Biarritz Beaches - Napoleon's Favorite Resort

Biarritz, France surfing. Ah, yes. Two words that one week out of the year go hand in hand. The Biarritz Surfing Festival draws surfers from all over the world. See our other video below for some rad surfing action, right here in Biarritz, France. There are over 5 Km's of beaches here - and people frequent them year round. You, no doubt, want to experience Biarritz Beaches in the fullness of summer. And you'll find that it's one of the most wonderful times of the year. But let us warn you that it can get quite toasty in France as well. Peak times are early and late summer. But don't let those seasons stop you from visiting this jewel of Napoleon's France.


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Yes, he loved it here, but it's the same reason everyone else does. It has an awesome vibe to it. The beach here is nice. It is brown but fine sand that packs well. This is what makes it good to find a beach chair. At the same time, you will see that as the beach approaches the Bellevue area, it turns more rocky and finally into the outcropping that is the center part of Biarritz. Gentle wave give way to huge surf throughout the year. But it doesn't matter. You can enjoy both by getting onto the beach and hanging out, taking in the spectacle that is the Basque area.

Biarritz established itself as a popular coastal resort in the mid-19th century when Napoleon III and his wife Eugenie used to spend their summers here. Since then it has proved popular not only with royalty but also with Europe's rich and famous.

Biarritz lies along the Basque coast, near Spain's Basque region. You can easily see the influence even today in the Biarritz architecture and cuisine. Any of the many hotels in this beautiful French resort town reflect that.

There are five beaches in all, each with a distinct history. Once a fishing village, this area became a European surf mecca when in the late 50's American filmmaker Peter Viertel brought a longboard from California and surfed the huge waves astonishing the locals.

Today Biarritz, France is home to the "Biarritz Surf Festival" attended by over 150,000 surfing enthusiasts.

You will find this area of France astoundingly picturesque with majestic hotels and old resorts with all of the amenities. But book your hotel early; this is one popular place for both local Europeans and people from all over the world.


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If you tire of the beach and don't want to be cooped up in the hotel, head for the local aquarium, one of the best in the region. Or, walk to several of the museums of Biarritz. Check with your hotel concierge for times and locations.

Other attractions include the old whaling port which looks a lot like it did many years ago when whaling was the prime means of commerce. Biarritz is full of boutiques with the finest from Europe. And at night, the City Casino stays open until morning. You can also head off to the local disco and dance away any energy you may have left.

BEACH INDEX:

• Sand - dark, coral/loam mix, some debris
• Facilities - various along all beaches
• Shade - none
• Sports - none except surf rentals at select beaches
• Notes - a popular destination for international tourists, who flock to the beach during the summer months. Biarritz becomes crowded during the July Surf Festival, and hotel prices increase. The climate in Biarritz is always temperate: winters are comfortable (average 50 degrees F), and summers are warm (average 72 degrees F). Biarritz has an average of 61 rainy days per year. Closest major airport - CDG.

But which area in France is considered home to the Best Beaches? - Next >>

Corsica - The Best Beaches in France

Planning a vacation in France and missing the fabulous island of Corsica would be a sin. We believe Corsica has the best beaches for spending a delightful European vacation. But there are over 200 of them around the island, so what do you do? We'll list our picks and comment on why these French beaches are a traveler's delight, and we will show you a few. It may not be possible to get to Corsica on your trip to France, but if at all possible, try to go as you will not be disappointed. The beaches here are of find sand, mainly quartz composition, and lightly packed. Highly reflective, they contrast greatly with the deep blues of the sea. And some times the sea plays with the sand and you get all different variations of colors. It can be quite spectacular.

