Biarritz

Seaside and spa town in Pyrénées-Atlantique département, Languedoc-Roussillon region, southwest France, on the Bay of Biscay close to the Spanish border; population (1999) 30,100. Biarritz has a mild climate, attractive beaches, casinos, and many luxurious villas and hotels. Its continued popularity as an international tourist centre has sustained its prosperity.

Originally a small fishing and whaling port, the town became a fashionable resort from the mid-19th century onwards when it was patronized by the Empress Eugénie, Napoleon III's wife, and other members of European royal families, such as Queen Victoria and Edward VII of the UK, and Alfonso XIII of Spain.