Biarritz packs more into its compact coastline than cities ten times its size. Surf world-class waves in the morning, explore a Napoleonic palace at lunchtime, walk cliff-top paths past Belle Époque villas in the afternoon, and watch the sun melt into the Bay of Biscay from a pintxos bar terrace. Here's how to make every hour count in the Basque Country's most elegant seaside town.
Let's start with the obvious: Biarritz is where European surfing was born. When American screenwriter Peter Viertel arrived in 1957 to film an adaptation of Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, he brought a surfboard from California. He paddled out at the Côte des Basques, locals gathered to watch, and a love affair began that would transform Biarritz from a faded imperial resort into the continent's surf capital. The Quiksilver Pro France — part of the World Surf League Championship Tour — now brings the world's best to the region each autumn.
The great thing about surfing in Biarritz is that it genuinely works for everyone. Beginners should head to the southern end of the Côte des Basques, where the waves break gently over sand and the water is shallow enough to stand. Several surf schools operate from the beachfront, offering 90-minute group lessons for around €35 including board and wetsuit. The instructors are multilingual and patient — you'll be standing up within your first session. The best months for learning are June through September, when the water is warmest (19–22°C) and the waves are smaller and cleaner.
Intermediate surfers will find their happy place at Grande Plage in the centre of town. The waves here are more powerful — typically waist to head-high — and work on all tides, though the best conditions come on a rising tide with a moderate west swell. The beach break produces both lefts and rights, and on a good day you can get rides of 100 metres or more. Be aware that Grande Plage can close out on big days; if it's overhead and messy, try the Côte des Basques instead, which handles bigger swells better.
Advanced surfers chase the reef breaks north of the Phare de Biarritz, where the waves jack up over shallow reef and produce hollow, fast barrels. La Barre in neighbouring Anglet (just across the river) is one of Europe's best and most challenging waves — a heavy, powerful barrel that breaks over a sandbar and requires sharp reflexes and solid wave knowledge. It's at its best in autumn, when the North Atlantic hurricane season sends long-period groundswells marching toward the Bay of Biscay.
Jo Moraiz Surf School (Côte des Basques) — Biarritz's most established school, founded by a former European champion. Hastea Surf School — great for families and kids. Biarritz Surf Academy — smaller groups, video analysis included. All provide boards and wetsuits. Book ahead in July and August.
The postcard beach. A sweeping curve of golden sand stretching from the Casino Municipal to the Hôtel du Palais, backed by Belle Époque facades and the elegant promenade. Grande Plage is where Biarritz shows off — striped cabanas, volleyball nets, and stylish sunbathers. Lifeguards patrol from June to September (swim between the flags — the currents can be strong). The beach shelves steeply into deep water within a few metres, so it's better for confident swimmers. The beach bars on the promenade above are perfect for a sunset aperitif.
The surfer's beach, stretching south from the town centre below dramatic cliffs. At low tide, the sand extends for nearly a kilometre, and the beach is wide enough that it never feels truly crowded. The cliffs provide shelter from northerly winds. At high tide, the beach narrows considerably, so time your visit around mid to low tide for sunbathing. The Côte des Basques faces due west, making it the best sunset spot in town — arrive around 8pm in summer, spread a towel on the sand, and watch the surfers silhouetted against a golden-orange sky. There's a basic beach café for drinks and snacks.
Tucked between the Rocher de la Vierge and the Port des Pêcheurs, this tiny, sheltered cove is Biarritz's secret swimming spot. Protected from the Atlantic swells by natural rock formations, the water here is calm, clear, and perfect for families with young children. It's the one beach in Biarritz where you can float on your back without being tumbled by waves. At high tide, the beach nearly disappears, so check the tide times. At low tide, rock pools reveal tiny crabs, anemones, and starfish. Get here before 10am in summer to claim a spot — the cove is small and fills quickly.
A local favourite south of the Côte des Basques. Milady is a quieter, more residential beach where Biarrots go to escape the summer crowds. It's a long, sandy beach backed by a park with picnic tables and a playground. The waves are generally smaller and more forgiving than at Grande Plage, making it good for families. Access is via steps down from the Avenue de la Milady. There's limited parking and a seasonal snack bar.
