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Biarritz, France

Destination guide

Biarritz

France

Biarritz is a large beachside town on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, in south-west France. It is known for the Hôtel du Palais, built for the Empress Eugénie around 1855, its casinos, and its surfing culture.

AI insights

Local-led

AI-written from the Wikivoyage listings, transport section and mostly LOCAL creators' videos on this page

  • Prioritize walking to navigate the city center and primary surf spots, as the core of Biarritz is highly pedestrianized; use the Chronoplus bus network to connect with the neighboring towns of Anglet and Bayonne, checking current fare structures before you board.

  • Verify the operating hours for La Table Basque before finalizing your dinner plans, as they have historically scheduled closures on specific weeknights that can disrupt your itinerary.

  • If you are visiting specifically for the waves and want to simplify logistics, consider booking a stay at the Surf Hostel Biarritz, which offers an all-inclusive package bundling your bed, breakfast, bike, and surfboard rental.

  • When selecting accommodation, confirm whether your room includes a private bathroom, as some traditional hotels in the city center—such as the Hôtel Gardénia—feature a mix of room types that do not all offer en-suite facilities.

  • Incorporate a visit to local establishments serving Basque-influenced menus to experience the regional culinary identity, rather than defaulting to the standard fare found near the major seafront tourist attractions.

How we vet these picks

Every pick is drawn from real sources — YouTube creators, Wikivoyage, and Wikipedia. We only surface sources that actually exist and that we've checked for authenticity — no filler, no dead-end searches.

Best time to go

Best window: February–October

Kind weather all year — there is no month to avoid.

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IdealGoodOkayOff-season

Rated from ten years of daily temperature and rainfall recorded at this destination, via Open-Meteo's ERA5 reanalysis. Hover a month for its real numbers.

Getting around

By bus

There is an excellent bus network called Chronoplus ( for timetables and routes), serving Biarritz as well as the neighbouring Anglet and Bayonne (which form a conurbation called 'BAB'). Bus journeys are a flat €1 payable in cash on the bus.

On foot

Biarritz is very pedestrianised, and it is easy to get around the town centre, to the beaches, and to the best spots for surfing or shopping. This means whatever your holiday needs is a short and pleasant walking distance away.

Transport notes from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What to see

Places are listed from Wikivoyage and our own sourced research. Worth it means a second, independent source names the place too; “3 sources agree” means three or more do — and each card names them, so you can check.

Grande Plage

Worth it

Also recommended by Lonely Planet

The long, curving beach that made Biarritz a 19th-century royal retreat for Napoléon III and Empress Eugénie, still lined with belle-époque villas.

Vetted sources

Phare de Biarritz

Worth it

Also recommended by Lonely Planet

You climb 258 twisting steps inside the 1834 lighthouse for sweeping views over the Basque coastline.

Vetted sources

Église Sainte-Eugénie

Worth it

Also recommended by Lonely Planet

A Byzantine-and-Moorish-styled church built in 1864 on the empress's orders, fronted by a plaza with a superb sea view.

Vetted sources

What to do

Musée de la Mer

Worth it

Also recommended by Lonely Planet

An art deco aquarium where sharks and seals from the Bay of Biscay swim just past the glass, housed in a building that's itself a period piece.

Vetted sources

Surfing at Côte des Basques

Worth it

Also recommended by Lonely Planet

You paddle out at one of the beaches where French surfing was born in the 1950s, still one of the region's most popular breaks.

Vetted sources

What to eat

La Table Basque

4 av de Marne

Has a very good and Basque-influenced carte and proper 3-course menus. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.

Vetted sources

Pizzeria des Arceaux

20-24 avenue Édouard-VII

The pizzas are very good, as is the fish and the large desserts.

Vetted sources

Where to stay

Hôtel Gardénia

av Carnot, 05

Two-star, old-fashioned and quiet hotel with a mix of rooms, not all with their own bathrooms. SinglesTwinsTriples

Hôtel Maïtagaria

av Carnot, 05

Mostly smart rooms in a quiet location, with back garden. DoublesTriples

Surf Hostel Biarritz

Ave de Migron. Surfer accommodation with bed + breakfast + bike + board all incl.

Hôtel du Palais

1 Avenue de l'Impératrice, 64200 Biarritz· Expensive

A wife Eugénie, converted into a hotel in 1883.

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Travel content from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Encyclopedic context from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Videos via the YouTube Data API.