Biarritz is a glamorous seaside resort on the Atlantic coast of southern France, just before the Spanish border. It is also a very lively small to medium-sized town and one of the coolest surfing spots in the region…
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Intro and travel report
There are many seaside resorts that seem rather deserted outside the typical summer season. Not so Biarritz!
We are here in autumn, on a round trip with our motorhome. A little north of the city, we find a motorhome parking space very close to the sea.
We are glad to find a spot on the rather uneven asphalt surface, because even now in autumn the place is very busy.
When we take a short walk, we realise why: from our little hill, we have a truly magnificent view: behind a wide green strip (park), we look directly onto the beaches of Corsaires and Marinella. Both are wonderful long and wide sandy beaches.
A golf course stretches across the hills to the north, where many more sandy beaches follow. A golf course can also be seen to the south, along with a lighthouse on a high hill. That is the Biarritz lighthouse.
On the way there, you will see fairly sparse development, mostly detached houses, the occasional hotel, but no concrete monstrosities.
On the way to the beach, we find a small beach café – we couldn’t have arrived at a better place.
The next day, we set off on our e-bikes for Biarritz – up the hill, down the hill, and the old town lies before us. And what a city!
Old villas with pretty façades, each one more beautiful than the last. But there are also high-rise buildings on the beach and large department stores – a very mixed picture.
Once at the bottom, I stop in a small park behind a large historic building, the Hotel du Palais Biarritz. Only later do I learn that this was actually once the palace of Empress Eugénie of France.
In 1854, she stayed for two months in the town, which she obviously liked, whereupon her husband, Emperor Napoleon III, had the palace built for her. From then on, the couple spent several summers here, accompanied by other European nobles and their entourage.
As a result, the town grew considerably and had a population of 10,000 by the end of the 19th century. Today, just under 30,000 people live here.
In the 18th century, it had only 200 inhabitants, as the town was nothing more than a rather poor fishing village. In the Middle Ages, there were still many whales in the Bay of Biscay, and whaling provided a livelihood for the people.
But by the 17th century, the whales had been largely wiped out and fishing in general was far less lucrative. Such were the humble beginnings of the town!
Today, this is hard to imagine, because there is clearly money in the city – everything looks great and the villas on the hill speak for themselves.
Empress Eugénie apparently brought tourism to Biarritz, and it remains one of the key economic factors to this day, but it is by no means the only one.
As soon as we drove in, we noticed that away from the coast, there is another modern city with everything you could want. The city is certainly not dependent on tourism and is therefore by no means empty in autumn.
The people around me mainly speak French, some also speak Spanish. The border with the neighbouring country is very close, and many Spanish families are apparently drawn to Biarritz to stroll, shop and enjoy themselves.
You can do that here too. There is a narrow beach, a promenade, numerous restaurants and cafés, and a beautiful old town with many shops and boutiques.
While the beaches before Biarritz were wide and sandy, the picture in the town itself is different: steep cliffs and rocks dominate the landscape. These are interrupted by small sandy coves where people can enjoy themselves.
However, the surf is rough here today because of the stormy weather the day before. I only see swimmers in the sheltered little bay at Plage du Port Vieux, where fishing boats were probably pulled onto the beach in the past.
I don’t see any surfers today; the surf is probably too strong. But on calmer days, Biarritz is a very popular surfing spot.
The small marina is also sheltered behind high walls. Above it, on the cliffs, is the Biarritz Aquarium. The terraces in front of the aquarium offer an incredible view of the rocks and Port Vieux.
The old part of the city rises on the hills inland. I stroll through narrow alleys, past well-filled restaurant terraces and small shops of all kinds.
Tall palm trees grow in small squares, people sit on benches enjoying their break, and I keep discovering magnificent historic buildings.
Soon I reach the more modern part of the city: wider streets, more traffic, large department stores – not my thing.
I roll back to the water and follow the coastal road up the hill to the Biarritz lighthouse. It stands on a high cliff and is surrounded by a beautiful, tree-lined park. Benches in the shade invite you to linger, and by now the sun is very warm!
The park offers a magnificent view over the city. I circle the lighthouse, look back at the wide sandy beaches and shortly afterwards roll down the hill to exactly that spot – and back to the motorhome.
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Conclusion
We are more country people, and cities with lots of people are not necessarily my comfort zone. But Biarritz was really cool!
On the one hand, the city is still a manageable size for all visitors. On the other hand, the cheerful serenity of the southern French (and northern Spanish) who were enjoying their day on the coast was really contagious.
And then, despite all the hustle and bustle, you can always retreat to a park or the beach, where you can always find a quieter spot.
The city’s location is impressive, especially the contrast between high rocky cliffs with foaming surf and sandy bays.
The old part of the architecture is also very impressive, with magnificent buildings, old villas on the hill and the narrow streets of the old town.
My wife prefers shopping to me, but there are plenty of opportunities for that too. And everywhere you can sit down and eat and drink with a wonderful view of the sea.
Our tip: stay twice and take enough time for the city and the beaches, you won’t regret it!
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Image credits Cover photo: View over Biarritz (Photo: Ulrich Knüppel-Gertberg)
