Biarritz is located (18 kilometers) from the border with Spain and is located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département (region), in the Aquitaine région. It is in the traditional province of the French Basque Country, Labourd.

History

Vikings who invaded Gascony in 840 settled in Biarritz, which was a good whaling place. Biarritz is not a Basque name. Bjarnihus (the house of Bjarni) became Biarnitz and then Biarritz. Scandinavians settled in the area above the beach which name "gardague" is also Nordic. After the defeat of their chief in 982, the descendants remained here and went on hunting whale. They were called "Agots" and were not allowed to mix with the others. The segregation aiming these communities (there were many in Gascony and Navarra) finally disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century...

Biarritz has long made its fortune from the sea: originally a whaling village, in the 18th century doctors recommended that the ocean at Biarritz had therapeutic properties, inspiring patients to make a pilgrimage to the beach for cure for their ailments.

Biarritz's fame arose in 1854 when Empress Eugenie (the wife of Napoleon III) built a Palace on the beach (now the Hôtel du Palais). The British royal family regularly took vacations in Biarritz: European royalty such as Queen Victoria, Edward VII, and Alfonso XIII of Spain were frequent visitors.

Important Sights to Visit:

The Asiatica Museum, which houses a significant collection of Asian art primarily from India, Nepal, Tibet, and China.

The Museum of the Sea, which boasts 24 aquariums containing sharks and seals

The annual Biarritz Surf Festival on the beach at the Côte des Basques (the premier surf event in Europe)

St-Martin's Church, constructed in the 12th century, and restored in the middle of the 16th century.

The Russian Orthodox Church in Biarritz, constructed in the 19th century for visiting Russian aristocrats, with its famous blue dome.

The Chapelle Imperiale built for Empress Eugenie, which has an intricately decorated roof interior, and elegant wall tiling.

A Museum of Chocolate, which explains its history and manufacture.

Spectacular cliffs and lookouts lie to the west of the main beach.