Connect with us
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Archive for the ‘Aquitaine’ Category
Best French beaches for families with small children
From the wide, sandy beaches of the north to the wind-swept coastline of the West and sun-kissed shores of the South, France is blessed with a bounty of beautiful beaches.
But it pays to be in the know when planning a holiday with young children…is the nearest beach a hike down steep cliff paths, the sea a bubbling cauldron of tempestuous tides and the only place to eat an expensive bistro?
Fear not bathing beauties as we’ve done our research so you don’t have to. From calm waters to easy access, fine sand castle-building matter to rich rock pool pickings, here’s our guide to the top toddler friendly French beaches.
Brittany beaches for… sandcastle competitions
Visitors to Brittany are spoilt for choice in terms of family-friendly beaches. Top picks for sandcastles and safe swimming include:
La Grande Plage de Goas Lagorn, Baie de Lannion (or ”La Plage de Tresmeur”) – this sheltered, West facing beach offers suitably safe swimming and a mile of white, un-crowded sand. The nearby marina is home to a range of eateries including child-pleasing creperies.
La Grande Plage de Goas Lagorn
The Quiberon Peninsula – this coast, known as the ‘Cote Sauvage’, tends towards wilder beaches, but La Plage Conquel has one wild side facing the Atlantic and another overlooking sheltered Quiberon Bay. This sandy beach is ideal for children, with plenty of shallow rock pools to explore at low tide.
La Plage Conquel
Plage du Trez, Benodet – affording a pretty, sandy beach, and easy access as well as excellent facilities, Benodet is often cited as one of the most family friendly destinations in the region. The heart of the resort is Plage du Trez, which is supervised by life-guards during summer months and has a large variety of places to buy snacks and drinks just behind the beach. Nearby Plage du Letty and Plage Saint Gilles are ideal for rock pooling.
La Grande Plage, Carnac – Carnac’s South facing beaches are beautifully sheltered with miles of soft sand and pretty dunes at the eastern fringe – a classic seaside resort.
Pierre & Vacances accommodation in Brittany
La Grande Plage, Carnac
Normandy beaches for… the white sands which inspired Monet
Described as ‘non-stop beach’ the coast of Normandy offers a plentiful selection of fabulous sandy beaches – many rich in World War II associations, from Utah to Omaha, Juno to Sword.
Trouville Plage – immortalised by Monet, quieter and more relaxed than neighbouring Deauville, Trouville offers an immense sweep of white sand, a great beach for families with younger children.
The Boardwalk on the beach at Trouville
For more relaxed, inexpensive options head to Houlgate or St-Germain-sur-Ay. Houlgate is a nice, compact, clean resort whilst St Germain offers a vast beach, perfect for picnics (but worth noting that part of the beach is reserved for naturists, so pick your spot carefully!).
The department of Manche is blessed with 330 kilometres of stunning coastline, with the greatest number of European blue flag beaches in France. Sciotot Beach at Les Pieux offers fine sands and a rock pool for paddling in.
Pierre & Vacances accommodation in Normandy
Sunset on Sciotot Beach
Aquitaine beaches for… beachcombing and crab hunting
Renowned as a surfing Mecca for the wild Atlantic waves, Aquitaine also has some hidden gems for families with tiny tots.
Saint-Jean de Luz – adjacent to the charming town by the same name and on the border with Spain, Saint-Jean de Luz beach is compact, pristine and perfect for seaside thrills. There are even bathing tents for hire so you and your little ones can escape the sun.
Saint-Jean de Luz
Just around the coast, Socoa Beach, beneath Socoa Fort, is a tranquil spot for undisturbed beachcombing and crab hunting.
Lake Biscarosse – of course, beaches aren’t restricted to coastal areas. The lakes of Landes offer some excellent beaches for warm, shallow water and shady pine trees. There’s the Lake of Cazaux-Sanguinet to the North and the Lake of Biscarrosse-Parentis to the South
Children looking out at Lake Biscarosse
Moliets Plage – a golden sandy beach meets pine forest and lake, this resort is popular with locals and visitors alike, the beach bordered by the Courant d’Huchet nature reserve.
