French Basque Coast

Biarritz Waterfront

Creative Commons 3.0: Bh.souzani

There’s lovely waterfront running in Biarritz, the elegant seaside town on southwestern France’s Basque coast. Biarritz is known for its wide surfing beaches, the rocky outcrop of the Rocher de la Vierge. One can stitch together a scenic 10 km out and back route, combining dedicated waterfront promenade paths and seaside roads, with great views of the Bay of Biscay.

Grand Plage. Creative Commons 3.0

The northern end of the route starts with a 1 km jaunt out to the circa 1834 Lighthouse (Phare de Biarritz), which is set on a rocky cliff. Don’t miss the solar clock! Then, head south on the main road, to then join the All. Winston Churchill seafront promenade, which runs along the Grand Plage (Plage=Beach) for 1 km. This is a popular beach, known for its surfing (also runnable!). At the end of the beach, take a jaunt down to the Rocher du Basta for a nice view, and then follow the main road then the Passerelle Eiffel & footbridge out to the iconic Rocher de la Vierge, the landmark rock formation in the Bay of Biscay with dramatic views & a Virgin Mary statue on top. The final 1 km is on a path running alongside the Cote des Basques Beach.

Add-Ons: If you’re into beach running and the conditions are right, you can continue south on a series of beaches for a 4-5 km (a couple of short road sections required). Or, just north of the Phare de Biarritz, the Anglet seafront promenade runs for 3 km to the mouth of the Adour River.

 

 

Essentials
  • Up to 5.2 km (3.2 miles) one-way
  • Fairly hilly - 70m (230 feet), one-way north to south
  • Center of Biarritz, or at northern end near the Lighthouse

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Essentials
  • Up to 5.2 km (3.2 miles) one-way
  • Fairly hilly - 70m (230 feet), one-way north to south
  • Center of Biarritz, or at northern end near the Lighthouse