Biarritz

Hôtel du Palais — Empress Eugénie's Former Summer Palace

Built in 1855 as Empress Eugénie's seaside retreat, this Second Empire palace overlooking Grande Plage is now Biarritz's most iconic luxury hotel.

Grande Plage / Centre Boutique Hotel

A central hotel steps from Grande Plage and the Casino Barrière, walkable to Les Halles market and the main shopping streets.

Le Port Vieux Charming Guesthouse

A small guesthouse near the sheltered Port Vieux cove, an easy walk to the Rocher de la Vierge and the old fishing harbor's restaurants.

Côte des Basques Surf Lodge

A relaxed surf-oriented guesthouse near the Côte des Basques beach, the birthplace of European surfing since the 1950s, popular with surfers and young travelers.

Les Halles / Saint-Charles Apartment

A quieter residential apartment near Les Halles covered market, close to pintxos bars and cheese shops, a short walk to the beaches.

Milady Family Apartment

A spacious apartment near Plage Milady, one of Biarritz's widest beaches, popular with families and a short drive from the Basque villages.

Biarritz-Pays Basque Airport (BIQ) Transfer

BIQ airport sits only about 5 km from the city center, served by Ryanair, easyJet and Air France with routes to London, Paris and Geneva; a short taxi or bus reaches downtown quickly.

Txik Txak Bus Network

The Txik Txak regional bus network covers Biarritz, Bayonne and Anglet, with frequent service connecting neighborhoods, beaches and the train station.

T1 Electric Tram-Bus Line to Bayonne

The T1 high-frequency electric line connects Biarritz to neighboring Bayonne in under 30 minutes, making a car-free day trip to the cathedral city easy.

Biarritz Train Station (Gare de Biarritz)

The station offers TGV service to Paris in about four hours and a regional line south through Bayonne, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hendaye at the Spanish border.

Walking and Cycling the Coastal Promenade

A flat, well-marked coastal path links Grande Plage, Le Port Vieux, the Rocher de la Vierge and the Côte des Basques, entirely on foot or by bike.

Petit Train Touristique

A small tourist train loops along the seafront and through the town center, an easy way for families with tired legs to see the main sights.

Jack The Cockerel - Biarritz

Jack The Cockerel - Biarritz is a restaurant. It holds a strong rating of 4.6 from 2536 reviews.

📍17 Av. Edouard VII, 64200 Biarritz, France · View on map

Chez BB: Bistroquet Biarritz

Chez BB: Bistroquet Biarritz is an easygoing restaurant with a terrace, serving burgers, tapas, typical fare, and cocktails. It boasts a strong rating of 4.6 from 2529 reviews.

📍Chez BB: Bistroquet, 7 Pl. Sainte-Eugénie, 64200 Biarritz, France · View on map

APRÈS-DEMAIN

APRÈS-DEMAIN is a highly-rated fine dining restaurant, boasting an impressive 4.9 from 1125 reviews.

📍12 Av. Louis Barthou, 64200 Biarritz, France · View on map

Chez Eugénie Biarritz

Chez Eugénie Biarritz is a stylish French bistro offering creative interpretations of southwestern French dishes, boasting a 4.5-star rating from 1661 reviews and overlooking the beach.

📍17 Bd du Général de Gaulle, 64200 Biarritz, France · View on map

Milwaukee Café

Milwaukee Café is a buzzy coffee shop, rated 4.3 stars from 1477 reviews. It offers burgers, salads, juices, coffee, vegan options, and weekend brunch.

📍2 Rue du Helder, 64200 Biarritz, France · View on map

Restaurant Vegan Le Jardin

Restaurant Vegan Le Jardin is a highly-rated vegan restaurant, scoring 5 out of 5 from 512 reviews.

📍4 Av. Jaulerry, 64200 Biarritz, France · View on map

Le Port Vieux Sheltered Cove

The old fishing port's small, sheltered cove has calm, shallow water protected by breakwaters, making it Biarritz's most trusted beach for young children.

Musée de la Mer Aquarium

Biarritz's Art Deco aquarium and marine museum, perched above the ocean, houses sharks, seals and a rooftop terrace with panoramic sea views.

Cité de l'Océan

An interactive museum dedicated to ocean science and surf culture, with hands-on exhibits explaining waves, tides and marine ecosystems.

