
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-ledAI-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.Watch first
Ranked by views and how well each landed with the people who watched it, judged against the other coverage of this place — plus a local creator where we found one.
Best time to go
Best window: February–October
Kind weather all year — there is no month to avoid.
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 itAlso 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 itAlso 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 itAlso 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 itAlso 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 itAlso 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
Vetted sources
Hôtel Maïtagaria
av Carnot, 05
Mostly smart rooms in a quiet location, with back garden. DoublesTriples
Vetted sources
Surf Hostel Biarritz
Ave de Migron. Surfer accommodation with bed + breakfast + bike + board all incl.
Vetted sources
Hôtel du Palais
1 Avenue de l'Impératrice, 64200 Biarritz· Expensive
A wife Eugénie, converted into a hotel in 1883.
Vetted sources
Travel essentials
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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.