Plan on finding a few coves like this one. There are few places on the globe we found like this. Mountains cascading down into the ocean and beaches between each giant. Rio is one. Corsica is another. The difference with Corsica is of course the brilliant coloring of the ocean here. Unlike the South Atlantic, the waters around Corsica are almost magical. Deep, rich hues that seem to be born out of the most breathtaking pallets. It's no wonder people come from all over simply to see God at His best. Another great feature of the beaches of Corsica is that they are generally, not all, but for the most part near towns with good facilities. This is important when you are traveling alone in the Corsican countryside.


The Island of Corisca sits off the southeastern coast of France. It is a large island, some 3370 square miles dressed with not only the best beaches in France, but a landscape as diverse and one can imagine. What's more, you'll see most of it unspoiled by man when you vacation in this recommended travel destination. The mild climate and terrain makes it heaven for climbers, hikers and paragliders - and excellent for improving your tan at the miles of beach.

We can only list the ones that made our top five list. Please try these if you can, then venture out to other spectacular beaches throughout Corsica.

Calvi - This magnificent strip of beautiful sand is the very best on the island. It has warm, shallow water making it perfect for families with small children, and for swimming late into the year - as the sun warms the shallow water close to shore. Calvi, Corsica is also a historic citadel. While you are winding down after hours at the beach, check out the citadel and museums. Recommended.

Plage de Loto and Plage de Saleccia - on the North coast; yes "plage" means "beach", like "playa" in Spanish. These gems are unspoiled. As you arrive at the beach, your eyes will immediately go to the color of the water. This site will not soon be forgotten. Don't forget the camera. Please note, there are no facilities at these beaches and, the access is rather tricky. Take your time making it down to sea level. It "is" worth it.

Plage de Palombaggia and Plage de Santa Giulia - on the South coast. These are near Porto Vecchio. Make your way down to the ocean after you pass the village. These two offer beautiful turquoise bays with fluffy, white sand and pine trees to shade you, should you need it. Please note, the world jet-set travel here when France's Cote d'Azur proves...tiring, dahling.

Don't forget that Napoleon was born on Corsica. There is a lot of history here. Ajaccio, the capital, is decked in white and is Napoleon Bonaparte's birthplace.

When should you come to Corsica? During the summer months, May and June, when there is plenty of sun and fewer visitors. How do you get to Corsica? There are flights out of Nice, a little over a half hour flying time, and you can opt for the ferry, a few hours ride leaving from Marseilles.

Beach Index

• Sand - mostly white power, fine to medium grain
• Facilities - note: many French beaches do not have on-site facilities, but have commerce close-by. Plan accordingly.
• Shade - tall pines on most, some simply commercial buildings nearby
• Sports - few beaches have sporting items for rental
• Notes - on Corsica, all above highly recommended.

Jump on over with us for a glimpse at Algajola area on Corsica to see the wonderful beaches there.

Algajola, Corsica

I love the sort of village Algajola, Corsica, is. It's small and very old in the Balagne Region on Corsica's northwest coast. Algajola is very old France - built on a rock outcroppings, this fishing village has a very cool citadel. The citadel was built during the Genoese rule. What makes Algajola a beautiful beach village is that the harbor is on the west side of town, and the beach - Plage Aregno - is around 1 km long, winds right to the village.


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The beach around the Aregno side of town has finer sand. The closer you get to Algajola, the coarser the sand is. There are around a dozen very nice restaurants and we even found a beach bar. There's a small supermarket; weren't you thinking of renting an apartment here on Corsica?

We found bike rentals along with windsurf equipment, kayaks, and boogie boards. And locals tell us the diving here is spectacular. However, the wind can whip up - fun for the windsurf and body boarding.

Snorkeling is good here too, because of the rocky outcroppings that jut down into the water. It's clear water and mainly sunny skies making for a wonderful beach recipe.




Algajola, Corsica - Beach Index:

• Sand - medium grain, coral/loam mix
• Facilities - full. We even found a beach bar.
• Shade - umbrella rentals
• Sports - snorkel, windsurf, body board, diving
• Notes - This is a great get-away-from-it-all beach. Plan a rental here.

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