Things to do in Biarritz

The Beach

The main draw for most visitors to Biarritz is the magnificent Grand Plage where surfing was born in Europe. It’s about 6km long, with clean white sand, but most importantly, enormous waves that come crashing in from the Atlantic out yonder. You see surfers walking down to the beach at 9am as if they’re on the way to work, throughout the day, and after hours in the evening. Surfing is an obsession in Biarritz, so where better to learn. There are no less than ten surf schools in Biarritz, so you have plenty of choice although there may be times of the year when you need to book ahead. The beach gets rammed in the summer, where everyone stays is a mystery, as Biarritz is such a small place. There are only 2300 hotel rooms in Biarritz, only enough to accommodate a small corner of the beach at peak summertime.

Along the beach are a number of Thalossatherapy joints, including Mercure Thalassa Regina et du Golf, Thalacéane, the Spa Impérial at the Hôtel du Palais, and the Spa Kémana. You may see some notable French faces from the world of media and sport, recovering from their busy lifestyles. Serge Blanco, the legendary French international rugby player and Biarritz resident has his own “Thalasso Blanco” at the small town of Hendaye, just down the coast and close to the border with Spain.

Don’t miss the Musee de la Mer, at the Esplanade de la Vierge, with its impressive display of exotic fish and sea animals from around the world. While you’re there take a walk down the Esplanade to the headland to get a superb view of the Grand Plage and town of Biarritz. 

The Town

You don’t have to walk far in Biarritz before getting the idea that Basque culture dominates this small town. Just go to Les Halles, or the town market on Rue des Halles to see what I mean. Not only are there the finest local foods but each market stall is draped with the Basque flag, Biarritz Olympique Rugby banners, or both. The place is buzzing on match day and full of post-match diagnosis the day after. Alongside the Rue des Halles are a couple of bars offering traditional Basque fare and beer. Try Le Comptoir le Fois Gras at lunchtime, where the lunch will can include the finest Fois Gras but also a wide range of local snacks and of course a bottle of “EKI”, the Basque beer.

Fine foods are very much part of the Biarritz shopping experience, you’ll notice a few “Mille et un Fromage” stores around town and one in the market, where you can find the very best olive oils, pastes, sauces, ingredients, meats, pate’s, breads and cheeses.

If the fine foods on show didn’t satisfy your need for more, try visiting the Planète Musée du Chocolat at 14 Avenue Beaurivage, where you can trace the story of chocolate back 3000 years to the Aztecs who first started making it from Cacao.

The clothes stores have a strong rugby influence, like “64” named after the region’s car number plate, and you’ll find an “Eden Park” store here, founded by Frank Mesnel, the former French fly-half, who named his store after the famous ground in Auckland. There’s also a branded Biarritz Olympique store where you can buy rugby shirts t-shirts and other branded goods from the local rugby team.

The Asiatica Museum at Rue Guy Petit has displays of important ancient Asiatic art from India, China and Tibet, but unlike to more well-known museums holding these kinds of artefacts this one offers substantial information on leaflets about the interpretation of the works. See also the Musée Historique just around the corner from Les Halles, where you can learn more about the development of the town from small fishing village to a destination for royalty.

Remember you are not very far from the Basque cities of San Sebastian and Bilbao. Bilbao is some 140 km away if you wanted to savour the world-famous Guggenheim Museum there. San Sebastian is said to be the finest town in all of Spain. 

The Basque Hinterland

It doesn’t take much driving to get into what is very much north Basque country. Within half an hour of driving east past Bayonne, towards Hasparren, and then past Saint Esteben and Saint Palais, you will find hilly, windy roads weaving their way through the lush green countryside. The further you get from Biarritz, the quieter it will be. You’ll find places like Cambo les Bains to be pretty crowded in comparison to Saint Palais, and even quieter still when you travel further east towards the Béarnese town of Monein on the way to Pau. Pau has a significant English heritage. Wellington left a garrison there on the way back from the Peninsular wars in 1814. The English were so taken by the stunning views of the Pyrenees that the word passed on, leading to Pau being a prime destination for the English gentry. The first ever “Grand Prix” was held in Pau.