The symbol of Biarritz. This dramatic rock formation, connected to the mainland by a metal footbridge designed by Gustave Eiffel's workshop in 1887, is crowned by a white statue of the Virgin Mary. Local legend says fishermen caught in a storm were guided to safety by a divine light at this spot, and Napoleon III had the statue erected in 1865 as thanks. The view from the viewing platform is extraordinary — on a clear day, you can see the Pyrenees to the south and the Landes coast stretching north into infinity. Go at sunset for maximum drama, and watch the waves explode against the rocks below. Free access, open year-round. At high tide, the sea crashes through the arch beneath the bridge — a spectacle that never gets old.
Standing 73 metres tall at Pointe Saint-Martin, the Biarritz lighthouse has been guiding ships through the treacherous Bay of Biscay since 1834. Climbing the 248 spiral steps rewards you with a panoramic view that justifies every stair — from the Spanish mountains in the south to the vast Landes forest in the north. The lighthouse keeper's house has a small exhibit on maritime history and the lighthouse's role during World War II, when it was used as a German observation post. Entry is €3. Open daily from April to October, weekends only in winter. Check opening hours — they vary by season. The clifftop walk from the lighthouse to the Rocher de la Vierge (roughly 40 minutes) is the best introduction to Biarritz you'll get.
Perched on the cliff above the Rocher de la Vierge, this Art Deco aquarium and maritime museum is one of Biarritz's most popular attractions. The main draw is the shark tank — a 1.5-million-litre basin where grey nurse sharks, rays, and other species glide past the viewing window. The seal pool has daily feeding sessions (check times), and the jellyfish gallery — with its glowing, pulsing creatures in black-lit tanks — is mesmerising. The museum section traces Biarritz's whaling and fishing history, with models of traditional Basque boats and whaling harpoons. Allow 2–3 hours. Adult entry €14.50, children €10.50. Book online in summer to skip the queue.
An unexpected architectural jewel in a French seaside town. Built in 1892 to serve the Russian aristocracy who wintered in Biarritz (including Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and other members of the Romanov family), the Église Orthodoxe Russe is a perfectly formed piece of Tsarist Russia on the Atlantic coast. The sky-blue dome, gilded iconostasis, and candle-lit interior transport you to St Petersburg. The church is still active — if you visit during a service, observe silently from the back. Located on Avenue de l'Impératrice, surrounded by the Belle Époque villas where the Russian nobility once stayed. Free entry, donations welcome.
A modern, interactive museum dedicated to the ocean and its role in shaping our planet. Housed in a striking building that resembles a breaking wave on the Ilbarritz clifftop (just south of Biarritz proper), the Cité de l'Océan uses virtual reality, 3D films, and hands-on exhibits to explore everything from deep-sea ecosystems to wave formation. The "surfing simulator" is popular with kids. It's more educational than the Musée de la Mer and makes a good rainy-day activity. Adult entry €12. À propos a 30-minute walk south of the town centre or a short bus ride.
The Sentier du Littoral (coastal path) is the essential Biarritz walk. It's a paved, well-maintained promenade that traces the entire coastline from the Phare de Biarritz lighthouse in the north to the Côte des Basques beach in the south. The full route takes about 40–60 minutes at a leisurely pace, depending on how often you stop to take photos (answer: a lot). Along the way, you'll pass the Rocher de la Vierge, the Port des Pêcheurs, the Musée de la Mer, the Grande Plage, and the Casino Municipal. Every few hundred metres, a bench invites you to sit and watch the Atlantic do its thing. The path is flat, wheelchair-accessible for most of its length, and lit at night. It's as good at 8am — when the only other people are joggers and dog-walkers — as it is at sunset, when the après-surf crowd emerges.
For a longer walk, continue south past the Côte des Basques along the coastal path that links Biarritz to Bidart and ultimately to Saint-Jean-de-Luz. This section is wilder, with fewer people and more dramatic cliff scenery. The 12km walk from Biarritz to Saint-Jean-de-Luz takes about 3 hours and passes through patches of coastal pine forest, secluded coves, and the pretty village of Bidart. Pack water and sunscreen — there's limited shade. The reward is arriving in Saint-Jean-de-Luz for lunch at a harbourside restaurant, with a train back to Biarritz (15 minutes) if you don't fancy walking home.
