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Biarritz

 
Dictionary: Biar·ritz   (bē'ə-rĭts', bē'ə-rĭts') pronunciation
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A city of southwest France on the Bay of Biscay near the Spanish border. It is a fashionable resort. Population: 31,000.

 

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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: Biarritz
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Town (pop., 1999: 30,005), southwestern France. It lies on the Gulf of Gascogne (Bay of Biscay) near Bayonne, 11 mi (18 km) from Spain. Once a small fishing village, Biarritz became a fashionable summer resort after 1854 with the visits of Napoleon III; visited also by British royalty, it grew additionally as a winter residence. Its mild climate and variety of beaches, and the folklore and traditions of the local Basques, continue to draw an international clientele.

For more information on Biarritz, visit Britannica.com.

 
Columbia Encyclopedia: Biarritz
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Biarritz (byärēts'), town (1990 pop. 28,887), Pyrénées-Atlantiques dept., SW France, on the Bay of Biscay near the Spanish border. An ancient fishing village, it was a favorite vacation spot of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, whose visits sparked the growth of Biarritz into one of the world's most fashionable sea resorts. The Museum of the Sea contains an aquarium and research center.

Dialing Code: The telephone dialing code for: Biarritz, France
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The country code is: 33
The city code is: 559

Wikipedia: Biarritz
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For other uses, see Biarritz (disambiguation).

Coordinates: 43°28′54″N 1°33′22″W / 43.4816666667°N 1.55611111111°W / 43.4816666667; -1.55611111111

Commune of Biarritz
France-Biarritz-Grande lage et Casino-2005-08-05.jpg
Beach and casino in Biarritz
Location
Biarritz is located in France
Biarritz
Administration
Country France
Region Aquitaine
Department Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Arrondissement Bayonne
Intercommunality Bayonne-Anglet-Biarritz
Mayor Didier Borotra
(2001–2008)
Statistics
Elevation 0–85 m (0–280 ft)
Land area1 11.66 km2 (4.50 sq mi)
Population2 27,398  (2006)
 - Density 2,350 /km2 (6,100 /sq mi)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code 64122/ 64200
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Biarritz (French pronunciation: [bjaˈʀits]; Gascon Occitan: Biàrritz; Basque: Biarritz or Miarritze) is a city which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in south-western France. It is a luxurious seaside town and is popular with tourists and surfers.

The town lies in Basque territory, and Basque flags and symbols are prevalent throughout Biarritz.

Contents

Geography

Biarritz is located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the Aquitaine region. It is adjacent to Bayonne and Anglet and 11 miles (18 kilometres) from the border with Spain. It is in the traditional province of Labourd in the French Basque Country.

History

Vikings who invaded Gascony in 840 settled in Biarritz, which later participated in the whaling trade. Biarritz is a Basque name with locative suffix -itz (cp. Isturitz) attested Bearriz in 1170, Bearids in 1186, Bearritz in 1249. The Scandinavians settled in the area above the Gardague Beach. It has been suggested (disputedly) that the remaining Vikings became "Agots," a social group in Gascony not allowed to mix with the population at large. Segregation among these communities—there were many in Gascony and Navarra— disappeared only in the early 20th century.

Biarritz has long made its fortune from the sea: as a whaling settlement from the twelfth century onwards, in the 18th century doctors recommended that the ocean at Biarritz had therapeutic properties, inspiring patients to make pilgrimages to the beach for alleged cures for their ailments.

Biarritz became more renowned in 1854 when Empress Eugenie (the wife of Napoleon III) built a palace on the beach (now the Hôtel du Palais). The British royal family regularly took vacations in Biarritz: European royalty such as Queen Victoria, Edward VII, and Alfonso XIII of Spain were frequent visitors.

Biarritz's casino (opened 10 August 1901) and beaches make the town a notable tourist centre for Europeans.

Main sights

Biarritz from the Pointe Saint-Martin.

