Biarritz: Balancing Basque Headiness

A silver necklace of sand along the blue of the ocean, it does what it was always meant to do. Bask in the bright sunshine and unfold its myriad charms.

There is a certain savoir foire in this town that begins where the Atlantic Ocean ends. To say that it’s a rather special place is to state the obvious, but it is special.

Biarritz was made for holidays! It was the whales and not the elegant 19^th Century ladies who were the first sea-bathers here. A tiny fishing port in the Middle - Ages, it saw dramatic change with the new craze for sea bathing. The Empress Eugenie exalted the town, turning it into Europe’s most fashionable resort. Converging here were the crowned heads of the entire continent, to throw themselves into the waves and into an endless round of sophisticated soirees, romantic promenades and glittering balls.  Following them were the stars of the arts and high society who played hard on the green grass of the golf courses and the green baize of the gaming tables. It was their taste for a whirlwind existence that made Biarritz what it is today – a resort of dreams.

Charmed by a ‘white village with red roofs and green shutters, set amongst grassy hills’, Victor Hugo was among the first to be enchanted by the fishing harbour in the Basque country in 1843. And promptly voiced his concern that Biarritz would become ‘fashionable’ and that ‘this day will come soon’!

Well, it came soon enough, but rather than ruining the town, enhanced its prestige. Napoleon 111 built a summer residence - the ‘Villa Eugene’ - for his wife the Countess of Montijo, and the couple visited every year to enjoy the climate and the sea’s invigorating effects. Following them was a glittering parade of Royals - the Kings of Wurtenberg, Belgium and Portugal, Russian, Rumanian and Polish Princes, English Lords, and Spanish Grandees.

The end of the century saw the Second Empire give way to the Belle Epoque, and the Royals of the Ist Republic descended here to spend lazy days. Jules Ferry, Zola, Sadi Carnot, Poincare, Clemenceau, and Alexandre Dumas met around the beaches. Austria’s Elisabeth came to seek comfort in the town’s atmosphere. Also in town were the Prince of Wales and later, Edward VII, who spent over a year in the Old Imperial residence, which was transformed into the ‘Hotel du Palais’ in 1893.

The end of the 19^th Century saw frenzied activity: Theatre people and gamblers flocked to the Bellevue Casino and the newly built Municipal Casino. Sarah Bernardt and Lucien Guitry’s stage shows were followed by all-night partying. The refined pleasures of 19^th century society life gave way to busy Parisian style nightlife in the Roaring 20s, with the new art of charleston becoming popular, and large villa owners hosting huge garden parties - like Natalie of Serbia’s palace, which later became the ‘Royal Pavilion’.

The post-Second World War period saw Biarritz reborn, thanks to the magnificent parties hosted by the Marquis of Cuevas. High society was kept alive by the likes of Peter of Yugoslavia, Farouk of Egypt, and Michael of Romania, and movie stars like Gary Cooper, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Rita Hayworth who stayed with the Aga Khan. Sumptuous parties were still in full swing in the 60s. And an amazing new sport called ‘surfing’ made its French debut.

Today, Biarritz continues its seduction: With its year-round mild weather, its beaches, big waves, and majestic villas. It is picturesque like the Port des Pecheurs, breathtaking like the Rocher de la Vierge. 

Enjoy its special sights, images and feelings! Boutiques display Basque cloths, berets and colourful espadrilles.  Stroll through the arcades or under the shade of tamarisks. Have some tapas in a bar or bodega. Try some squid. In the Basque villages, there are feasts of hams, ewe’s cheese and black cherry jam. You could hear a Basque song carried on the breeze from a church balcony, enjoy the wonderful flavours of a seafood platter, or the performance of a surfer, dancer, txistu player or pelotari. Or just daydream about the ‘Roaring Twenties’ opulence. 

Sea bathing in warm waters, mud and seaweed baths, tonifying showers, seawater steam baths and water physiotherapy! The town is renowned for its seawater therapy and thalassotherapy, with several treatments and care programmes to put you on the road to the ‘body beautiful’.  Created by former cycling star Louison Bobet, and integrated into the Miramar Hotel, Thalassa Institute offers a la carte programmes, with a swimming pool, sauna, UV treatments and a beauty salon.

Andalusian haciendas, Neo-Renaissance chateaux, Swiss chalets, English villas, and Basque houses dot the town.  A remarkable architectural heritage has been preserved in the Gare du Midi, Espace Bellevue, and Casino Municipal. Some offer a gala dinner by the waterside, lit by the summer sun melting into the ocean’s vastness at dusk. Everywhere, elegant buildings open onto the Atlantic.

Hydrangeas and tamarisks line the streets that feature buildings that form joyous, unexpected juxtapoistions. Such as the Byzantine-inspired chapel, an Orthodox Church, and a medieval villa (the Roche Ronde). The Russian Church stands just behind the Hotel du Palais that stands just by the sea.

Golfers will feel particularly at home. Within a fifteen-mile radius of town are some ten greens, which have found it a place in golfing legend. The English legacy created in 1888 the ‘Golf du Phare’ - one of Europe’s oldest and largest courses. Exactly a hundred years later saw the opening of the llbiarritz-Bidart International Training Centre, Europe’s only such complex.

Watching over the town and the sea beyond is the lighthouse - the beginning of the Basque coast, and the spot for taking photos and having a coffee. From its base, one gets a stunning view of the sea (and Spain in the distance) on the right, and the town on the left.

Over the blue of the ocean in Biarritz, the Basque Country flies its colours. Red - like the dancers’ berets or pimentos from Espelette. White - like the houses clinging to the hillsides, or the immaculate outfits of the pelotari. Green - like the valley where the black-headed sheep graze. They tell of the Basques whose very language is such a mystery, and of a land whose origins are lost in the mists of time. 

Through the year, parades and festivals animate the town. The ‘Fetes Musicales’ see a good line-up. ‘Le Temps d’Aimer’ is devoted to dance. And the three main congress centres – the Municipal Casino, the Bellevue Centre, and the Palais des Festivals-Gare du Midi, testify to a strong business presence.

The Facts

Biarritz is five hours from Paris by the super-fast TGV train. It is also connected by air.

Deluxe, standard, and budget hotels, with tariffs ranging from Euro 50-500, means there’s a room for everyone.

While a vehicle is useful for seeing the town’s surrounding country, most local attractions are walking distance from one another.

A vast cuisine choice also includes Indian and vegetarian food. A meal for two at a standard eatery costs Euro 25-45.