Grande Plage

Grande Plage is the emblematic beach of Biarritz — the grand central sweep of golden Atlantic sand that has drawn French aristocracy, European royalty, and eventually the surf counterculture to this dramatically beautiful Basque coast since the mid-19th century. When Empress Eugenie de Montijo persuaded Napoleon III to build a summer palace here in 1854, Biarritz was transformed from a small Basque fishing village into the most fashionable resort in Europe. The Belle Époque grandeur of the Casino Municipal behind the beach — now a conference and events centre — is the direct legacy of that royal patronage.

The beach changed character again in 1957 when Peter Viertel, working on the film The Sun Also Rises just down the coast, introduced surfing to Europe at Biarritz. Within a decade the town had become continental Europe's surf capital, and today Grande Plage hosts supervised surf lessons from dozens of surf schools that collectively teach thousands of beginners each summer. The Atlantic swells here are consistent and powerful — generated by the enormous fetch of the Bay of Biscay — and the sandbar formations at Grande Plage create excellent beginner and intermediate waves in most conditions.

The promenade behind Grande Plage is one of France's most architecturally striking seafronts: a sweep of Art Deco and Belle Époque buildings punctuated by the iconic Casino and the famous Hôtel du Palais on its headland to the north. Swimming is supervised by lifeguards from June to September and designated surf zones ensure both swimmers and surfers can share the water safely. The town itself, built on sea-sculpted volcanic rock and pine-covered headlands, rewards exploration on foot — the Fish Market, the Grande Plage viewing point, and the dramatic Rocher de la Vierge sea stack are all within walking distance.