Discover Biarritz and the Pays Basque
Magic Basque country, between sea
and mountain, between France and Spain, visit this area of south-west,
in the heart of the Pyrenees ...only an hour and
a half from rainy UK or drizzly Dublin
The
Pays Basque offers you a combination of beautiful landscapes,
a deeply rooted
and vivacious culture, a history it can be proud
of as well as tasty gastronomy. With the Basque Country, more than
elsewhere, the recognition of the cultural identity is dominant.
Descendants of an ancestral civilization with mysterious beginnings,
the Basque people grant much importance to the transmitted traditions
from generation to generation. The attachment to the family, paramount,
is symbolized by the "etxe" (the house) genuine keystone
of the social system, relayed by "euskara" this language
which does not resemble any other.
accommodation
Apartment in central residence
Self-catering
studio for 2 to 4 people in downtown Biarritz. The flat is equipped
for 4 guests: two twin beds and two bunk-beds, kitchenette with
hobs, fridge and microwave. The residence has a comfortable bar
and a restaurant which serves from breakfast through to dinner.
Our suggested programme:
Day 1: Fly in direct from Dublin or London to
Biarritz airport, pick up your rental car and go to your Residence
in central Biarritz (only 10 minutes driving). Settle in and
explore this modern residence before taking a stroll down by
way of the old fishing port to the 'Grand Plage' where surfers
bob and weave through the waves and the beautiful people throng
the promenade and open-air cafés. Check out the Casino
and the fish restaurants around the port.
Day 2: After breakfast,we suggest you to discover
Saint Jean de Luz (18km driving). It is the smallest and most
refined of the three Basque coastal resorts: Biarritz and San
Sebastian tending to be flashier and noisier. St Jean is a modest
but chic resort, where turn-of-the-century townhouses line the
unspoilt seafront rather than impetuous highrises. From this
base you can explore the whole of the basque coast with your
rental car as well as the inland foothills of the Pyrenees..The
region abounds with tiny fishing villages and seafood restaurants.
Day 3: After breakfast,we suggest you to visit
the Aquarium. In the afternoon you may prefer to discover Saint
Jean Pied de Port (1h15 driving) or Bayonne (30mns driving)...or
to do cheap shopping in Spain! A good 
day's
outing includes a run over to the village of Espelette where
the famous red peppers are grown before climbing (or taking the
rickety mountain train) up the legendary mountain of the Basques,
la Rhune, for a breath-taking view over the whole Basque region.
Day 4: Breakfast.Depending on flight times you
may have time for a last dip in the ocean before going back to
the airport.
Biarritz
Perched on rocky cliff tops or bordering the most fabulous sandy
beaches Biarritz is a hotch-potch of architectural styles and
urban planning. There are chateaux
and follies at every street corner, unusual art deco palaces beside humdrum
Victorian facades, but everywhere there is the smell and sound of the ocean
as it pounds on the shore and covers the city in a radiant sparkle. Visit the
excellent aquarium, the old port with its tiny restaurants and ancient Basque
fishermen, watch the young surfers defy the rollers on the Grand Plage or just
settle in front of a cold drink at a café on the promenade and wish
yourself back in time to when the crowned heads of Europe jostled to be seen
right where you are sitting.
Saint Jean de Luz
The town of St Jean was chosen by the Sun King, Louis XIV, as the setting
for
his marriage in 1660 to Marie-Teresa of Austria. The church, with its door
by which the royal couple left bricked up immediately after, is on the charming
pedestrian street which is the backbone of this small town and can still be
visited. The fishing port, with its bustling activity, was once the centre
of an atlantic whaling industry but now concentrates on smaller fry: tuna,
sardine and sea bass.
ENQUIRE
ALSO in BIARRITZ: learn how to SURF!
or try our BIARRITZ
CASINO BREAK or GOLF
WEEKEND or WHITEWATER weekend
SEASIDE HOLIDAYS
in BIARRITZ
SEASIDE HOLIDAYS
in HENDAYE