Beginner Surf Lessons at Côte des Basques

Local surf schools offer beginner lessons on the gentle rolling waves of Côte des Basques, the historic beach where European surfing began in the 1950s.

Plage Milady

One of Biarritz's widest beaches, Plage Milady offers ample space to run and play, with easier parking than the central beaches.

Seafront Promenade Bike Ride

The flat coastal promenade linking Grande Plage, Le Port Vieux and the Côte des Basques is an easy, scenic bike route for families.

Rocher de la Vierge

A rocky islet crowned with a statue of the Virgin Mary, connected to the mainland by an iron footbridge attributed to Gustave Eiffel, with sweeping ocean views.

Casino Barrière de Biarritz

An Art Deco casino overlooking Grande Plage, built in 1929, combining gaming rooms with a restaurant and sea-view terrace open to non-gamblers too.

Phare de Biarritz Lighthouse

Built in 1834, this working lighthouse can be climbed for a panoramic view over the city, the Basque coast and, on clear days, the Spanish mountains.

Biarritz Surf Festival

An annual celebration of surf culture with competitions, concerts and beach events, reflecting Biarritz's role as the birthplace of European surfing.

Le Temps d'Aimer la Danse Festival

A September dance festival bringing international choreographers and companies to Biarritz's theaters and public squares.

Musée Historique de Biarritz

Housed in a former Anglican church, this museum traces Biarritz's transformation from a whaling village to a fashionable 19th-century imperial resort town.

Chapelle Impériale

A small Byzantine-Romanesque chapel built in 1864 for Empress Eugénie, blending Basque and Moorish decorative influences near the Hôtel du Palais.

Église Sainte-Eugénie

A neo-Gothic church overlooking Le Port Vieux, named for Empress Eugénie, with regular Mass and a bell tower visible from across the old port.

Musée Asiatica — Asian Religious Art

A private museum in Biarritz housing one of Europe's largest collections of Buddhist and Hindu religious art from the Himalayas, India and Southeast Asia.

Day Trip to Bayonne Cathedral Sainte-Marie

A Gothic cathedral in nearby Bayonne, a listed stop on the Camino de Santiago's coastal route, reachable from Biarritz by the T1 tram in under 30 minutes.

Basque Pelota and Fronton Tradition

Pelota, a fast-paced ball sport played against a fronton wall, is a deeply rooted Basque cultural tradition with matches held in Biarritz and nearby villages.

Camino de Santiago via Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, about an hour inland from Biarritz, is the traditional starting point for the Camino Francés pilgrimage route into Spain.

Biarritz Convention Centre (Bellevue)

A seafront convention and events venue overlooking Grande Plage, hosting conferences, trade events and international summits year-round.

European Surf Industry Hub

Biarritz and the neighboring Basque coast are home to the European headquarters of major surf and boardsports brands, reflecting the region's role as the continent's surf industry center.

Biarritz Coworking Spaces

Several coworking spaces near the center and Les Halles offer fast fiber internet and flexible desks for remote-working travelers.

BIQ Airport Business Connectivity

Direct flights from BIQ to Paris, London and Geneva make Biarritz a practical base for business travelers needing quick access to major hubs.

Thalassotherapy and Wellness Industry

Biarritz pioneered seawater thalassotherapy in the 19th century and remains a major wellness industry center with several dedicated spa institutes.

Day Trip to Bayonne's Chocolate Industry

Nearby Bayonne is considered the birthplace of chocolate-making in France, with historic chocolatiers still operating in its old town, a short T1 tram ride away.

Emergency Numbers 112 / 15 / 18

Dial 112 for the general European emergency line, 15 for medical emergencies (SAMU) or 18 for the fire brigade anywhere in France.

Centre Hospitalier de la Côte Basque

The main reference hospital for the Basque coast, located in nearby Bayonne, provides full 24/7 emergency care for the Biarritz area.

Pharmacy (Pharmacie) Locator

Green cross pharmacy signs are found throughout Biarritz's center, with a rotating on-duty pharmacy staying open overnight and on Sundays.

Ocean and Rip Current Safety

Biarritz's beaches use color-coded flags to signal swimming conditions; always swim between the flags at Grande Plage and Côte des Basques, as Atlantic rip currents can be strong.