Pierre & Vacances accommodation in Aquitaine
Mediterranean beaches for… hidden gems and blue lagoons
The French Riviera, blessed with year-round sunshine, holds an eternal appeal for holidaymakers. You’ll have to go a long way to beat the bevy of beaches available on France’s Mediterranean coast. Here’s just a few of our favourites.
Port de Crouton Plage, Juan-les-Pins is something of a hidden gem. The fine sand slopes gently towards the calm shallows on this tranquil beach, a world away from the busier main strip at Juan-les-pins. The entrance to this sheltered cove can be discovered via the public pathway through the Hotel Belles Rives or 300 yards beyond Le Meridien Hotel.
Villefranche-sur-Mer – a charming, good old fashioned seaside town, far less crowded than much of the Riviera. There are two beaches to choose from, Plage des Marinières and Plage de la Darse. Marinières is the big, sandy beach, whilst la Darse is a mix of sand and pebbles. Both are popular with families but far less crowded than other beaches surrounding Nice.
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Plage de la Gravette, Antibes – sheltered by a breakwater, forming a safe enclosure for swimming, the ‘Old Antibes beach’ is compact and sandy.
Plage de Notre Dame, Ile de Porquerolles – sometimes it’s worth going the extra mile to discover idyllic beaches. This is such an instance. The Ile de Porquerolles is the largest of the group of islands known as the Iles d’Hyères or ‘Les Iles d’Or’, the Golden Isles. Eucalyptus and pine scent the air and the crescent of white sand is framed by aqua blue water. Not for the faint hearted, the beach is a 20 minute cycle ride from the ferry, so only tackle this if little legs are up to a big adventure. Whilst there are no facilities in the immediate vicinity, pack a picnic and you’ll enjoy a day in paradise.
Plage de Notre Dame, Ile de Porquerolles
Plage de L’Estagnol, Bormes-les-Mimosas – one of the most beautiful white sandy beaches on the Med, the big draw for L’Estagnol is the quarter of a mile long sand-edged lagoon, which provides a haven for safe swimming. That and the chance to spot the Sarkozys – the president of France has use of the Fort de Brégançon.
Pierre & Vacances accommodation on the Mediterranean
Things to see and do in France for 2011
There’s always something slightly out of the ordinary happening in France, some quirky local festival or carnival full of colourful floats and characters. So whether you’re looking for an excuse for a quick hop over the channel or seeking fun days out during your holiday, look no further than our month-by-month guide.
March
78th Fête du Citron, 18 February – 9 March, Menton
Situated in the far South East of France in the Alpes Maritimes region, the charming seaside city of Menton provides the ideal sub-tropical climate for growing orange and lemon trees. Which is no doubt the inspiration behind the fabulous Fête du Citron, when some 145 tons of lemons and oranges are brought in to town for a spectacular citrus-fest.
This year’s festival is running under the theme of ‘the Great Civilisations’. Highlights include the Parade of Golden Fruit (complete with citrus-laden floats and sumptuous costumes) along with the Moonlit Parade and fireworks. Then there’s the Citrus Exhibition – travel to all four corners of the globe in one city, as rendered by (yes, you guessed it) citrus fruits.
Accommodation for the event.
Festival Guitares du Monde, 18-26 March, Troyes
This showcase for guitarists from around the world takes place each March at the Espace Culturel Gérard Philipe in St-André-les-Vergers on the outskirts of Troyes, in the Champagne region.
This year sees the 15th edition of this popular strum-off. Six concerts culminate on 26th March with one of the best French blues guitarists, Fred Chapellier.
Just don’t request Stairway to Heaven!
Accommodation for the event
Festival du Boudin, 19-21 March, Mortagne-au-Perche
Lovers of le boudin noir, or black pudding, should head to Normandy for this spring food fest. Highlights include the fiercely fought international black pudding contest and cookery demonstrations based around the celebrated blood sausage. More than 100 exhibitors, butchers and chefs showcase their wares, with over five kilometres of sausage sold annually at the three day event.
