Biarritz station (La Négresse district)
  • Car: A63 motorway
  • Bus: Txik Txak urban network (including the Tram’bus)

Getting around: the centre is easy to explore on foot. Avoid driving in the town centre in summer.

Ready-made itineraries

1 day in Biarritz (the highlights)

  • Morning: Les Halles, then the Rocher de la Vierge and the Grande Plage
  • Lunch: at the Port des Pêcheurs
  • Afternoon: the aquarium, then a walk towards Villa Belza and the Côte des Basques
  • Evening: sunset over the ocean

Weekend (2 days)

Day 1: historic Biarritz (see above) Day 2: trip to Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Donibane Lohizune) and Espelette (Ezpeleta)

3 days

Day 3: surf lesson in the morning (Côte des Basques) + afternoon in Bayonne (cathedral, old town)

A week

Add: Sare (Sara) for the caves and the train up La Rhune (Larrun), Hendaye (Hendaia) for the beach, San Sebastián (Donostia) in Spain, and Les Aldudes for Kintoa pork.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need for Biarritz?

2 days are enough to see the main sights of the town. 4–5 days let you combine Biarritz with Bayonne, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and the hinterland.

Can you swim outside the summer?

The sea is often still pleasant in September. Out of season, only swim where lifeguards are on duty.

Is Biarritz good for children?

Yes. The aquarium, lifeguarded beaches, Villa Arnaga and its gardens in Cambo-les-Bains (Kanbo), the little La Rhune train. Bring a baby carrier: the town is hilly.

What’s the difference between Biarritz and Bayonne?

Biarritz is a seaside resort, upmarket and international. Bayonne is urban, historic and down-to-earth. The two towns are next-door neighbours — do both.

Biarritz Olympique

Founded on 24 April 1913 through the merger of Biarritz Stade and Biarritz Sporting Club, BO plays at the Parc des Sports d’Aguiléra (13,400 seats). The club was French champion in 1935, 1939, 2002, 2005 and 2006, European Cup runner-up in 2006 and 2010, and won the European Challenge Cup in 2012. Relegated from the Top 14 at the end of the 2021–2022 season, it went back down to Pro D2. It has a historic rivalry with neighbouring Aviron Bayonnais; the two clubs met in the French championship final as early as 1934.

Famous people linked to Biarritz

  • Empress Eugénie de Montijo (1826–1920) — wife of Napoleon III, she put Biarritz on the map in 1854 by having the Villa Eugénie built there (today the Hôtel du Palais).
  • Edward VII (1841–1910) — British king who stayed in Biarritz several times during the Belle Époque.
  • Coco Chanel (1883–1971) — in 1915 she opened her first couture house outside Paris in Biarritz, at Villa Larralde, a workshop-boutique employing up to sixty seamstresses.
  • Peter Viertel (1920–2007) — American screenwriter who introduced surfing to France in 1956 by having his board sent from California to Biarritz.
  • Serge Blanco — born in Caracas, moved to Biarritz at the age of two; full-back for Biarritz Olympique (1974–1992) and the French national XV (93 caps), then president of the club.
  • Pauline Carton — actress born in Biarritz who appeared in more than 250 films, including 22 with Sacha Guitry.
  • Jean Borotra — tennis player born in Biarritz, one of the ‘Four Musketeers’: Wimbledon champion (1924, 1926), winner of the French Open at Roland-Garros (1931) and the Australian Open (1928), and a member of the Davis Cup team from 1922 to 1947. General Commissioner for Sport under the Vichy regime (1940–1942), he was later deported (Sachsenhausen, then Itter) and freed in May 1945.
  • Didier Borotra (died 2024) — nephew of Jean Borotra, mayor of Biarritz from 1991 to 2014 and senator from 1992 to 2011.
  • André Dassary — singer born in Biarritz.
  • Daniel Balavoine (1952–1986) — born in Alençon to a family from the Landes and the Basque Country; the singer of Le Chanteur and L’Aziza is buried in Ranquine cemetery in Biarritz.

What’s on

My favourite photo

The Rocher de la Vierge at sunset. When the sea is rough, at high tide, the waves crashing against the rock are spectacular.

Sources

Ongi etorri Biarritzera — Welcome to Biarritz.

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