Following our stay in San Sebastián, Nik, Koval and I hit the road to cross over the Spain/France border into the French Basque Country coastal town of Biarritz. I didn’t know much about the town except that it’s pretty small but with a classy reputation. We once again hit the jackpot of hotels staying two nights in a former palace of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie.
Hôtel du Palais Biarritz
Part of the Hyatt family, Hôtel du Palais Biarritz was first built for Napoleon III and his wife Empress Eugénie in 1854 as their summer residence, then known as Villa Eugéine. Since we were visiting before Christmas, the hotel was beautifully decorated for the holiday.
Napolean III was the first president, second emperor, and last monarch of France. Meanwhile, Eugénie was born in Spain and this location for the residence was chosen near Spain so she would not get homesick for her native country.
The villa was sold and converted to a hotel and casino welcoming guests in 1892. A fire badly damaged the hotel in 1903 but was reconstructed. It closed for a short period in the 1950s after World War II and was eventually refurbished and reopened to what is now a luxury hotel along the coast.
The hotel is set among historic grounds, reached through a gate and up a grand driveway.
The grounds of the hotel were absolutely gorgeous. The grass was so lush, I couldn’t get enough of it for Koval’s sake.
In addition to being dog friendly, each of the rooms and suites are decorated in period style.
The hotel also includes several dining options, a bar, spa services and an indoor pool.
Our room had a very nice welcome mat for Koval. Literally everything around the hotel had their branding and N & E initials on it.
With all of the on and off rain in the area, we were graced with a view of a beautiful rainbow from our room.
We absolutely loved our two night stay and tried to make the most of it with fun photo-ops with Koval.
The presence of the imperial couple attracted other European royalty like the British monarch Queen Victoria, Spanish king Alfonso XIII, Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria, and King Edward VIII, best known for abdicating the throne and for being a Nazi sympathizer, all helped make Biarritz well-known.
Exploring the Town of Biarritz
Similar to our stops in Bilbao and San Sebastián before arriving to Biarritz, our stay was mostly overcast with some on-and-off rain. We made the best of it and really enjoyed exploring the area. Being there in mid-December was pretty quiet so I can only imagine the area in the summer months. Here are some of my favorite pictures from around the town of Biarritz.
The Rock of the Virgin
One of the most popular sites in Biarritz is The Rocher de la Vierge, which translates to The Rock of the Virgin.
The rock is reached by a foot bridge which normally wouldn’t be too concerning for Nik and I. But the day we explored, it was quite windy and the waves were loudly crashing below us.
As legend goes: “The Virgin commemorates the return of Biarritz whalers, caught in a storm. They cannot reach the old port of Biarritz and see death coming. In full desperation, they are dazzled by a light…they follow it and return mostly safe and sound to the ground. In gratitude, the survivors erected this cast iron statue.”
Before walking out to the Rock, there is a French War Memorial to the fallen in World War I and World War II. The more we travel around France, you really see how much death the country suffered.
Villa Belza
Across from exploring The Rock of the Virgin sits Villa Belza. An absolutely gorgeous looking building. Built in 1882 for Parisian businessman Ange Du Fresnay and his wife, Marie Belza Dubreuil. “Belza” means “black” in Basque and the story goes that it was a sign of romance to name the villa after his wife.
The 1920s marked the golden age of the Villa Belza, being transformed into a colorful Russian restaurant. Renamed “the Basque Castle”, it hosted parties and attracted regulars such as the aforementioned King Edward VIII.
Requisitioned during the Second World War, it was transformed into a defensive position. After the war, following a fire, the Villa Belza was abandoned for almost 30 years. In the 1990s, a developer bought the villa and rehabbed it, developing the property into apartments.
Dining Out
Nik and I will be the first to admit that we didn’t do much research on bars or restaurants ahead of time. We lucked into a few spots that ended up being pretty enjoyable, and again, I can only imagine how fun and busy the peak months in the area must be.
In no particular order we visited:
Le Petit Coin – We stopped in here for a couple of drinks.
Le Rendez-vous des Halles – Just next door to Le Petit Coin, this spot was very lively. After a few minutes of standing to enjoy our drinks we got seated at a table and enjoyed a couple small plates for dinner that included a selection of local cheeses, chicken tenders and sautéed shrimp in a creamy sauce.
Le Passage – Delicious cocktails and a very friendly bartender who gave us some recs for Nice. This place was buzzing the whole time we were there.
Breizh Café – Had galettes here for lunch. Also known as savory buckwheat crêpes.
Bar Basque and Le Café du Commerce – Quick stop at each for drinks.
La Trattoria – Pizzeria – Pretty good pizza here for dinner.
Onto Bordeaux!
I really can’t say enough of wonderful things about our stay at Hôtel du Palais Biarritz. I wish we had an other day and night there to have an additional day to explore the dining scene. We’ll just have to return to the town of Biarritz one day down the line!
Let’s hit the road to our next and last stop on the roadtrip, Bordeaux!
