France Biarritz beach Travel Information
Exposed
to the sea breeze, nestling in the Bay of Biscay, Biarritz is an ocean town.
The ocean has always demonstrated its force with its omnipresent western
swell.
With its huge beaches, powerful waves and mild climate all year
round, Biarritz was the natural choice in 1957 to welcome the first surfers on
the European continent and to become Europe's historical surfing capital.
It
is also thanks to the legendary mildness of the local climate that thalassotherapy
and year-round golf have developed so well.
In spite of its reputation
as a surfing town, Biarritz is no Newquay. For two centuries it has attracted
everyone from Queen Victoria to Ernest Hemingway — even Napoleon bathed here in
1808.
The brash and the beautiful long ago moved to the Riviera, leaving
Biarritz a refreshingly egalitarian resort: familes with young children share
the beach with groups of teenage boys clutching boogie boards. The beachfront
promenade buzzes with young couples and elderly dames walking pekineses, with
silver hairdos unbuffeted by the Atlantic wind.
Much of the belle époque
architecture survives, giving Biarritz an elegant period feel. The Hotel du Palais
— built as Napoleon’s villa — dwarfs the northern end of the beach, all wedding-cake
tiers in scarlet and cream.
Overview
After gaining popularity
as the seaside resort town favored by French royalty, the village of Biarritz
grew increasingly cosmopolitan, attracting international jet setters and gaining
a reputation as "the queen of beaches and beach of kings."
Biarritz
lies along the Basque coast, adjacent to Spain's Basque region, the influences
of which are apparent in Biarritz's architecture and cuisine. A stretch of five
beaches, each with a distinct history and flavor, comprise Biarritz, including
the Cote de Basques Beach — the first European surfing hot-spot discovered when
American filmmaker Peter Viertel brought a longboard from California and surfed
the crashing waves, astonishing locals. Today, the beach is home to the internationally
renowned Biarritz Surf Festival, which draws more than 150,000 fans to the region.
Among
the local attractions visitors to the region must explore is the old whaling port,
which is reminiscent of an era when whaling was Biarritz's primary means of commerce,
and nearby Port des Pecheurs, a small fishing port. For shopaholics with euros
burning a hole in their pockets, the Place Clémenceau is packed with boutiques
catering to the finest styles and tastes. Night owls can play the tables at the
City Casino, or shake their groove things at one of the city's funky discotheques.
Getting
There
Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne International Airport is three kilometers
from the town center of Biarritz. The airport is serviced by daily flights from
Paris Orly, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Lyon and London. For information, call: 011-33-0-5-59-43-83-83.
To check flight schedules, visit the Biarritz airport Web site: www.biarritz.aeroport.fr.
Airport
Transportation
A road shuttle runs from the airport to the Biarritz town
center and costs 1.07 EURO. Taxis are also available for a fare of 9.15 EURO,
and an evening fare of 12.20 EURO.
Timing
Biarritz is a popular
destination for international tourists, who flock to the beach during the summer
months. The town becomes particularly crowded during the July surf festival, and
accommodation prices increase. The climate in Biarritz is always temperate: winters
are comfortable (average 50 degrees F), and summers are warm (average 72 degrees
F). Biarritz has an average of 61 rainy days per year.
Lodging
The accommodations in Biarritz suit all travelers' needs and budgets, from icons
like the Hotel du Palais and other ultra-exclusive four-star resorts and luxury
hotel residences, to youth hostels and campgrounds. For discount accommodations,
check out Travel Hotels Europe.
Cuisine
The Basque region of
France is a gastronomy lover's dream. Regional delicacies include the Bayonne
ham, which is dried in a traditional process for six months before being eaten;
salted cod; eels; squid; and ewe's cheese. Wine aficionados can savor Irouléguy
wine, a locally bottled and popular vintage. All visitors can enjoy indulging
in the decadent chocolates called "tourons." Biarritz abounds with gourmet
and casual restaurants, as well as the traditional bodegas.
Travel tips
Once they've arrived in Biarritz, travelers can find more information about activities,
restaurants and lodging with a visit to the tourist office: Biarritz Tourisme,
address: 1 Square d'Ixelles, phone: 011-33- 0-5-59-22-37-10, e-mail: biarritz.tourisme@biarritz.fr,
hours: July - August: daily, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.; September - June: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
(Sundays, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.).
While you are there
When visitors
aren't sunbathing on the beach, they can gain maritime culture from the Musée
de la Mer, a collection of 24 aquariums teeming with more than 150 varieties of
fish and invertebrates native to the Bay of Biscayne, including the saw fish and
guitar ray.
To fake that you've been there
Tell friends a tale
of how you risked life and limb to see the town's hard-to-reach landmark, the
Rock of Madonna, crossing over the bridge built by none other than Gustav Eiffel.
Eating
& Drinking Place
There are some reasonable places to eat near the
market halles, 200m southwest of place Clemenceau, and it's easy to eat well for
a price, away from the touristy snack bars on rue du Port-Vieux. Two of the best
options around the market are Le St Amour, at 26 rue Gambetta, a Lyonnais-style
bistro with a sausage-strong lunch menu at 13 (closed Sun & Mon), and
Bistrot des Halles (tel 05.59.24.21.22), at 1 rue du Centre, which serves generously
portioned, tasty fish dishes ( 17–31; closed Sun eve & Mon). Le Surfing,
behind Plage de Côte des Basques and festooned with antique boards, serves
decent grills and frites, while clubbers repair to Le Morgan, at 4 rue du Helder
off place Clemenceau, open 7pm until dawn, though the cheaper menus are only available
until 10pm. Just south of the city limits on the Plage d'Ilbarritz, Blue Cargo
(tel 05.59.23.54.87; à la carte around 28) is currently the hottest
place in town, serving mostly fish and salads on the terrace by an old villa,
while the lower tent-bar gets going as a jampacked dance club after midnight.
More
formal nightlife in the town centre includes Cayo Coco, a Cuban theme bar at 5
rue Jaulerry offering free salsa dance lessons, a slightly naff Irish Pub at 10
rue Victor-Hugo downhill from the halles, and Ventilo Caffe on rue du Port-Vieux,
the favourite haunt of Parisian thirtysomethings. Whether you've slept the night
before or not, the best start to the day is at Salon de Thé L'Orangerie
at 1 rue Gambetta, serving all sorts of hot drinks and a great variety of breakfasts. |