Biarritz's larger, grittier neighbour is the cultural capital of French Basque Country. The medieval old town (Grand Bayonne) is a warren of cobbled streets, half-timbered houses, and Gothic architecture anchored by the magnificent Cathédrale Sainte-Marie (a UNESCO World Heritage site). The cloister alone is worth the visit. Cross the River Nive into Petit Bayonne for the Musée Basque, which tells the story of Basque culture through artefacts, traditional costumes, and pelota exhibits. Bayonne is also the home of Bayonne ham — visit the charcuterie shops in Grand Bayonne for cured meats you'll dream about for months. The Fêtes de Bayonne in late July transforms the city into five days of white-and-red, non-stop festivity.
If Biarritz is the glamorous extrovert, Saint-Jean-de-Luz is the quietly beautiful sibling. This historic fishing port, sheltered by a natural bay, was where Louis XIV married Maria Theresa of Spain in 1660 — a political union that reshaped Europe. The Maison Louis XIV museum preserves the house where they stayed. The town itself is a jewel: colourful Basque half-timbered houses, a bustling fishing port where the day's catch is auctioned, and a wide, family-friendly beach protected by three sea walls. The old town is full of artisanal shops selling Basque linen, espadrilles (the rope-soled shoes were invented here), and macarons — not the Parisian kind, but a softer, almondy version from Maison Adam (established 1660) that's the town's signature sweet. The harbour-side restaurants serve some of the freshest seafood on the coast.
If you have a car, the villages of the Basque interior are a different world entirely. Espelette is famous for its dried red peppers (Piment d'Espelette AOC), which hang in garlands from the eaves of every whitewashed house. Ainhoa is a single-street village officially classified as one of France's "Plus Beaux Villages" — a perfectly preserved 13th-century way station on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrim route, with a fronton (pelota court) at one end and a Romanesque church at the other. Sare sits in a green bowl of hills near the Spanish border, with prehistoric caves (Grottes de Sare) and a vintage cog railway that climbs to the summit of La Rhune (905m) for views across both French and Spanish Basque Country. Give yourself a full day to do these villages justice, and stop for lunch at a farmhouse inn (ferme auberge) for the most authentic Basque meal of your trip.
The French-Spanish border runs through the middle of the Bidasoa River at the southern edge of the Basque Coast. Hendaye, on the French side, has a magnificent 3-kilometre sandy beach that's noticeably warmer than Biarritz (thanks to the shelter of the bay) and much less crowded. The Château d'Abbadia, an eccentric neo-Gothic fantasy built by the explorer Antoine d'Abbadie in the 1860s, sits on a cliff overlooking the beach and is open for tours. From Hendaye, you can take the Euskotren across the river to Hondarribia in Spain — a fortified medieval town with some of the best pintxos bars in the Basque Country. Alternatively, continue 20 minutes further to San Sebastián (Donostia), one of the world's great food cities, with three Michelin-starred restaurants and more pintxos bars per square metre than anywhere on earth. San Sebastián works as a full day trip from Biarritz if you catch an early train.
Biarritz is excellent for family holidays. The Plage du Port Vieux provides calm, shallow swimming for young children. The Musée de la Mer's shark tank and seal pool keep kids entertained for hours. The Cité de l'Océan has hands-on exhibits. The coastal path is buggy-friendly. And the town is compact enough that even little legs can manage the walking.
Several surf schools offer kids' lessons (from age 6), and the gentle waves of the Côte des Basques at low tide are ideal for learning. The Jardin Public in the centre of town has a playground and plenty of shade. The miniature train (Petit Train de Biarritz) does a 35-minute loop of the town with commentary in French and English — a hit with younger children and a useful way to orient yourself on day one.
Biarritz on a rainy day: the Musée de la Mer, the Cité de l'Océan, and the Russian Orthodox Church are all indoors. Les Halles market is covered and provides hours of eating and browsing. The Casino Municipal (minimum age 18, dress code applies after 8pm) has slot machines, table games, and a bar with sea views. The thalassotherapy spas — notably Thalmar at the Hôtel du Palais and Thermes Marins — offer heated seawater pools, steam rooms, and treatments that turn a rainy afternoon into a highlight. A day trip to Bayonne's museums and covered arcades is another wet-weather option, reachable by a 15-minute bus ride.