Biarritz features:

  • the Asiatica Museum, which houses a significant collection of Asian art primarily from India, Nepal, Tibet, and China.
  • The Museum of the Sea, which has 24 aquariums containing sharks and seals
  • The annual Biarritz Surf Festival founded in 1993 at the Côte des Basques is one of the premier surf events in Europe and longboarding events in the world.[1]
  • 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.
  • Two large Casinos, the Barriere and the Bellevue, on the waterfront by the Grande Plage.

Spectacular cliffs and lookouts lie to the west of the main beach.

Sport

Surfing at Biarritz is of a world-class standard and first appeared in 1957,[2] and the town has a strong surfing culture.[3]

The town is home to a prominent rugby union club, Biarritz Olympique.

Basque pelota is a very popular sport of the Basque country. Several local or international competitions take place in Biarritz.

The golf course, near the lighthouse (Le Phare), was created in 1888 by British residents. In addition to this the town has a large circular golf range area on the border with illbaritz.

Transport

Biarritz is easily accessible from Paris by France's high-speed train, the TGV, which departs from Gare Montparnasse. Furthermore, as of April 2008 a 'discothèque' night train runs this route.[citation needed]

Biarritz has an airport Aéroport de Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne located about 4 kilometres away from the city in the inland. It's very near at N10 road towards Anglet, it is joined airport with Anglet and Bayonne.

Notable people

Biarritz was the birthplace of:

Other:

  • Aaron Bank, World War II Office of Strategic Services (OSS) agent and co-founder of the U.S. Army's Special Forces Group (later, Green Berets), was a lifeguard and medical (physical) therapist's aide at Biarritz, before he enlisted in the Army in his late 1930s.

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Biarritz is twinned with:[4]

Gallery

The Sea and the Mountains at Biarritz, ca. 1943, by Louis Dewis

Tourist Office.

Hotel du Palais or Eugenie Palace.

Sunset in Biarritz.

Sea Museum.

See also

References

  1. ^ Encyclopaedia of Surfing
  2. ^ Last Updated: 5:28PM BST 13 Aug 2007 (2007-08-13). "Biarritz: summer nights - Telegraph". Telegraph<!. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/citybreaks/737983/Biarritz-summer-nights.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 
  3. ^ "News from Biarritz - France". Biarritz.fr. http://www.biarritz.fr/en/Website/site/en_accueil_actu_actu5.php. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 
  4. ^ Twin towns, Biarritz Official Site

External links

Search Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Biarritz
v • d • e
Municipalities in Labourd (Lapurdi)
Ahetze · Ainhoa · Anglet (Anglet) · Arbonne (Arbona) · Arcangues (Arrangoitze) · Ascain (Azkaine) · Bardos (Bardoze) · Bassussarry (Basusarri) · Bayonne (Baiona) · Biarritz (Biàrritz) · Bidart (Bidarte) · Biriatou (Biriatu) · Bonloc (Lekuine) · Boucau (Bocau) · Briscous (Beskoitze) · Cambo-les-Bains (Kanbo) · Ciboure (Ziburu) · Espelette (Ezpeleta) · Guéthary (Getaria) · Guiche (Guishe) · Halsou (Haltsu) · Hasparren (Hazparne) · Hendaye (Hendaia) · Itxassou (Itsasu) · Jatxou (Jatsu) · Lahonce (Lehuntze) · Larressore (Larresoro) · Louhossoa (Luhuso) · Macaye (Makea) · Mendionde (Lekorne) · Mouguerre (Mugerre) · Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Donibane Lohizune) · Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle (Senpere) · Saint-Pierre-d'Irube (Hiriburu) · Sare (Sara) · Souraïde (Zuraide) · Urcuit (Urketa) · Urrugne (Urruña) · Urt (Urt) · Ustaritz (Uztaritze) · Villefranque (Milafranga)
Official name in French (native name in Basque or in Occitan, if different, in parentheses)
 Coat of arms of Lapurdi

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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
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Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/.  Read more
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