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( which lies on the
Bay Of Biscay , on the
Atlantic coast, in southwestern
France .
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 .
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 had a 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 such as
Queen Victoria ,
Edward VII , and
Alfonso XIII Of Spain were frequent visitors.
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 Shark s and Seal s
- 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.
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 .
Biarritz is easily accessible from
Paris by
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 .
The town lies in
Basque Territory , and
Basque Flag s and symbols are prevalent throughout Biarritz.
Biarritz's
Casino (opened
August 10 ,
1901 ) and beaches make the town a notable
Tourist centre for
Europe ans.
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.
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
