Cultural discoveries

Biarritz and the Basque Country are full of beautiful places to discover: the sea museum, the Virgin Rock, the panoramic Rhune train or Espelette and its chilli pepper… you’ll only have one desire, to come back!

Biarritz is not only a city of magnificent beaches and perfect waves, it is also a city rich in culture and heritage. During your stay at the Le Grand Large apartment hotel, don’t miss the opportunity to visit the sea museum, the very famous Biarritz lighthouse, or the Villa Eugénie… these are the museums we particularly recommend you visit:

• The Biarritz Historical Museum, which traces the town’s history from a whaling village to a popular seaside resort on the Basque coast.
• The Musée de la Mer (Sea Museum), which has around fifty aquariums containing thousands of species, including sharks, seals, rays and other fish.
• The Cité de l’Océan, which will help you to better understand this natural environment thanks to interactive activities, exhibitions, conferences, etc.
• Asiatica: an Asian Art Museum with a rich collection of works from India, Tibet, Nepal and China.

In terms of heritage, here are the most emblematic sites, not to be missed:

• The Imperial Chapel, which was built in 1864 at the request of Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III. Let yourself be surprised by its amazing mosaics and architecture.
• The Biarritz Lighthouse, the emblem of our establishment. Built in 1834 and 73 metres high, it can be seen a few minutes from our residence, at the Pointe Saint-Martin. Climb its 248 steps to admire the ocean and the magnificent bay of Biarritz.
• The Rocher de la Vierge, symbol of Biarritz, is also just a few metres from the residence. Take the footbridge and discover this site initiated by Napoleon III. From the top of the rock, where a statue of the Virgin is enthroned, you can enjoy a panoramic view over the bay of Biarritz and the Basque coast as far as the Pyrenees.
• The Villa Eugénie, an imperial summer residence built by Napoleon III for his wife Eugénie de Montijo. It has since been transformed into a palace.

Biarritz is the ideal starting point for exploring the Basque Country. A land rich in discoveries, nestled between the Pyrenees and the Atlantic Ocean. A region rooted in its land, which has managed to protect its traditions and remain authentic, where art de vivre and gastronomy reign supreme.

Here are our suggestions for a visit to the Basque Country:

• Bayonne, a city of Art and History, offers a typical Basque atmosphere with its half-timbered houses, its fortifications and its events.
• The little train of the Rhune, an authentic cogwheel train, which takes passengers to an altitude of 905 metres to admire an exceptional panorama of the French and Spanish coasts and the Pyrenees.
• Espelette, a charming village famous for its chilli pepper.
• The caves of Sare, more than 2 million years old and located 30 km from Biarritz, offer an enchanting journey of sound and light.
• Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, a medieval city on the Compostela route, at the foot of the Pyrenees.

During your holidays in the Basque Country, treat yourself to a change of scenery on the Spanish border, only 40 minutes away by car from your apartment hotel.

On your own or on a group excursion from Biarritz, visit San Sebastian, walk along the Concha and enjoy a break in a tapas bar. In Bilbao, discover the amazing Guggenheim Museum and its contemporary art collections. Also visit Pamplona, which is particularly famous for its bullfighting festivals.