Accommodation for the event.
Choco’Croc Expo, 19-20 March, Strasbourg
If your perfect pudding is all about the sugar rush, then the Choco’Croc fair in Strasbourg, Alsace, will be more appealing. One of the largest dedicated chocolate forums, the show attracts experts from the worlds of chocolate, candy, nougat, gingerbread and pastries…perfect for sweet-toothed travellers and the ideal antidote to Lent. Learn tricks of the trade, taste the goodies and indulge your inner coco fiend.
Accommodation for the event.
April
Spi Ouest-France, 21-25 April, La Trinité-sur-Mer
Salty sea-dogs flock to La Trinité-sur-Mer in Brittany each Easter for the largest gathering of yachts in Europe. Sailing enthusiasts have been enjoying this regatta in the beautiful Quiberon Bay since 1978. Thousands of sailors and hundreds of spectators come together for a spectacle at sea and a party atmosphere on shore.
Accommodation for the event.
Biarritz Easter Egg hunt, 24-25 April
Easter bunnies in search of a more traditional fest should head to Biarritz in Aquitaine for organised chocolate hunts in parks and open spaces across the city over Easter Sunday and Monday. There is also a cavalcade which takes to the streets on the Sunday with dancers, musicians and singers.
Accommodation for the event.
Plein Vent, 29 April – 1 May, Houlgate
Let’s go fly a kite…on the beach at Houlgate in Normandy! The annual festival sees kite-flying enthusiasts from all over take ‘to the skies’ above the wide, sandy expanse of this wind-swept coast.
In fact, anything powered by the wind and you is welcome here…kites, para-gliders, buggies…
Accommodation for the event.
May
Pierres en Lumieres, 14 May, Orne
Strike a light! The monuments and buildings of Orne in Normandy are lit up at sunset for the third year of ‘Stones in Lights’. Candle-lit tours and performing choirs celebrate the heritage of this ancient town.
Accommodation for the event.
Festival of Brittany (‘Gouel Breizh’), 14 – 23 May
The whole region of Brittany puts on a show during the Gouel Breizh – which marks the feast day of its patron Saint, St Yves – with concerts, markets, exhibitions and street theatre. A land of tradition and folklore, Brittany or the ‘biniou koz’ (Breton for ‘the old bagpipe’) demonstrates its cultural vitality and unrivalled talent for making something new from something old.
Accommodation for the event.
June
Les Fêtes du Bouffon, 10-12 June, Saint Quentin en Tourmont
The Jester Festival in Saint Quentin in Picardy revives an old tradition as Herbert the giant walks through the streets, keeping an eye on the local residents. The jester himself is responsible for organising a host of street parties.
Accommodation for the event.
July
Red Fruit Fair, 3 July, Noyon
Strawberries, cherries, raspberries… Not to be outdone by their citrus cousins, the red fruits have their own festivities, in Noyon in Picardy the first Sunday of the month each July. In fact, Noyon is the red fruit capital of France! Notre Dame Cathedral square comes alive with street entertainment and markets bursting with jams, syrups, coulis and compotes.
Accommodation for the event.
Fête de la crêpe, 30-31 July, Gourin
What could be more French then a pancake festival! The flat delicacy takes pride of place in Gourin in Brittany with dancing, Breton pipe bands, games and of course the pancake-makers competition.
Now I wonder if we couldn’t combine ingredients with the Red Fruit Fair for the perfect desert…
Accommodation for the event.
August
Fête des Menteurs, 7 August, Moncrabeau
Liars, boasters, blaggers and storytellers can celebrate the art of tall tales at this international Festival of Liars in Moncrabeau in Aquitaine. The biggest liar with the greatest gift of the gab is crowned king (not unlike the British political voting system…).
The Academy of Liars was established in this town in 1748 and its officials, who swear to parody the truth, are the judges of the competition.
