Biarritz by Francisca Kellett

Biarritz remains the coast's largest and busiest resort, attracting a medley of trendy surfers, well-heeled French families and the odd celebrity. The focus is the long soft-sand beach, washed by large waves and backed by a promenade, casino and restaurants. It gets crowded, although a quieter undeveloped stretch lies beyond the rocky promontories to the south. Families are well catered for - there is plenty to keep children busy, including surf school and kid's clubs.

A lively place to sample Biarritz's Spanish side is El Callejon, offering jugs of sangria, tapas and seafood. The interior is bright and cheerful, with huge Serrano hams and bunches of dried chillies swinging from the rafters. A meal of tapas with sangria will cost about £15 per head. The cheerful and noisy La Casa Juan Pedro has a great setting overlooking the picturesque Port des Pecheurs. Customers choose from a short, excellent-value menu of grilled fish and moules-frites. A three-course meal will set you back about £12 per head with wine. For something a little more upmarket, head next door to Chez Albert, which offers good seafood. The grandest restaurant in Biarritz is La Rotonde in the Hotel du Palais - menus start at £31 for three courses.

Cocktail parties and visits to the casino are no longer par for the course in Biarritz. Today trendy surfer pubs and low-key bars are more usual, although nightlife isn't as lively as one might expect. A great place for sipping a cocktail while watching the sun set over the sea is Santa Maria, built into a cliff just above the waves. Le Ventillo Caffé is a fashionable spot, with a laid-back, young clientele and wacky decor. Le Surfing on Côte des Basques beach is decked out with surfboards and Hawaiian shirts, and gets busy, especially during the July surf festival. Le Blue Cargo, at the far end of the same beach, is a restaurant and bar which turns into an outdoor club with dancing on the terrace. Le Caveau, on rue Gambetta, is a popular nightclub.