Beautiful Biarritz: 5 Things You Must Do in France’s Surfing Capital
You don’t have to be a surfer to fall in love with Biarritz, nor do you have to belong to any sort of aristocratic elite. Biarritz is unique for attracting both, with its old-fashioned luxury and long beaches. Claire McAteer rounds up the 5 things you must do whilst visiting this elegant old town.
Biarritz is a town like no other. Where else can you watch an affluent silver-haired gentleman walking their meticulously groomed pooch alongside a scruffy young person clutching a surfboard? The result? An incredibly cool town with a laid-back vibe, not to mention the array of delicious food and drink on offer. Claire McAteer tends never to return to a place she’s already visited, but Biarritz is her exception. Try these five things to make the most of your stay in France’s surfing hot spot…you’ll not be disappointed.
There are many glamorous options when picking where to stay in Biarritz. If you fancy the idea of sleeping under the same roof as royalty, then the Hotel du Palais is your spot. It was the original summer palace built by the Countess Eugenie of Montijo in 1854 for her beloved husband, Napoleon III and has been enjoyed by several famous royals since. The converted hotel is remarkably grand with its belle époque style and award-winning restaurant and spa. It overlooks the central beach Grande Plage, where the nobility would stroll and it truly radiates the charm associated with its romantic history. But it doesn’t come cheap.
If you’re looking for something more affordable you can’t go wrong with Hotel Palacito. Located on Rue Gambetta in the heart of Biarritz, it’s just 300m from the beach and next door to a whole collection of cute little shops, bakeries and cafés. The location and price is the best thing about this hotel but the rooms are well-equipped and comfortable. Stay at Palacito as a base for walking around and exploring the more glamorous hotels so you can treat yourself to a spa treatment or breakfast there. It’s the best way to enjoy both worlds.
Demonstrating how a focus on healthy food and eating for pleasure can go together, Biarritz has an excellent array of restaurants, cafés and street vendors offering tasty but nutritious cuisine. Of course, time should be spent eating your way through the croissants, crêpes and ice-creams on offer but the delicious acai and smoothie bowls at new hip surfer’s café, Bali Bowls, are also definitely worth a try. Just a short walk from Grande Plage, this white-washed café offers juices, coffees and smoothies too — all vegan, organic and beautifully presented.
For an exquisite dining experience head for a long lunch at Café du Commerce on Rue des Halles. There’s often a queue for tables but it’s well worth the wait. Popular with locals, it offers authentic Basque cuisine to delight the tastebuds. We shared tapas, mussels and beer and left feeling merry and very satisfied.
If you fancy packing a picnic for the beach, head to the indoor market in Les Halles for your ingredients. It’s massive and right in the heart of the city centre — you can’t miss it. From charcuterie hams and big olives to delicious cheeses and fresh bread, you’re going to spend a lot of time choosing what to buy. Lucky for you, they also have great, coffee, pastries and chocolate to help you make your choices. On a more chocolatey note, everyone with a sweet tooth must visit The Chocolate Museum. It’s cheap to get in and there’s generous samples of some out-of-this-world chocolate. You might need to skip lunch that day.
If you take your food really seriously, take a big foodie tour through all the Basque delights with Viator.
It wouldn’t be France without a fine wine and there are plenty on offer thanks to nearby famous wine growing areas such as Bordeaux and Bergerac. If wine isn’t your thing, don’t worry. On the boulevard Prince-de-Galles leading to the main surf beach, La Côte des Basques, there’s several laid-back bars and cocktail places to work your way through. We liked Le Surfing, a ‘beer and grills’ kind of place, perfect for people-watching and relaxing with a pint on comfy sofas.
Biarritz is only 22km from Spain and there’s an unmissable Spanish twist to the food and drinks. Bar Jean, opposite the indoor market on Rue des Halles, with its bullfighting posters and dangerously-good sangria has lots of Spanish flavour and is the perfect place to toast life with a few drinks. Santé!
One of the reasons I love Biarritz apart from the stunning setting is because there’s so many active things to do to offset all the culinary indulgence and you can’t travel to Biarritz without trying your hand at surfing. Surfing started here in 1957 and it’s been going strong ever since. Thanks to its location on the Atlantic coast on the south-west of France, it gets powerful, rolling waves. If you know how to stand up already, then boards and wetsuits can be hired easily on the Prince-de-Galles boulevard and you’ll head out to La Côte des Basques, Biarritz’s long, sprawling surf beach.
Or if you’re a surfing virgin, there are numerous surf schools offering lessons available on Biarritz’s official website. It’s important to go out with an instructor for your first time so you can learn about the rips and tides and if there are any rocky spots to avoid. There is also nothing better than having surfed all morning to stop for a well-deserved beer and lunch. In May 2017, Biarritz will host the ISA World Surfing Games so if you want to mingle with surfing stars like Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning or John John Florence, think about booking then. Totally rad.
If surfing isn’t your thing, it’s no biggy. There are plenty of stunning seaside saunters to walk off all the wine, chocolate and croissants. Head up to the lighthouse at ‘Pointe Saint Martin’ and have your breath taken away by the sweeping views over the Basque coast as well as the 248 steps up. Walking from there along the beautiful coastline to the Rock of Virgin is a must. You’ll see beautiful churches, golf courses, the fishing port and even a Museum of the Sea with shark-feeding sessions, as well as of course the sprawling, sparkling blue ocean.
You can’t leave Biarritz without walking across the bridge at the Rock of the Virgin, where the statue of Madonna overlooks the fishing port, set up to keep local fishermen safe. It was designed by Eiffel Tower architect, Gustave Eiffel, and offers the opportunity for some memorable, Insta-worthy snaps.
It’s much better to get around Biarritz on foot but bear in mind it is hilly. Take trainers and if you’re going out of summer, a windproof jacket too. During the summer months, it can get incredibly hot so take your swimming stuff to cool off with a dip along the way. It does get very busy in summer so be prepared for the beaches and pavements to be crowded too. You can’t have everything.
If you like your walks to get the heart rate going, then head to the zig zag cliff paths beside La Côte des Basques beach up to the top of the cliff. There’s stairs and ramps and believe me when I say it is steep. Who am I kidding? It feels more like a full on HIIT session, but the views along the way make it bearable and the feeling of accomplishment at the top is well worth the struggle.
If you’d rather take it a little easier, take in all the top spots on a walking tour.
Any recommendations you think we should add to the list? Tweet us @travioor or post a comment on Travioor’s Facebook page.
Originally published at www.travioor.com.