Accommodation for the event.
Carrot Festival, 13 August, Creances
The second Saturday of August is dedicated to honouring the carrot in Creances in Normandy. A parade of floats piled high with the redoubtable root are topped off with music, markets and a contest for the finest – judged on taste, not size. Indeed, carrots from Creances have a ‘label rouge’ of excellence.
Accommodation for the event.
Twins Festival, 15 August, Pleucadeuc
You’ll be forgiven for thinking you’re seeing double at Europe’s largest twins’ festival, held in Pleucadeuc in Brittanyeach August 15th. The ‘Deux et plus’ or ‘two and more’ gathering sees around 1,000 sets of twins descend on this north western town. Apparently the town’s deputy mayor was the driving force in instigating the event. Himself the father of twin daughters, he was inspired by the high occurrence of twins in the region.
Accommodation for the event.
September
Coupe Icare, Mid September, Saint Hilaire du Touvet
The oldest free flight festival in the world, the Icarus Cup takes place in Saint Hilaire du Touvet in the Rhône-Alpes region. Participants demonstrate their prowess in ‘air skiing’ as they compete for the cup by hurling themselves off the cliff. There are also displays by top hang glider and paraglider pilots, kites, boomerangs, gyrocopters, birds of prey…anything goes for the pure joy of flight.
Accommodation for the event.
October
Deauville car rally, 1-3 October, Deauville
Regarded as the “queen of the Norman beaches” and one of the most glamorous and prestigious beach resorts in France, Deauville in Normandy has been a fashionable holiday resort for the international upper classes since the 19th Century. Started in 1967, the Paris to Deauville vintage car rally aims to recall the spirit of the “roaring twenties”, when lovers of elegance flocked to this charming watering hole.
Accommodation for the event.
Honfleur Shrimp Festival, 8-9 October, Honfleur
Oh we do like to be beside the seaside…
This shrimp festival pays homage to everything ‘of the sea’ from boats to fishermen, shanties to prawns and pirates! Music, tastings and plenty of fishy goings on are guaranteed in the harbour town of Honfleur in Normandy.
Accommodation for the event.
Vimoutiers Annual Apple Festival, 19-20 October, Vimoutiers
Every third weekend in October is given over to honouring apples, cider and calvados in the little market town of Vimoutiers in Normandy. Pommtastic!
Try and buy local apples and watch growers compete for titles such as ‘most beautiful apple’. There’s also a huge exhibit made entirely of apples. Don’t forget to try a tipple of the local brandy – calvados is drunk between courses, a tradition known as the ‘trou normand.’
An ‘apple a day’ translates into “eat an apple on going to bed, makes the doctor beg his bread” in local lore…
Accommodation for the event.
The Espelette Pepper Festival, 29-30 October, Espelette
The Espelette Pepper (Piment d’Espelette) is of the chilli variety and has its own festival in October each year in Aquitaine in the Basque region of France, where it is a culinary and cultural icon. The two-day event consists of music, dance, strong-man challenges, awards, and plenty of eating and drinking.
This not so hot chilli pepper (rating only a four on the ‘Scoville’ pepper strength scale) is more renowned for its smoky tang which complements everything from mustard to marmalade.
Accommodation for the event.
The best of Biarritz by night!
Read the second part of Natalie’s blog – How to live it up in Biarritz for less!
As my friend Allison and I had decided to save money by self-catering in our Biarritz apartment – making our own breakfasts and picnic lunches to take to the beach – we treated ourselves to dinners out.
I was keen to see just how much the French VAT cut would reduce the dinner bill for two girls who like to eat, drink and get a little bit merry. Aside from the final evening when we blew 80 Euro at a smart seafood restaurant with premium wine to wash it down, we rarely spent more than 35 Euro for a meal for two. That’s considerably cheaper than meals out in London!
For those not in the know, this July, the French slashed VAT on all restaurants and cafés in France from 19.6% to 5.5% to boost domestic – and of course, tourist spending. The tax cuts mean that a meal typically costing €15 (£13) has been reduced to around €13.20 (£11.40).
