Biarritz and Guéthary - beach life on the west coast of France

Writer: Kristina Isacson

My journey starts in the beautiful city of Pau early in the morning while the streets are still empty and the air fresh and clear. I'll take the train for an hour to the coast and Biarritz, the ancient little town where European royalty holidayed at the beginning of the last century. Here you can still feel the wings of history and the castle-like pink grand hotel that rises at the seaside shows the former glory of the place.

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The coastal town of Biarritz

Today, all kinds of people gather here near the Spanish border on the Atlantic coast. "Backpackers, surfers, Spanish tourists crossing the border, French people spending a weekend here and people like me, a travelling Swede who loves to discover new places and ways of travelling in this beautiful country, France.

When I arrive, I sit down at a café for another morning coffee and stroll along the beautiful streets, just soaking up the atmosphere. Continuing towards the market hall where the day's trade is in full swing, the smell of fresh bread, vegetables and charcuterie hits me as I step into the cool old room.   

Steer my steps towards the fish section and the small simple dining areas in the corner as today I intend to eat salty fresh oysters and prawns the size of my hand, cooked fresh daily straight from the fish counter. For me, a seafood lover, this is the best place to eat and the prices are 60 % cheaper than sitting in one of the fancy restaurants just outside.

Love the authenticity and atmosphere of the market hall, where I sit on a simple stick chair and listen to the fishermen as they sell the day's catch to visitors.

Those who live here are lucky to have this treasure trove of local food on their doorstep, with the sun and the salt-splashed wild Atlantic Ocean beyond.

On the way down to the beach, I meet a group of 8-year-old children, each with a surfboard under their arm, who follow their leader and today's surf school in a nice line. Where I grew up we did the same thing but with skates and skis and here it is the sea that is the focus.

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Children learn to surf here from a very young age and this is what permeates the city, a surfer's paradise with metre-high waves all year round.

The group of children paddle out and take advantage of the smaller waves that are starting to come in now with the tide. It warms the heart to hear the laughter and the leader's confident instructions to the group who listen with focus while balancing on their board.

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I take the opportunity to go for a swim in the clear, beautiful water, which is clean and clear every day thanks to the tide. Listening to all the different languages spoken around me, French, Basque, Spanish and the occasional German.

Everyone fits in here and it feels welcoming and inclusive with incredibly friendly locals who are happy to help if you need help. English is also spoken very well among the locals as tourism has been one of the largest and most important sources of income for decades.

Picturesque Guéthary

I stroll through the streets and take the bus to the train station, which is a little outside the city centre, and head towards the small town of Guéthary.

Oh what a picturesque little village, where I immediately feel so at home. I would definitely like to have a little hideaway here one day and have as my place of balance and well-being. Walking along the seafront on the beautiful promenade that stretches for miles to both north and south. Here the people really live outdoor life and I it seems that the bicycle is the vehicle that applies here as the bicycle parking is overcrowded.

I sit on the shore a bit up as the tide starts to come in and just listen to the waves and enjoy the open sea. More and more surfers of all ages start to arrive as the afternoon and evening offer fantastic waves.

This is meditation and I am captured by the beautiful view and look out over the horizon and watch the incredibly skilled surfers out among the waves that are now starting to come in with full force. It is important to be here and climb upwards as it goes lightning fast when the tide comes in.

Arriving at the small local beach restaurant, I take my "apertif" from the simple but marvellous menu, written by hand no doubt depending on what the day's delivery has to offer.

What a beautiful little gem I have found and which I did not expect when I decided to stop here. I will return here many times in the future and next time I will take my bike and whizz along like the locals and discover the coast from the saddle of my bike, that's one thing for sure.

Taking the train back to Pau on the edge of the Pyrenees, I walk slowly through the streets of my town, where people have started to fill up the cosy outdoor cafés and restaurants in the balmy summer evening. What a joy to live here and experience all the beauty from mountain to sea.

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Kristina Isacson

Kicki has been travelling around our beautiful globe for over 35 years. Almost 4 years ago, after the pandemic, she travelled alone to the country that would change her life forever, France. Setting off without really knowing where you'll land is amazing and a bit scary, but here in the south-west of France she has built a new life and is now inspiring others to follow their heart and discover new places in life. Kicki is currently writing her story down as a book and sharing it in travel stories and blogs.

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