Villes françaises: Biarritz – Sun, sand, surf

Spending the summer in the south of France is a dream for a lot of people. And after being cooped up in the north of France through the harsh winter and the school year, I am really happy to say that the sun, sand, and surf of Biarritz is my reality this summer.

I have heard that Biarritz is dead during the winter. Not many people. Not great weather and so on. When I first got here in June it was kind of like that. We were the only people on the streets at 11.00pm on a Friday night and there were often thunderstorms. However, the beginning of July arrived and suddenly – overnight – the town was swarming with tourists from all around the world and the sun was out almost daily.

Since being here I have really started to like the city. I mean, there are many things to like about a beach town, but Biarritz is even nicer. The people in the city are pleasant, and despite the changing weather, it is usually good enough to go to the beach during the day.

The tides in Biarritz are one thing that never cease to amaze me. They change hourly here and by ‘change’ I mean ‘change drastically’. I am used to seeing tides that differ by maybe a couple of feet between high and low. In Biarritz it is at least 30 feet! Literally, the beach looks completely different if you are there at 10.00am and then again at 4.00pm. This makes for some interesting photos but also some complications if you can only have surfing lessons at certain hours of the day.

Another amazing thing about Biarritz is the sunsets. From the beach, the views are amazing, especially with the rock formations out in the water offering perfect silhouettes for sunset pictures.

Biarritz in the summer also has a lot going on. There are always concerts at la Grande Plage and every Saturday night there is a fireworks show where everyone cozies up on the sand and watches the lights over the water. This month there was the women’s international surfing championship with a concert on the sand at the end.

So, basically, Biarritz knows how to have a good time in the summer and I am excited that I chose to be a part of this good time.