Even better, many establishments in Biarritz have re-printed their menus displayed at the front of their restaurants to feature the before and after VAT cut prices!
The handful of restaurants along the tourist hub of Grande Plage now serve main courses from around 15 Euros but there are plenty of other and equally charming restaurants in town where you can eat for less.
Here’s our pick of the best evening entertainment Biarritz has to offer…
Best Spa time
Enjoying a relaxing spa treatment in the early evening before you go out for drinks and dinner is a superb way to get your night off on the right note.
And when it comes to spas, Biarritz is awash with options, many of which specialise in traditional French style thalassotherapy (body wraps, hydro-massage, and scrubs that use seaweed and seawater based products for treatments).
For those on a carefree budget, the Spa Imperial at the Hotel du Palais is the town’s chicest haunt. We went to the more affordable but still very lovely Accor Sofitel Thalassa Miramar (nr Plage Miramar on rue Louison Bobet). Treatments cost from around 40 Euros.
Top tip: On your first day, book yourself in for an exfoliating and moisturising body scrub. This gets rid of dead skin cells and creates the base for a great tan – that will also last longer. Just don’t forget to slap on the sunscreen!
Best for an aperitif
A neat way to keep costs down, is to enjoy a glass or two of wine and nibbles in the comfort of your apartment before heading out on the town.
While we stuck to this lovely routine most nights, we couldn’t resist checking out some of Biarritz’s swankier watering holes – where for the price of one cocktail you get to rub shoulders with the in-crowd.
Our favourite was the bar at the modern design hotel, Biarritz Hotel Tonic (58 avenue Edouard VII) located near the casino. Here, you can enjoy great cocktails in super chic comfort – and people watching, olives and cashew nuts come free.
Best restaurant with a view
We ate our way through a great selection of Biarritz’s restaurants – moules frites and great seafood are staple fare wherever you go – but when it comes to the best catch of the day at bargain prices, Casa Juan Pedro really rocks.
One of three restaurants clustered in the small but very charming Porte de Pecheurs, Casa San Pedro has tables spread alongside the waterfront. Fresh fish is cooked on a big outdoor grill – and generous plates of local merle or dorade with rice and salad or grilled prawns cost just 13 Euro. The house wines served in carafes are also very good with very drinkable rose wine costing just 6 Euro for half a litre.
Best tapas in town
Biarritz’s proximity to Spain means that great tapas is also widely available. You’ll get sea views and the very best tapas at La Santa Maria (Esplanade Porte Vieux) in the old port, close to the Rocher de la Vierge.
Best bar for people watching
The hippest nightlife area – popular with students, surfer dudes and young locals – is along Rue Mazagran which is packed with bars and restaurants from the top end of town stretching down to the Place du Port Vieux.
The upmarket surfer and young hang out of choice is Caffe Ventillo, a lively DJ bar decked out in red and purple lip and throne shaped chairs and sofas with little tables spilling out onto the street terrace.
Draft beers are reasonably priced, it’s a great place to watch the evening parade of hipsters drift along the street, and it’s the meeting place for the surfing fraternity if you want to experience the scene.
Natalie Walsh stayed at the Pierre & Vacances Haguna residence in Biarritz.
If you’re looking for a late escape, Pierre & Vacances is offering seven nights in a studio apartment for two from just 480 Euros this September. For further information and details of all Pierre & Vacances apartments in Biarritz, visit www.pv-holidays.com.
P&V: How to live it up in Biarritz for less!
Few things are quite as thrilling as holidaying in a really chic resort for the price of a package to the Costas!
If you think that swanky French resorts like Biarritz are out of your price range, think again! Struggling to find playtime money in this miserable recession, my friend Allison and I share a terrible affliction – champagne tastes with a vin du plonk budget.
This summer we had a mission: to find a holiday destination with glam factor that we could do on a budget. We’re not talking shoe-string – we decided we wanted to eat well and perhaps indulge in a few spa treats but not splash money on an expensive hotel that we two sun worshippers would spend little time in anyway.
