Biarritz: Biarritz: the surfing capital

🏖️ The undisputed home of surfers, this chic resort on the Basque coast is also nicknamed "the queen of beaches", a name it lives up to! With a population that increases 10-fold in the summer, the town has been booming ever since Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie made it their fiefdom. Far from the popular resorts of the coast, Biarritz attracts a wealthy clientele. The beautiful mansions and luxury boutiques lining the beach bear witness to the prestige of this resort. Young people are not left out either, with hundreds of surfers battling it out on the waves in summer and winter alike. And when night falls, the bars and nightclubs, located on the beach, on the rock face or in the narrow streets of the town centre, vibrate until the wee hours of the morning.

🎰 Trendy Biarritz is also renowned for its casino and thalassotherapy. A veritable institution, the mud, seaweed and seawater steam baths are attracting more and more enthusiasts. The most famous centre is undoubtedly the Sofitel, which faces the sea in a top-of-the-range setting.

🍴 A town with a strong character, its culinary specialities, its language called Euskara, its traditions and its architecture so typical of the Basque Country give this seaside resort a strong identity that leaves no one indifferent.

⭐ The nomination of the Grand Palais as a Palace, making it the only hotel on the Atlantic coast to fall into this category, has once again put Biarritz in the spotlight.

🌊 And because the town never stands still, just like the waves that have made its reputation, it has just celebrated the opening of two cultural sites totally dedicated to the ocean: the Musée de la Mer Aquarium, devoted to live entertainment, and the Cité de l'Océan et du Surf, dedicated to knowledge of the ocean.

A mysterious Basque country: Biarritz is an ideal destination for visiting the Basque coast and the inland Basque country, with its villages of distinctive architecture. It's a plunge into a culture that goes back two thousand years and is renowned for its sense of welcome and festivity. A border town: holidays in Biarritz are an opportunity to visit the Spanish Basque Country and its gastronomy.

🍲 "Axoa"

Axoa is a typical regional dish. Rustic and convivial, often served on festive days such as fairs or festivals, there isn't really a precise recipe. The dish can be prepared in a variety of ways. Generally speaking, it's a thinly sliced beef or veal stew with a mixture of spices, chillies and onions. To be enjoyed with a wine from the region, such as Madiran.

🥮 "Le touron"

Touron is a small cake made with sugar and almonds. This delicious treat, which can be kept for several months, can be rediscovered each time thanks to a variety of flavours: vanilla, coffee, chocolate... or even more subtle combinations such as ginger or pistachio."