Sun and UV Precautions

Even with the Atlantic breeze, UV exposure on Biarritz's open beaches can be intense in summer — pack reef-safe sunscreen and sun hats for children.

Thalassotherapy Wellness Centers

Several seawater thalassotherapy institutes in Biarritz offer supervised wellness treatments, popular for recovery from travel fatigue or minor muscle strain.

Surfing at Côte des Basques

The historic beach where European surfing began in the 1950s remains one of the region's most popular breaks, suitable for beginners through advanced surfers.

Golf de Biarritz Le Phare

Founded in 1888 near the lighthouse, this is one of continental Europe's oldest golf courses, offering an ocean-view round in the heart of the city.

Basque Pelota Matches

Watch or try pelota, the fast-paced Basque ball sport played against a fronton wall, with matches held at courts around Biarritz and nearby villages.

Cycling the Vélodyssée Coastal Route

The Vélodyssée, a long-distance coastal cycling route along the French Atlantic coast, passes through Biarritz with scenic, mostly flat segments.

Thalassotherapy and Spa Day

Biarritz's seawater spa institutes offer half-day and full-day wellness programs, from hydrotherapy pools to seaweed wraps, rooted in the city's 19th-century thalassotherapy heritage.

Day Trip Hiking to Basque Villages

Espelette, Ainhoa and Sare, the inland Basque villages known for their red-shuttered houses and hiking trails, are each roughly 30 minutes from Biarritz by car.

Private Surf Lesson Booking

Book a certified private surf instructor for a one-on-one or family group lesson at Côte des Basques, tailored to skill level.

BIQ Airport Fast Track & Private Transfer

Skip arrival lines at Biarritz airport with a fast-track service and private door-to-door transfer, especially useful given the short 5 km distance to the center.

SIM Card & Travel WiFi

French SIM cards are available at the airport and in city-center shops — EU data roaming rules make this affordable for EU travelers.

Luggage Storage Near Gare de Biarritz

Store bags at a certified facility near the train station or town center to explore the beaches and Les Halles freely before check-in.

Local Concierge for Reservations and Day Trips

A dedicated local fixer for restaurant reservations, Basque village day-trip planning, private guides and last-minute requests.

Cross-Border Rental Car Advisory

A booking advisory service helping travelers compare the cost of a one-way cross-border drop-off to Spain versus returning the car in Biarritz and continuing by train.

Best Months to Visit

May, June, September and October offer mild weather, good surf conditions and noticeably fewer crowds than the July-August peak.

July-August Peak Crowds and Prices

Biarritz gets very crowded in July and August, with rental car prices spiking roughly 36% above the yearly average in July and even higher in August.

Year-Round Surf Season

Biarritz offers surfable waves year-round, but winter water temperatures require a full wetsuit even for experienced surfers.

Espelette Pepper Festival

Held every October in the nearby village of Espelette, this festival celebrates the region's famous piment d'Espelette with parades, tastings and garlands of drying peppers.

Mild Wet Winters

December through February stays mild by European standards but brings the most frequent Atlantic rain and shorter daylight hours.

Shoulder Season Value

May, June, September and October offer noticeably lower accommodation and rental car prices than the July-August peak, with comfortable beach weather.

Summer Parking Zones in Biarritz

Street parking in central Biarritz is paid from April 1 to November 15 across four color-coded zones (red, orange, green, yellow), with the red zone downtown capped at 2.5 hours.

Free Alternative: Iraty Park-and-Ride

In summer, the free Iraty parking area connects to the center via bus line 7, a practical alternative to paid downtown street parking.

The Center Is Walkable — A Car Is Not Needed

Biarritz's center and beaches are fully walkable; a car is really only needed for trips to the inland Basque villages or crossing the border into Spain.

Cross-Border One-Way Rental Cost Warning

A one-way rental drop-off from Biarritz to San Sebastián or Bilbao typically costs €500 or more in drop fees — returning the car in Biarritz and taking the train via Hendaye to rent a new car in Spain is usually cheaper.

Day Trip to Bayonne via the T1 Tram

The T1 electric line reaches Bayonne's cathedral, chocolate shops and old town in under 30 minutes, making it an easy car-free half-day trip.

Sunset at the Rocher de la Vierge

The best light for photos at the Rocher de la Vierge and its Eiffel-attributed footbridge comes in the last hour before sunset, when the ocean and Basque coastline glow gold.