We wanted sun, gorgeous beaches, and a laid back vibe in an upmarket French resort free from loud and leery karaoke bars and English pubs. We wanted a great holiday for less, without feeling that we were scrimping or missing out.
Biarritz, the famous Basque seaside town on the Atlantic coast, came out as the top choice. But could we afford it? Self-catering seemed the obvious solution.
We surfed the net and found the P&V holidays’ Beat the Euro deal – offering self-catering apartments in France, including Biarritz, at 2008 Euro exchange rates – promising a saving of up to 45 per cent!
We picked a self-catering residence in the heart of the action that looked perfect for our needs – the P&V Biarritz Haguna. We booked a week in a self-catering apartment at the residence for a bargain price, bought cheap flights with Ryanair, packed our best bikinis and headed to the sun…
Our accommodation
The Biarritz Haguna scored full marks for all our requirements. It’s situated just a five-minute walk from Grand Plage, ten minutes from the shops and restaurants of the town centre and backs onto a street filled with delightful French food stores.
Although simply furnished, it was clean, well-appointed with a balcony overlooking the residence’s private gardens, and was plenty big enough for two friends to share.
Checking into the famous Hotel du Palais on Grand Plage would be great if you could afford it, but staying here we got a very comfortable base with great access to the best of Biarritz without a crippling hotel bill. Hurrah!
Fabulous food
The little street below the residence has a mouth-watering boulangerie, charcuterie, and fromagerie, plus a fabulous greengrocers, and a little supermarket that’s great for basics and everything else – including a superb selection of good French wines at low prices you’d never find in a local shop at home!
With shops selling fresh local produce this good, self-catering is a pleasure.
On our first day, we explored them all and stocked the fridge with delicious patisserie, fresh baguettes, cheeses and salads for breakfast and lunch, and rose wine, olives and nibbles for aperitif time. The plan was that we’d eat these meals at the apartment or pack a picnic for the beach and enjoy dinners out in the evenings.
The kitchenette in our apartment was well kitted out with crockery and cooking facilities. We worked out that even though we’d feasted well, we’d probably saved on average 20 Euro a day each by catering for ourselves instead of having breakfast and lunch in the cafes. Excellent!
The Best of Biarritz by Day
The vibe
Biarritz is an upmarket little gem that exudes boho chic without taking itself too seriously. This enduringly popular Belle Epoque seaside town attracts French celebs and scruffy young surf dudes in equal measure – and while you will see the locals parading in elegant beachwear, no-one wears diamonds to the beach a la St Tropez. The architecture is a glamorous mix of gabled Basque houses – Biarritz is just 15 minute’s drive from the Spanish border – and art deco hotels and villas.
The town itself is compact, and you can easily get everywhere on foot.
The beaches
It’s not just the locals who are well-groomed, the beaches are too! At the crack of dawn every day, the beaches are cleaned and combed as part of Biarritz’s impressive efforts to fight pollution.
If you’re a surf god or goddess this is the town for you. Biarritz has been famous for surfing and its vibrant surf culture since the 1960s, and it now hosts the annual European surfing championships.
All the beaches – La Grande Plage, Plage Miramar, Plage du Port Vieux, La Cote de Basques, Marbella, and La Milady – are gorgeous. Your choice depends on whether you want to swim, surf or body board as each beach regulates these activities according to the safety of the famously fierce tides that make surfing here so great.
La Grande Plage, the main beach lined with restaurants and cafes, has separate areas for bathers and surfers; Le Port Vieux is a small shady beach ideal for families; La Cote de Basques is the hot spot for surfers, and Miramar was our sandy paradise of choice.
Plage Miramar is accessed by foot, surfing is not allowed and body boarding is restricted, making it the perfect beach for people like us who just love to sunbathe and swim.
