Every summer, stylish crowds congregate along France’s southeastern shores, seduced by the glamorous promise of the French Riviera, spending their days sipping overpriced cocktails at the high-end resorts that line its sandy beaches as if plucked straight from a Slim Aarons photo. Historically, Biarritz—a small seaside hamlet on France’s southwestern coast—has closely competed with its eastern neighbors on the Med. Both stretches of coastline were holiday hotspots for royals in the mid-19th century, and again for France’s high society in the years following the Second World War. While the royal influence of Biarritz has since dissolved, due in large part to the wild and more unpredictable nature of the Atlantic (thus making it harder to develop), the allure of Biarritz’s prime positioning within the Basque Country never dimmed. What Biarritz lacks in glitz, it makes up for in soul.

From the picturesque beaches that have earned it the title of Europe’s surf capital, to its majestic landscapes articulated through the Pyrenees mountains and the rolling hills of the Basque Country, to its proximity to cultural hubs like Bordeaux and Madrid, Biarritz has remained something of a well-kept secret. While Basque Country day-trippers, in-the-know surfers, and French locals have been visiting for years, Biarritz is having a moment right now: what with the likes of experienced French chefs, a leading hospitality group, and a renowned gallerist all making their mark on the unassuming seaside town in this small corner of France’s southwest.

Below, a guide to Biarritz—just in time for Chanel’s cruise 2027 show, which will take place in the city next Tuesday, April 28.

Where to Stay

The former summer home of Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie reopened in 1893 as the now iconic Hotel du Palais Biarritz; soon becoming a bolt-hole for famous guests like Frank Sinatra and Coco Chanel; it remains the jewel of France’s southwest to this day. Still, the past decade has seen a string of new-agey boutique hotels populating the seaside town’s western shores, signaling a new awakening for this slice of France’s western coastline.

French hospitality brand Experimental Group took over two historic buildings and transformed them into contemporary boutique hotels, including the legendary Le Régina Hotel & Spa, now re-named Regina Experimental Biarritz, situated in a Belle Époque building overlooking the bay of Biarritz. Reimagined by French designer Dorothée Meilichzon, the property is a trendy 72-room boutique hotel, restaurant, and spa. Regina sits beside Experimental’s other property, Le Garage, a 27-room boutique hotel situated in a former classic car garage.

Also among the crop of boutique hotels making their mark is the newly refurbished Hotel de la Plage overlooking the famous Port Vieux beach with 20 rooms and a panoramic rooftop for breakfast and afternoon cocktails. For a more bucolic stay, there’s Villa Magnan, where the owners have transformed an abandoned villa formerly belonging to the Spanish Royal family into a family-style guesthouse with six artfully-designed suites, a dreamy gourmet kitchen, and various indoor and outdoor living spaces where guests can feel at home. Similarly, Casaviel forms an authentic Basque farmhouse bed & breakfast situated in a 17th-century home on one of Biarritz’s oldest farms, located just a 10-minute walk from the beach, while Villa Etxe Gorria is a charming five-bedroom house you can rent out by room.

Where to Eat

The Basque Country has long been known for its distinct culinary offerings: from fire-grilled meat and fish plates, to hot stews and signature Basque pastries. And now, with a myriad of buzzy new restaurants helmed by some of France’s top chefs and curious creatives from around the world eager to experiment with the territory’s rich ingredients, Biarritz is becoming an epicure’s paradise in its own right. If you’re just passing through, pick up a box of Basque macarons (a heartier cousin to Parisian macarons) from the famed Maison Adam to take home with you before hitting Les Halles food market, where you can sample Basque cuisine via the various local fruit, vegetable, cheese, and meat vendors. If you’re looking for a traditional Basque bistro, on the other hand, head to the beloved Le Bar Jean for tapas, paellas, and meat dishes.

