Biarritz (latitude: 43.48° N :: longitude: 1.57° W) lies in Basque territory in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département, within the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France. The town is directly adjacent to Bayonne and is situated along the Atlantic coast, about 20 kilometres from the border with Spain.
The origin of Biarritz was a modest whaling village whose international fame arose in 1854 when Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoleon III, built a grand palace on the seaside (now known as the Hôtel du Palais). Today, the beaches of Biarritz along the Atlantic Ocean are highly popular for surfing. Surfing at Biarritz is of a world-class standard, and the town has earned a robust, historic surfing tradition globally.
author: Boštjan Burger