A break from the sun…
If you can tear yourself away from the beach, there are plenty of attractions to tempt into town…
Museums & Galleries
Biarritz has plenty of great museums for culture vultures and history lovers, including the History of Biarritz Museum (Rue Broquedis), Museum of Oriental Art (Rue Guy Petit).
Our two favourites were the Le Bellevue (Place Bellevue), a stunning modern gallery where we saw an exhibition of sculptures by Jacques Lipchitz…and on a less high brow note – The Chocolate Museum!
That Biarritz is such an important town for chocolate comes as a surprise to most visitors, and a tour of the Musee du Chocolat (Ave Beaurivage) is a real treat. Here, you get to see exhibits of antique choc making equipment, a short film about the history of chocolate production and buy presents to take home in the gift shop that’s stuffed with extraordinary chocolate treats.
Window shopping
As you’d expect of such a surftastic town, there are plenty of shops selling famous brand surf boards and the coolest beachwear to match. We were a lot more interested in designer wear of the less salty kind. Hermes, in particular. The brand famous for its signature silk scarves has a suitably sumptuous store here, as does Paris’s favourite department store, Galeries La Fayette. It costs nothing to look, and it’s reassuring to know that th
ese designer emporiums are at least here!
Find out more information about the P&V group’s Residence Haguna in Biarritz on PV-holidays.com. the website for P&V.
Next week read part two of Natalie’s blog – the best of Biarritz at night!
Pierre Vacances: Self catering and the city guide: Biarritz
As canny city break addicts are quickly discovering, the cheapest way to explore Europe’s finest cities is to check into a self-catering apartment.
Whether you’re escaping for a romantic weekend , or looking forward to a cultural tour , cooking up your own meals means you can easily cut down the cost of your trip.
Swapping an expensive hotel for a self-catering apartment doesn’t mean foregoing comfort or central locations. You’ll find a vast choice of clean, modern apartments in Paris to Rome, situated in the heart of the action.
And why not pack a glossy cookery book, forage in the markets for delicious local produce and whip up gourmet treats in the comfort and privacy of your own little home from home?
Each week, we’re featuring a city break destination with money-saving tips and the best self-catering apartment deals to ensure you get the most out of your hard-earned cash.
Biarritz on a budget
Dreaming of a city break destination with a beach? In a peachy part of France? On a budget? Forget snooty St Tropez and make your way to the infinitely cooler Biarritz for a heady mix of nightlife, beachcombing and, of course, surf culture – French style.
Situated on the Atlantic coast on the Bay of Biscay , this vibrant seaside town combines belle epoque grandeur with boho chic. While the beaches, elegant bars and smart hotels continue to seduce the rich and famous, this youthful town is now the European centre of upmarket surf action where barefoot and tousle- haired boys and girls rub shoulders with models and watersports-mad millionaires.
This surftastic playground is accessible to those on the most modest of budgets. Here’s how to get your place in the sun for less…
Getting to Biarritz
You can get to Biarritz by rail in under nine hours from the UK if you take the Eurostar train from London via Lille or Paris.
Or fly in with a low cost airline. Both easyJet and Ryanair fly to Biarritz with daily departures in high season. The Aéroport de Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne is located just four kilometers from the city centre.
Beach life
Biarritz boasts some of the best beaches in Europe and has won multiple awards for cleanliness and top ocean front facilities.
Beachcombing is free! Explore the vast swathes of sandy beaches from Grande Plage to the Plage Miramar – the hubs for top people watching and sunbathing action. Picnic in the sheltered coves of little Plage du Port Vieux and watch the sun go down with a cold beer at the Rocher de la Vierge (Virgin’s Rock), which is floodlit at night.
The depths of the Bay of Biscay outside Biarritz form a “wave funnel”, enabling surfing here all year round. For a ringside view of surf action, head to the Cote de Basques beach, situated in town. It was this beach with its colossal breakers which spawned European surfing culture, and it now plays host to the annual Biarritz Surf Festival in July.
Grand Plage also has powerful waves breaking right in front of the town centre. This is where the Biarritz Surf Trophy is held in October every year.
