Biarritz
Biarritz was made into a popular beach resort by Napoleon III and his Spanish wife Eugenie, who brought aristocrats and celebrities with them on holidays here. These days, it’s frequented by Parisians and surfers. The town offers a good mix of brasseries, bistros, and more formal dining. There is also a good blend of French, Southwestern and the more local, Basque cuisine though seafood is the real specialty of this seaside town. Basque cuisine favors goose products such as foie gras and comfit doe, as well as salty ham from Bayonne, known as jambon de Bayonne, which resembles Parma ham. A cheaper alternative is jamon Serrano from Spain, which shows up more frequently on menus. Two typical Basque dishes include an omelet with tomatoes, chilies, and Bayonne ham that resembles scrambled eggs, and piquillos, sweet red peppers stuffed with either morue (eel) or cabillaud (cod). For dessert, try a rich gateau basque, a cake filled with black cherry preserves.
Recipes
HotelsEmperor Napoleon III built the Hotel du Palais in 1854 as an oceanside summer palace for his Empress Eugenie; today it is the coast's only great palace hotel, brimming with Second Empire style. There are 156 rooms and suites, all with high ceilings, carved moldings and panel work, antique furniture, and spacious modern bathrooms. Seaview suites are best. Doubles from about $500. 1 Avenue de L'imperatrice. Tel: 33‑5‑5941‑6400. www.hotel‑du‑palais.com. Chateau de Brindos, less than a mile from Biarritz, was once a private chateau, but it has been modernized and has added an annex, bringing the total number of rooms to 24. Annex rooms are pleasant, but they lack the views of the lake that make the rooms in the original building so special. An attractive restaurant and bar overlook the water. Doubles from about $300. 1 Allee du Chateau, Anglet. Tel: 33‑5‑5923‑8980. www.chateaudebrindos.com. Much more informal accommodations are to be had at Irigoian, a guest house built in 1700, with a traditional white stucco facade and wooden shutters. It overlooks the first hole of the Ilbarritz golf center. Its owner, Philippe Etcheverry, is a Basque journalist of great charm, whose efforts at looking after his guests more than compensate for the simplicity of his five guest rooms. Doubles from about $100. Avenue de Biarritz, Bidart. Tel: 33‑5‑5943‑8300. www.irigoian.com.
RestaurantsChez de Bonnechose is a comfortable place with tiled tables and a blackboard menu listing daily specials such as a delicious rich and garlicky fish soup; sea bream with onions, tomatoes and garlic; and stuffed pig's foot with a mustard sauce. Be sure to try the Basque wines. Dinner for two, without wine, about $70. 13 Avenue de Verdun. Tel: 33‑5‑5922‑5186. The Cidrerie Hernani is a Basque cider house of the type more commonly found across the border in Spain. The atmosphere is slightly raucous, rather than romantic, but it's a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Dining is family style, at long tables seating six to eight people. Try the tasty tapas or the large plates such as slices of pork cooked with pimento. The local Jurancon white wine goes well with this simple but appetizing food. Dinner for two, with wine, about $80. 27 Avenue Marechal Joffre. Tel: 33‑5‑5923‑0101. The Cafe de Paris gained its single Michelin star and its reputation as one of the best tables in Biarritz under co-chefs Didier Oudil and Edgard Duhr. The menu of Southwest classics leans heavily toward fish and seafood (if they're available, don't pass up the grilled langoustines), and everything is brilliantly light and fresh. Drink a dry Jurancon or the local Madiran red. Dinner for two, before wine, about $120. 5 Place Bellevue. Tel: 33-5-5924-1953. Hotel and restaurant recommendations courtesy of Passport Newsletter: www.passportnewsletter.com. Subscription required.
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