Biarritz

Biarritz started as a Basque fishing and whaling village before Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, fell in love with it in the 19th century. She built her summer palace here (now the Hôtel du Palais), and European royalty followed. That Belle Époque glamour still hangs in the architecture.

But underneath the fancy hotels runs a deep Basque identity: its own language (Euskara, one of the oldest in Europe), its own food culture, and a fierce local pride that has nothing to do with tourism. Surfing arrived in the late 1950s when American filmmaker Peter Viertel rode the waves here, and it stuck hard. Today Biarritz holds the title of Europe's surf capital, though you wouldn't know it walking through the casino district.

That contrast, between old-money elegance and wax-on-board saltiness, is basically what makes Biarritz itself. The New York Times ranked it the #2 must-visit French destination in 2025, and American expats have been showing up in numbers ever since.

Always say 'Bonjour' when entering a shop or café. Walking in without greeting is considered rude, not just awkward.. Pintxos culture: stand at the bar, order one or two pintxos and a drink, then move to the next place.

Do not sit down at a pintxos bar expecting table service. Use your hands or the toothpick they come on.. Lunch runs 1:30–3:30 PM, dinner from 8:30–10 PM.

Showing up at 6 PM expecting dinner will get you a closed kitchen.. Tipping is not required — service charge is usually included. Rounding up or leaving 5–10% for genuinely good service is appreciated but never expected..

Beachwear stays at the beach. Walking into a restaurant or shop in a wetsuit or bikini is not done and will get you some very French looks.. The Basque language, Euskara, matters here.

Using even a word or two earns immediate goodwill from locals. They genuinely light up when visitors try.. Dress neatly when going out in the evening.

Biarritz has a chic, relaxed elegance — not black-tie, but not flip-flops either.

Biarritz is a genuinely safe city. Most visits go completely without incident. The risks that do exist are pretty standard: petty theft at crowded beaches (Les Halles, Grande Plage) and in busy market areas, so leave valuables in your hotel safe when going to the beach.

The ocean is the bigger concern. Atlantic surf beaches have strong currents and rips. Always swim in supervised, flagged zones and obey the colored flag warnings.

Red flag means stay out. The lifeguards are serious about it and so should you be. For emergencies, dial 112 anywhere in Europe.

Getting around Biarritz itself is mostly done on foot. The city is compact and walkable, though the hills will remind you that it is not flat. The Chronoplus bus network (now upgraded as TXIK TXAK) covers the city and surrounding Basque Coast towns including Bayonne, Anglet, Bidart, and Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

A single ticket costs €1.20. Download the Chronoplus app before you arrive because working out the routes from a paper map is genuinely confusing.

From the airport, Chronobus lines 3, 4, or 36 get you to the center in about 15 minutes. The train station, Gare La Négresse, sits outside the city center, so connect by bus from there. TGV trains to Bordeaux and Paris run regularly.

For Spain, trains from Hendaye (last French stop, about 30 min by bus) connect to San Sebastián. Note: the last train from Hendaye back to Biarritz is around 18:50 on weekdays — check times or you will be stuck. Taxis start at €5 and run €1.

70/km. Yuse is the local ride-share app and slightly cheaper. Parking in peak summer near any beach is genuinely miserable.

Skip the car if you're staying central.