The beaches of Ilbaritz – Marbella, Bora Bora and Edouard VII – are located south of the town centre, and Anglet, to the north of Biarrit, is where you’ll find the beaches of Les Sables d’Or, L’Ocean, La Madrague, Marinella and Les Corsaires. Good peaks break at all points between the jetties that separate these beaches.
If you fancy learning to surf and can’t persuade a salty local to show you the ropes, the École du Surf (102 rue Pierre de Chevigné, 05 59 23 15 31, Surftraining.com offers affordable one-hour lessons in addition to its celebrated week-long courses.
City tour of Biarritz
The town’s architecture is a visual feast. As you stroll around you’ll discover a blend of gabled Basque houses and art deco villas.
To get your bearings, take a walk from the Côte des Basques and follow the winding trail to Port-Vieux. Then cross the footbridge to the Virgin Rock, named after its statue of the Virgin Mary, and climb up to the Atalaye Plateau for panoramic views across the town and beaches and the old seamen’s huts on the Fishermen’s Harbour.
Museums in Biarritz
On rainy days, or if you simply crave a break from the sun, there are plenty of cultural havens to explore.
At the sweet smelling Musée du Chocolat (avenue Beau Rivage, 05 59 41 54 64) you’ll not only learn about the history of Basque cocoa production but get to sample a generous selection of the fruits of the bean.
If you’ve got little ones in tow, come and meet the sealife at The Musée de la Mer (esplanade du Rocher de la Vierge, 05 59 22 33 34, www.museedelamer.com). Time your visit for either 10.30 am or 5pm and you can watch the keepers feed the hungry resident turtles and seals.
Discover the city’s illustrious past at the Musée Historique de Biarritz (rue Broquedis). Housed in the former Anglican church, this little museum features a memorial to the fallen officers at the French Napoleonic wars.
Markets in Biarrtiz
Rub shoulders with the locals and fill you baskets with Basque delights at the bustling covered market, Les Halles. The market is open every morning and local ham, chorizo, breads and luscious fruits and vegetables are among the rich pickings.
Also buy a bottle or two of chilled wine or cider. Shop well in the market for fresh produce and the supermarkets for staples and you can create delicious breakfasts, picnic lunches and dinners at a fraction of the cost of dining out.
Eating Out
When you don’t feel like cooking and want a treat, tapas bars and cafes are the cheapest options but that doesn’t mean you’ll miss out. Sample Basque specialities such as piperade (ham and peppers), chipirons (baby squid), spicy meatballs and potatoes washed down with cider.
For a big treat, the fish restaurant Le Corsaire (00 33 5 59 24 63 72), situated at the Port des Pêcheurs ,is a local institution and guaranteed to impress.
Nightlife
Kick off the evening at the Café de la Grande Plage situated on the beach-level floor of the Casino, and you’ll get one of the best sunset views included in the price of the cocktails. The Old Port offers a wealth of buzzing watering holes and affordable tapas bars. The surfing fraternity convenes in the bars on rue Mazagran.
Local treats
Saunter around like a local in a pair of espadrilles – one of the traditional crafts that will actually come in handy for just a few Euros.
You may or may not be excited to learn the Basque town is also famed for its high quality table linen but everyone loves the chocolate. The region produces some especially delicious chocolate and there are plenty of chocolate shops crammed into the town. Patxaran (a liqueur made from aniseed, wild prunes and vanilla) is also a local must-try.
Accommodation in Biarritz
Pierre & Vacances has a selection of affordable self-catering apartments close to the top beaches, including Pierre Vacances Haguna Residence (17 avenue de la Reine Victoria), which offers a choice of self-catering studios and one-bedroom apartments.
All apartments offer a great base for visitors looking to soak up the city’s charms on a budget. Each apartment has its own fully-equipped kitchen, and comfortable living accommodation within easy reach of the beaches, cultural attractions and nightlife.
Hot offer
Apartments costs from just 290 Euro per week and short breaks (minimum two nights) are also available. For latest deals, visit www.pv-holidays.com
