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Fifty years ago, scriptwriter Peter Viertel came to Biarritz to film ‘The sun also rises’ but it was the mighty Atlantic rollers which truly stole his heart. He promptly sent for his surf boards all the way from California and the people of Biarritz gazed in wonder at this super-hero who could ‘stand and walk’ on water.

Thus, so far unknown in Europe, surfing landed on the Silver Coast of the Pays Basque, a spectacular sport which soon bred champions and attracted adepts from beyond the borders. Today Biarritz ranks among the world’s top surfing spots and holds an international competition every July on the Basque Beach.

Waters of Life
But you don’t have to surf to fall in love with the ‘Queen of Resorts’ who charmed crowned heads, men of letters and movie stars long before the first board hit the water. From Russia, Poland, Spain, Romania and more, they came in search of pure ocean air, health-restoring waters and glamorous parties while a few gambled their fortunes in the casino. Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie set the tone with a summer residence on the ocean front, English aristocrats introduced horse shows and the first of 10 golf courses and Victor Hugo proclaimed he knew ‘of no place more charming or magnificent than Biarritz.’

Make your way to the Atalaye viewpoint and as you look down on the golden sands of the Grande Plage and the pretty ‘crampottes’ cottages mirrored in the fishermen’s creek, you’ll probably agree. From the gleaming lighthouse on St Martin’s Point to the romantic Virgin’s Rock and beyond, the bay unfolds like a dream, six kilometres of sandy beaches framed by lush cliffs where paths meander among tamarisk and pink and blue hydrangeas. The dark silhouettes of the Pyrénées rise in the distance and when the sun sets over the ocean, the rocky islets battered by the waves turn all shades of ochre and gold. There’s no better time to enjoy a bracing walk or a dip in the ocean on a summer evening.

The mineral-rich waters are plentiful and free but if you fancy a little pampering over the week-end, pop into the Thermes Marins or one of the hotel spas for seawater therapy ‘à la carte.’ Enhanced by a year round mild climate, the health benefits of the ocean have drawn crowds since ancient times but modern thalassotherapy was born in Biarritz when ex-cycling champion Louison Bobet opened the first specialist institute in 1979, with a range of options to revitalize and wash away stress. Try a mud or seaweed bath, an invigorating jet shower, a soothing massage or a beauty treatment and you’ll feel as good as new. Stroll around town
Biarritz has moved with the times but the past lingers in an eclectic sprinkling of flamboyant villas from the Second Empire to the Belle Epoque and roaring 20s. The grandest must have been the Villa Eugénie, destroyed by a fire on the site of the Hôtel du Palais, but among the town’s gems, look out for the Hôtel Victoria or the Goéland, the neo-Louis XIII Château Gramont, the medieval style Roche-Ronde or the turreted Villa Belza, the ‘Black Villa’ named after the West Indian governess who saved the family’s children during the French Revolution.

Hop aboard the tourist train in season or just wander through the streets and the city will surprise you, here the imposing dome of the Orthodox Church built so the Tsar of Russia would feel at home, the sumptuous Imperial Chapel, in Moorish and Byzantine styles, the old church of St Martin’s or the avenues bearing the names of Impératrice, Queen Victoria or Edward VII. The Art Nouveau façade of the Gare du Midi now fronts a Festival Hall while the Art Deco Casino boasts an ocean-view swimming pool alongside gaming rooms, Sunday tea dances and memories of Edith Piaf.

Museums? The choice is yours. Asiatica has a fabulous collection of oriental art gathered by an enthusiastic Biarrot, the Historic Museum tells of whalers, privateers and illustrious visitors but a great favourite is Planète Chocolat, the place to learn all about the local gourmet tradition and join in a tasting session. When the ocean calls you back, explore the Musée de la Mer, its seal pool, shark cave and aquariums displaying 150 species from the Bay of Biscay.

Basque Spirit
Biarritz is no ordinary seaside resort for with its neighbour Bayonne, it’s the gateway to the Basque lands claiming Europe’s most ancient people and a unique identity. The red flag crossed green and white flies from every mairie, the old solar sign of the Basque cross shaped like a four leaf clover ensures good luck and road signs feature Euskara, the Basque language, as well as French.

