Tourist attractions in Biarritz France include Musee de la Mer de Biarritz, Planète Chocolat, Grande Plage promenade, Lighthouse esplanade, and Port des Pêcheurs.
Musee de la Mer de Biarritz (www.museedelamer.com) aquarium has a collection of around 150 different types of fish and sealife…
…mostly representing the species found around the nearby Bay of Biscayne.
The aquarium is housed at a wonderful Art Déco building.
Within the building, you can also find a bar, tea room with panoramic views to the surrounding scenery, as well as a gift shop for souvenirs.
Top attractions in the aquarium include…
- a pool of seals,
- a shark cave, and
- a collection of seabirds.
One of the best times to visit the aquarium is around the seal feeding times: 10:30am and 5pm, daily.
Planète Chocolat (www.planetemuseeduchocolat.com) is a chocolate museum, as well as a journey to discover the world of chocolate.
The museum represents chocolate in various ways, including the history of chocolate production, from the time of the Mayas, up to modern chocolate manufacturing methods.
The museum highlights include their permanent and temporary exhibitions…such as statues made out of chocolate.
You can participate in guided tours to the museum, as well participate in hands-on chocolate tasting events.
Chocolate Museum has its own chocolate shop, with specialties including Basque country’s own chocolate.
Tourist attractions in Biarritz France include the promenade of Grande Plage, a seaside route connecting the two most beautiful beaches in Biarritz: “Miramar” and “Grande Plage“.
Of the two, Grande Plage, in fact, is the main area most locals and tourists go for Biarritz nightlife.
Within the seaside promenade, you can find Hôtel du Palais (www.hotel-du-palais.com), at one time a residential palace for Napoleon himself.
Lighthouse esplanade (esplanade du Phare de Biarritz), meanwhile, is an esplanade with some of the best vistas in Biarritz.
Along the esplanade, you can see local attractions such as…
- Rocher du Basta,
- Rocher de la Vierge,
- Port des Pêcheurs harbor,
- Biarritz Casino,
- Landes coast, and
- views of the Pyrenees mountains, and, on a good weather,
- views even all the way to the Spanish coastline.
Also, Phare de Biarritz lighthouse, the eponymous lighthouse along the route, has great, panoramic views to the surrounding areas from the top floor.
Of Biarritz attractions, Port des Pêcheurs is a pictoresque small harbor, a remainder of the plans for an imperial harbor here (plans that were, however, discarded in 1870).
To enjoy the best of what Basque country cuisine has to offer, Port des Pêcheurs restaurants have the best seafood in the region, within one of the most idyllic dining environments you’ll be able to find anywhere.
The specialties here include…
- “piperade” (a mixture of ham, pepper, tomatoes, and onions),
- “chipirones” (octopus, prepared within its own ink), and
- “zikiro” (flame-grilled lamb)….
…and don’t forget to taste the local desserts, such as “kanougas” (chocolate-toffee).