Best Bits from Biarritz

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Biarritz is a seaside town on the coast of France. It is famous for its beaches, calm seas, and booming surfing scene. However, it also boasts of a posh side: you will also find elegant villas, upscale restaurants, and multiple spas here. It may sound like an unusual mix, but it works. This French belle is certainly in a class of its own.

The city came has become a famous beach retreat after Napoléon III and Empress Eugénie de Montijo discovered it. It has since become a favorite amongst holidaymakers. There are plenty of holiday rentals and apartments in Biarritz to stay in. We spent a handful of days exploring the area and we saw why locals and tourists love it!

Grande Plage

The name is no misnomer! We dropped by Biarritz’s main beach for some time under the sun and it was truly grand. Despite its size, the public beach was packed with people since it was the summer. It’s easy to see why: the view was lovely, the water was clear, and the location was very accessible. People who hate crowds and prefer even clearer water might want to head to Plage de la Gallice or the Cannes Islands instead.

Chapelle Impériale

Empress Eugénie herself ordered the construction of this impressive church. The structure is fascinating and it offers a great view of the Grande Plage. It might look intimidatingly brusque from the outside but we couldn’t believe how beautiful the Byzantine and Moorish interiors were. The exquisite building ranks high up on our list of favorite religious structures!

Musée d'Art Asiatica

Located on the peripheries, this museum should not be missed. It might be a little haphazardly organized, but it was worth seeing all the Chinese, Indian, and Tibetan artifacts and artworks. We certainly did not expect to see a collection of Asian historical objects in the area, but we daresay that it was a pleasant surprise. In our opinion, it only added to the unorthodox charm of the city!

Rocher de la Vierge

Let’s face it: we all adore dramatic landscapes. It can’t possibly get more romantic than this statue of the Rock of the Virgin surrounded by crashing waves. We took a pleasant stroll to see it up close via the metal footbridge and it’s not an exaggeration to say that every single angle gave us a magnificent view! Down below, we were even able to see fish and other marine animals. It was a little touristy, but we can’t imagine a trip to Biarritz without dropping by here.

Anglet

A mere five kilometers away lie the beaches of Anglet. It has earned the nickname “Little California” for a good reason. This is where surfers go when in search of big waves. At such a short distance, it felt like a completely different world from the ritzy atmosphere of Biarritz! Anglet was the perfect day to spend a laidback day before catching a magnificent view of the sunset.

Ending notes

Biarritz is somewhat of a contradiction but we mean that in the best way possible! It is a special place that offers the best of both worlds. We wish we were able to spend a longer time here, but our schedule simply didn’t allow an extension. Nonetheless, we’re not too worried— we’re sure that we’ll come back someday!

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