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Sacha Guitry said once: “When you find
yourself hesitating between two beaches, one of them is always Biarritz.”
Biarritz is the incredible story of a small Basque whaling station that, through
the centuries, has become an internationally renowned seaside resort.
From the time of the English sovereignty (1152-1451) until 1650, the Biarritz
whalers set out from the “Port Vieux” (Old Port) to harpoon the whales who
passed by the Bay of Biscay on their migratory routes.
As the whale population declined, the whalers were forced to hunt further afield
as far as Newfoundland or Greenland or even change their profession and became
official pirates or “Corsaires” for the French king.
These hardy Biarritz seamen, whose exploits became legendary, continued their
hazardous occupation until the end of the 18th century, by which time the
benefits of sea bathing were becoming appreciated. The mentally ill, for
example, were bathed on “La Cote des Fous” (today known as La Grande Plage) and
thus began the fashionable era of the seaside resort and the thalasso-therapy
(seawater cures).
On January 30, 1853, the Spanish countess, Eugenie de Montijo, married the
Emperor Napoleon III. Eugenie knew Biarritz well and it was here, at the foot of
the Pyrenées that she was to incarnate the magnificence of the Empire, and
became the Godmother of the town.
Eugenie’s first home on Basque soil was the “Villa Eugenie” (later to become the
hotel du Palais) built for her by Napoleon as the couple’s royal holiday
home—Biarritz’s reputation was assured.
The European aristocracy of the “Belle Epoque”were drawn like magnets. The
Prince of Wales (future King Edward VII) was among the first, with his mother,
Queen Victoria, following not long after. The king of Spain, Alphonse XIII,
built the original “Palais Miramar”, the Shah of Persia, the Grand Duke Nicolas
of Russia, and a wide circle of European nobles came to enjoy the charms and
festivities of Biarritz.
The festivals and galas today are more subdued. Leaders of the business world,
film stars, show-business or those who maintain their family tradition of
holidays at Biarritz, prefer to congregate on the tennis courts or golf-courses
(10 courses within 20-km radius of Biarritz).
The sport minded flock to the resort in growing numbers to enjoy a more active
holiday. All sports are available: surfing, tennis, golf, horse riding and of
course the “pelote Basque”. Lovers of gastronomy, like me and other history
enthusiasts, will set off to discover interior Basque country rich in living
traditions and folklore. |
