Biarritz

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Biarritz

Biarritz (French: Biarritz, pronounced ; Gascon: Biarritz; Basque: Biarritz or Miarritze) is a town and commune which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in southwestern France.

Geography

Biarritz is located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département, in the Aquitaine région. It is adjacent to Bayonne and Anglet and 11 miles (18 kilometres) from the border with Spain. It is in the traditional province of the French Basque Country, Labourd.

History

Vikings who invaded Gascony in 840 settled in Biarritz, which was a good whaling place. Biarritz is not a Basque name. Bjarnihus (the house of Bjarni) became Biarnitz and then Biarritz. Scandinavians settled in the area above the beach which name "gardague" is also Nordic. After the defeat of their chief in 982, the descendants remained here and went on hunting whale. They were called "Agots" and were not allowed to mix with the others. The segregation aiming these communities (there were many in Gascony and Navarra) finally disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century...

Biarritz has long made its fortune from the sea: originally a whaling village, in the 18th century doctors recommended that the ocean at Biarritz had therapeutic properties, inspiring patients to make a pilgrimage to the beach for cure for their ailments.

Biarritz's fame arose in 1854 when Empress Eugenie (the wife of Napoleon III) built a Palace on the beach (now the Hôtel du Palais). The British royal family regularly took vacations in Biarritz: European royalty such as Queen Victoria, Edward VII, and Alfonso XIII of Spain were frequent visitors.

Sights

Biarritz is now home to:

the Asiatica Museum, which houses a significant collection of Asian art primarily from India, Nepal, Tibet, and China.
The Museum of the Sea, which boasts 24 aquariums containing sharks and seals
The annual Biarritz Surf Festival on the beach at the Côte des Basques (the premier surf event in Europe)
St-Martin's Church, constructed in the 12th century, and restored in the middle of the 16th century.
The Russian Orthodox Church in Biarritz, constructed in the 19th century for visiting Russian aristocrats, with its famous blue dome.
The Chapelle Imperiale built for Empress Eugenie, which has an intricately decorated roof interior, and elegant wall tiling.
A Museum of Chocolate, which explains its history and manufacture.

Spectacular cliffs and lookouts lie to the west of the main beach.

Sports

Surfing at Biarritz is of a world-class standard, and the town has a strong surfing culture.

The town is home to a prominent rugby union club, Biarritz Olympique.

Transportation

Biarritz is easily accessible from Paris by France's high-speed train, the TGV. Biarritz has an airport Aéroport de Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne its about 4 kilometers away from the city in the inland. Its very near at N10 road towards Anglet, it is joined airport with Anglet and Bayonne. It has flights to destinations across France as well as Europe.

Miscellaneous

The town lies in Basque territory, and Basque flags and symbols are prevalent throughout Biarritz.

Biarritz's casino (opened August 10, 1901) and beaches make the town a notable tourist centre for Europeans.

As well as the not-insignificant number of high ranking surfers who have made their home in Biarritz, Karl Lagerfeld is one of the town's better known residents.

A large and modern backpackers' hostel is near the rail line, about 30 minutes walk from the beach.

Births

Biarritz was the birthplace of:

Ernest Fourneau (1872-1949), chemist
Maurice Hankey, 1st Baron Hankey (1877-1963), British civil servant
Arnaud Massy (1877-1950), golfer
Pauline Carton (1884-1974), theater and film actress
Jean Borotra (1898-1994), tennis player
André Dassary (1912-1987), operetta singer
Léopold Eyharts (Colonel, French Air Force) (born 1957), ESA astronaut (Mission Specialist)
Maurice Journeau (1898-1999), composer
Roger Federer (born 1982) tennis player

Twin towns

External links

Coastal cities in France | Communes of Pyrénées-Atlantiques | Lapurdi | Surfing

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