Biarritz was still only a modest refuge for fishermen, surrounded by cliffs and wild dunes, when the Spanish Eugenia de Montijo, Countess of Teba, fell under her spell in 1834. Having become Empress of the French, she took her husband Napoleon III there, who made him build a palace in 1854-1855. From then on, the crowned heads and fortunes of Europe flocked to the first chic seaside resort in history. We will bring you to The Biarritz Historical Museum to discover all the facets of this character and her favorite places, from the Côte des Basques, where she bathed in…

Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a corsair city, was marked with the royal event on June 9, 1660, the solemn wedding of  French King Louis XIV and Spanish Queen Marie Thérèse of Austria. The Queen arrived a month earlier in the House of the Infanta. “There are no more Pyrenees” said the Sun King after the ceremony in the Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, which concludes the union of two countries at war for 30 years. On June 6, the Treaty of the Pyrenees was initialed on Île aux Faisans, between Hendaye and Irun. Almost 400 years later, it is possible to visit all of these…

Stylish capital of French Basque country The first impression that invades you when you arrive at Bayonna is the tranquility of its two rivers that join in front of the majestic opera house. And it’s a jumble of red and green painted wooden facades with wobbly gables. Originally a Roman garrison, this city was under British rule for 300 years It’s been a strategic stronghold since medieval times, and the old ramparts are still visible around the outskirts of the old town, but it’s Bayonne’s pretty half-timbered buildings, riverside restaurants and shady cobbled streets that make it worthy of exploration.…

France’s ritzy Atlantic city of Biarritz is famous for many things, among them its love affair with Napoleon III’s Spanish wife, Empress Eugenie. On a visit to Biarritz in the 1850’s she fell in love with the city and built a palace on the beach – now the swish Hôtel du Palais – and stayed here frequently. Among her regular guests were Queen Victoria and Edward VII. Royalty aside, Biarritz is famous for its beautiful rocky coastline, spa therapies, buzzing surf scene and of course its heady fusion of cultures. Its old quarter is simply stunning! A combination of French,…