Biarritz simply oozes glamour. Resting at the foot of the Pyrenees with the sea lapping at its shores Biarritz, along with its neighbour Saint Jean de Luz, is one of the area’s most coveted holiday destinations. There is no doubt that this small town’s fame began with it being frequented by European royalty in the 19th and 20th centuries but it was the last Empress of France, Eugenie de Montijo, who really put Biarritz on the map. In 1854, Emperor Napoleon III chose Biarritz as the place for his new summer home due to its location near the Spanish border and the beautiful views of the mountains and the sea it afforded. After this, a steady stream of Europe’s monarchs and glitterati elevated Biarritz to its status as one of the most elegant places on the continent. Today, those who seek luxury, relaxation, culture and creativity find it all in the streets once trodden by figures as illustrious as King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Queen Victoria of Britain.

Biarritz, the ‘queen of the French Basque Country’

These were the words of the French playwright Sacha Guiltry when he described Biarritz. Nowadays, Biarritz has garnered the title of ‘Queen of the Greens’ too, since it has no fewer than 16 golf courses in a 100km radius. Not to mention earning its title as the ‘Mecca of Surfing’ since, it is said that its beach – Côte des Basques – was the birthplace of European surfing in 1957.

When it comes to natural beauty, Biarritz continues to surprise and inspire. It offers gorgeous landscapes, from the Saint-Martin Point Lighthouse to the Côte de Basques, and tourists have been wowed for decades by the beach known as the Grande Plage, the fishing port and the famous Rocher de la Vierge (or the ‘Virgin’s Rock’). Together with the Maritime Promenade – dotted as it is with benches to rest and take in the view – as well as decadent mansions, you won’t be lacking things to see and do in this chic surfing town.