Day Trip: St. Jean de Luz

The cute fishing village of St. Jean de Luz is, in many ways, a slightly larger, more authentic version of Biarritz.

It was founded on money earned by fishermen but also by the local pirates called corsaire. Many of their former villas and homes still line the impressive, elevated promenade that runs around the large, curved beach. Like Arcachon further north, St. Jean de Luz is a basin, which means that its bay is sheltered by rows of sea walls erected under Napoleon III. (This is a great beach for children since the ones in Biarritz tend to have rougher surf.)

The town's greatest claim to fame is that it was the place where Louis XIV married Maria Thérèsa of Spain in 1660. The Paroisse de St Jean de Luz (11 Rue de l'Église) is surprisingly modest considering the sun king's later proclivity for over-the-top extravagance.

The center of town is lined with mostly one-off, independent boutiques that carry everything from Basque linen and espadrilles made in Spain (the border is just a 20-minute drive away) to homemade chocolates and glass jars of foie gras.

With a lunch at Kaiku, this is a lovely place to spend a morning, afternoon or a full day, if you are planning on going to the beach.