Wake up late and head to Bleach, a relaxed, design-savvy café just minutes from the surf in Biarritz. Founded by ex–pro skater Jon Monié and his partner Stéphane Borgne, it serves simple, seasonal food built on high-quality local ingredients, like easy breakfasts, elevated sandwiches and soups, alongside natural wines and great coffee, all in a laid-back, sunlit space that captures the town’s effortless cool. If you’re looking for the best coffee in town and some stellar banana bread, Café Loky never disappoints.

Housed in the former Carøe restaurant, Les Enfants du Marché La Table is the seaside outpost of the acclaimed market counter Les Enfants du Marché in Paris’s Marché des Enfants Rouges in the Haut Marais. Bringing their laid-back, produce-first cooking to the Basque coast, it’s less about a single chef and more about a group of people who really care about where their ingredients come from. The menu changes all the time, depending on what’s fresh, but you can expect simple, flavorful dishes, like grilled fish, beautifully cooked meat, and seasonal vegetables done right. It’s the kind of place made for sharing, with natural wines and an easy, buzzy atmosphere.

Chéri Bibi opened a few years ago under new ownership, transforming the former fish shop into a casual restaurant focused on local, organic, and seasonal ingredients with a daily-changing dinner menu centered around sustainability, featuring 60 to 70% vegetable-forward items, as well as high-quality and sustainably sourced fish and meat. While there’s no physical wine menu, guests can access the wine cellar to hand-select their own bottle of natural wine to pair with their meal.

If you’re looking for something simpler, head to the beloved Nelly’s for burgers, or head down to Restaurant Le Corsaire or Casa Juan Pedro by the fisherman’s port, or Chistera et Coquillages in town for some of the best no frills seafood and pintxos in Biarritz.

Away from town, over at Villa Magnan, their restaurant, De Puta Madre, is tucked in the shady garden behind the property where meals are enjoyed under the property’s old oak trees, with meals featuring ingredients from the local farm nearby. A single menu is offered for dinner at 85 euros per person, and an à la carte sharing menu is available for lunch.

Finally, end your night at the newly opened Centro Biarritz for ceviche and oysters, innovative cocktails, and a trendy music scene, or at the beloved wine bar Retour Verre Le Futur.

What to Do

Travelers have long descended on Biarritz not only for its gastronomic excellence, but also for its unwavering promise of surf and sun. The scenic seaside town was once a hub for members of France’s high society who preferred something more laid back than the glitzy Cote d’Azur in the east, and a casual atmosphere still persists here, thanks in part to the surf culture that has propagated over the years. It’s no secret that Biarritz is a surfer’s paradise, often being dubbed “little California” for its breathtaking beaches like Le Grande Plage, Plage Côte des Basques, and Plage Marbella. (Those seeking calmer waters can swim in smaller bays like Plage du Miramar, Plage Port Vieux, and Plage La Milady.)

Until now, the global art scene hadn’t quite made its way to the unpretentious seaside town, but Biarritz is conveniently flanked by major art hubs with Paris, Madrid, and Bilbao all within a short driving distance. As of late, Biarritz is beginning to form its own contemporary art identity with the inception of Lucy Chadwick’s contemporary gallery Champ Lacombe, which the British gallerist opened in 2021. As the first contemporary art space in Biarritz, which has featured exhibitions by artists like Gaetano Pesce and Tim Breuer, Chadwick’s presence has led to many in the art and fashion worlds making a beeline for the city over the past few years. “[While] there is an abundance of cultural festivals that take place in and around Biarritz annually, there have not been many new physical spaces that have opened in Biarritz itself as the contemporary art scene is particularly new,” Chadwick explains.

Italian artist Franco Mazzucchelli brings his playful, decades-long exploration of inflatable sculpture to Biarritz’s Champ Lacombe this spring, where he will install new site-specific works both inside the gallery and out in the city, including a one-day activation at Villa Natacha. The show lands just as Chanel brings its cruise 2027 energy to town, with a series of parallel collaborations unfolding across Biarritz.