Biarritz (France)

Biarritz (aka Miarritze) is a port city on France's Atlantic coast (Bay of Biscay), part of Pyrenees-Atlantiques department (Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, Basque Country's Labourd province). The city has population around 25,000 is is located close to the France-Spain border (approx 35 km / 22 mi to the north). Biarritz is a very popular premium seaside resort destination (for both domestic and foreign tourists), best-known for the mid-19th-century Hotel du Palais, as well as a great French destination for windsurfing.

The city is also part of Eurociudad Vasca Bayonne-San Sebastian/Eurocity - a cross-border region (between Spain and France, along the Bay of Biscay's coast) that integrates 42 communities (total population around 650,000) in both countries. These integrated communities share common projects (tourism, freight transportation, infrastructures) based on their common Basque cultural base. The largest cities (with population 10,000+) in this "eurodistrict" are France's Bayonne, Anglet, Biarritz, Hendaye, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, and Spain's Donostia-San Sebastian, Renteria, Hernani, Fuenterrabia, Passages, Andoain, Lasarte-Oria, Zarauz. The Agglomeration Cote Basque-Adour includes the French cities Anglet and Biarritz.

The town started to develop from trade and commercial fishing, but its current economy is based mainly on tourism (spa/Thalassotherapy, sports/golfing, surfing, rugby) and transportation.

The city is served by the Biarritz Pays Basque Airport (aka Biarritz-Parme Airport) located just 5 km (3 mi) southeast of downtown. The airport serves regular flights linking to domestic airports (Lyon, Paris) as well as international flights linking to Belgium (Charleroi) and the UK-England (London). Seasonal flights connect to Switzerland (Geneva, Basel), Ireland (Dublin), Corsica Island (Bastia), Germany (Berlin), Luxembourg City. TGVs (high-speed trains) link to Paris City and Bordeaux.

Biarritz City's landmarks and tourist attractions include Musee Asiatica (an Asian art museum with collections from India, Nepal, Tibet, China), Aquarium (with sharks and seals), Cite de l'Ocean et du Surf (museum), Musee Historique (historical museum), Planete Musee du Chocolat (chocolate-themed museum), Surf Festival (held annually since 1993/one of Europe's top- surfing events), Eglise Saint-Martin (12th-century church), Eglise St-Alexandre (19th-century Russian orthodox church), Chapelle Imperiale (19th-century Catholic church), large casinos (Barriere, Bellevue, Hotel du Palais), scenic waterfront views (The Rocks of Biarritz/cliffs), film festivals, 6x beaches, 3x gardens (in downtown), nature parks (120 hectares / 300 acres including the Marion and Muriskot/two recreational lakes).