High cliffs, the sound of waves crashing on the shore, blooming hydrangeas and the relaxed bliss of the resort of kings and surfers … Biarritz in the summer is an ideal alternative to Paris and the banal Riviera, languishing in the heat.
Getting into luxurious Biarritz, you immediately notice its dissimilarity to other coastal cities in France. Maybe it’s all about the small two-story houses hiding in the shade of palm trees, which resemble the suburbs of Los Angeles. Or in monumental embankments, as in neighboring Spain. Or perhaps the point is the sincere friendliness of the locals, not at all the same as in Nice or Cannes, which are familiar to Russian tourists. And of course, in the ocean. It gives the place a special atmosphere. Author of a popular Instagram account Anastasia Yezhova is sure that this is an ideal destination for a romantic trip for two.
Biarritz is an “amphitheater” to the ocean, which makes the climate very mild – with warm winters and pleasant summers. Even if the air temperature here rises above +30 ºС, a light breeze immediately envelops the whole city with coolness. It is not surprising that the wife of Napoleon III once chose this city as a resort, and by order of the emperor, here, in the first row of the “amphitheater”, a luxurious villa “Eugenia” was built. Now in the former residence of the Empress, the Hôtel du Palais is located with restaurants, spas and luxurious interiors.
A path winding past sun-warmed cypresses leads to the ocean, and below is another Biarritz: perky, with cafes and surf schools
An ideal day in Biarritz looks like this: a walk through the city center, immersed in pink and blue hydrangeas, breakfast at the Milwaukee cafe, and then walk to the cliff of the Holy Virgin, Biarritz’s “calling card”. To the left of it is a pretty bay where locals spend their time. The water here is not as stormy and even seems not as cold as on other beaches.
Refreshed in the waters of the Bay of Biscay, walk to Villa Belza, standing alone on a high cliff, from which a stunning panorama opens up. A path winding past sun-warmed cypresses leads to the ocean, and below is another Biarritz: perky, with cafes and surf schools that are littered every five meters of the beach.
Another “place of power” is the lighthouse of Biarritz. In a storm, the descent to its rocks is closed. But if the ocean is calm, as it is possible on the waters of the Atlantic, then it’s great to go down to the rocks to be alone, listening to the sound of the waves and peering into the horizon, beyond which there is not a single piece of land for many thousands of miles.
What you need to know
- Beautiful sunsets: they are best observed on the famous La Grande Plage beach with a glass of local wine. Then take a look at the square in front of the city hall to listen to street musicians, and then go to dinner at La Crique restaurant to try local seafood.
- In Biarritz there is an Orthodox church – the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin and St. Alexander Nevsky. Built in 1892, it is famous for its iconostasis, the icons for which were brought from St. Petersburg.
- The city is considered one of the main European and world surfing centers, competitions are held here and there are several schools where beginners are quickly put on the board.