In Biarritz and every village around, the thumping of pelota, the traditional Basque game, is as familiar as the chiming of church bells or twittering of birds. The game can be traced back to the medieval ‘jeu de paume’ but the Basques made it their own by playing against a high round-topped wall. Today there are over 20 variations, performed in or outdoors, with bat, wicker scoop, leather glove or bare-handed. The fastest is cesta punta when the ball can reach 300km/hour. Top players compete in Biarritz in summer but games can be seen any time.

Ask at the Tourist Office for current venues and other events which may include a festival or two. The Basques love to celebrate with choral singing, shows of strength, be it stone lifting, wood chopping or tug of war, a most serious affair, and colourful dances to the sound of tambourines and three-holed flutes. Every dance has specific steps, twirling and leaping in a flurry of red, black and white costumes, waving handkerchiefs and ribbons and bows. Men amaze the audience with spectacular high kicks, up to a dozen in a row.

Traditional craft
Shopping is sheer pleasure in Biarritz. Beyond the morning market bursting with fragrance and colour and the stylish boutiques worthy of Parisian boulevards, myriad shops lure you with unusual local craft. Ceramics and pottery mingle with cool rope sandals known as ‘espadrilles’, bérets, a shepherd’s headgear turned high fashion, Basque jewellery and the best linen, often decorated with seven stripes, one for each of the Basque provinces either side of the border. Cloth making is an old tradition for during the quiet months on a farm, women would spin and men weave and local linen remains as popular today as it was 400 years ago, adorning every table at festival time.

Add basketry, leather and woodwork and the one item which stands above them all, as resilient and refined as the people themselves. Walking stick, weapon or ornament, the makhila has come a long way since its early days as a shepherd’s staff. Carved from medlar wood, it may be embellished with a horn knob and plaited leather and encrusted with silver and gold. It’s a stylish and original present, worthy of Presidents, Marshalls, the Pope and the Tsar of Russia.

Out and about
By hire car or coastal bus, it’s easy to venture out of town and well worth the effort. South of Biarritz is the delightful village of Bidart where in typical fashion, whitewashed houses are graced with timber the colour of oxblood and church and pelota wall complete a perfect picture postcard. From there it’s a leisurely drive to St Jean de Luz and its lovely bay bathed in translucent light, a haven for artists and fishermen who drop anchor in sheltered waters. Lofty Basque houses lead to shaded squares and the Basque church with wooden galleries where the Sun King married a Spanish princess in 1660. The original door was walled in so no one could follow in royal footsteps.

North of Biarritz, Les Anglets is famous for its pine forest and the Lovers’ Cave where according to legend, the local ‘Romeo and Juliet’ perished, caught by the tide. Or head inland to Bayonne, the French Basque capital poised at the confluence of the Adour and Nive rivers. It’s a maze of lanes dotted with half-timbered houses and chocolate shops since cocoa was first imported through the port of Bayonne. Treat yourself to a delicious hot chocolate in Maison Cazenave then see the citadel, castle and Gothic cathedral, begun during 300 years of English rule. Al fresco restaurants line the river bank, Botanical Gardens splash colour along the ramparts and two excellent museums compete for your time, Musée Bonnat for its art collections, Rubens, Goya, Degas and others, and Musée Basque for an insight into the culture and history of the area.

Taste the difference
The life-loving Basques enjoy good food and Biarritz is no exception with restaurants for all budgets, from luxurious candlelit venues to romantic waterside bars or panoramic terraces overlooking the ocean. Always colourful and rich in flavours, Basque cuisine relies on fresh produce, seasonal vegetables, seafood, bright berries and the famous red peppers from Espélette which you can see drying under the eaves or around the doorways. There are more specialities than you could sample in a week-end but a suitable choice might be pipérade (egg, tomato and pepper ratatouille), Bayonne ham, ttoro fish stew or squid cooked in their own ink. Follow with ewe’s cheese from the mountains and Gâteau Basque, a sort of sponge cake flavoured with custard and almonds or dark juicy cherries from Itxassou. Would you like a glass of wine? Try Irouléguy, a special AOC wine this side of the border, produced by a small vineyard planted in the 11th century by Augustine monks.

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