Biarritz is a city that has been reinventing itself for over 150 years — and every version has been compelling. In the 19th century, it was the playground of European royalty, with Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie turning a small Basque fishing village into one of the most fashionable resorts on the continent. In the 20th century, it became the birthplace of European surfing, with the Atlantic swells that roll in from the Bay of Biscay creating waves that have been attracting surfers from around the world since the 1950s. Today it manages to be simultaneously glamorous and laid-back, sophisticated and deeply outdoorsy — a combination that is entirely its own.

The Grande Plage stretches in a wide arc below the cliff-top casino and the grand hotels that have been here since the Belle Époque. The surf beaches of Côte des Basques and Anglet draw surfers of every level to some of the best Atlantic waves in Europe. The old town has excellent restaurants serving the distinctive cuisine of the French Basque Country — which shares many of the qualities of its Spanish neighbour across the border, with added French technique and refinement.

Fly directly from your local airport with Aviant into Biarritz’s own airport — right on the edge of the city — and be on the beach, in the surf, or at a table in the old town within minutes of landing.