Surfing was first introduced to Biarritz in the 1950s by Peter Viertel, husband of actress Deborah Kerr who was shooting a movie in the coastal resort. It quickly took hold and today locals liken their surf scene to that of Californian spots like Santa Barbara. ("C'est très California" is a statement you will hear time and again.) This is the city's most renowned surfing school, with a set-up at the Plage de la Côte des Basques. They offer a variety of courses, from beginner to intensives, including classes for kids. The rolling surf along the coast here makes it a great place to learn.

The cute seaside town of Biaritz can easily be explored on foot and in a leisurely half-day walking tour. Start at the Hotel du Palais and walk along the promenade above the Grande Plage for great vistas and people watching. You will pass the Casino du Biarritz on your right. Snake up into the hillside, still continuing along the shore, until you get to the sweet Port des Pecheurs, home to small wooden houses called crampottes that now house rustic little restaurants (the one to know about is Crampotte 30). Climbing higher still, you will soon have soaring vistas across the coast as you walk onward towards the Rocher de la Vierge, the rocky outpost with a Virgin Mary sculpture, which was installed in 1864 to ensure the safe-keeping of the town's fishermen. This is also where the Musée de la Mer is located.

Continue along the street as it snakes past the Port Vieux, where you will always find locals swimming (the water is calmer here than at Grand Plage). Walk into town along Rue du Port Vieux, passing cute shops, cafés and bars along the way. Rue du Port Vieux turns into Rue Mazagran, where you will find the towns' two best shops for espadrilles. You are now in the middle of the historic center, with meandering little streets and lots of cute spots for a break along the way. The area around Les Halles market is especially fun to explore. Stop for a coffee at Milwaukee Café before making your way back to the Hotel du Palais by walking towards the casino and along the water. Stop at the corner of Rue Lavernis and Rue de Gardère: the imposing stone building here served as Coco Chanel's atelier from 1915 through 1939 when the incomparable designer employed sixty workers here.

Located near the Rocher de la Vièrge, with glorious views across the coast, this museum is the city's acclaimed aquarium, housed in a beautiful Art Deco building. The exhibits follows different "seas" of the world, from the Gulf Stream to the Caribbean Sea, highlighting the specialties of each. There are also seal shows, shark feeding and a large "touch pool" to keep everyone entertained. It's a good choice for families with kids in tow on an overcast day.

Biarritz has two main beaches, though if you drive up and down the coast, you will come across more: The Grande Plage is the main beach, which stretches out in front of the Hotel du Palais and is packed with people during the high season. The surf here varies and can be rough on some days and gentle on others. Don't expect fine Caribbean powder; the Basque coast is lined with a grainier sand. The Atlantic here is refreshing, as you find around Nantucket or in Long Island.

If you want to swim in a more protected bay, head to the Vieux Port, a small stretch of beach where locals come in the early morning for their daily swimming routine. (Many year-round residents swim every day until it gets too cold, though there is also a Polar Bear Society of hard-core aquatics who continue through the winter).

Surfers prefer the Plage de la Côte des Basques, further south, where the surf is normally higher than at at Grande Plage. The beach here is a fun spot to watch the action in the water; for lunch you can grab a light bite at casual-cool Le Surfing restaurant.