11th January 2012. As we seemed to have shaken off the worst of the flu bug we'd had over the
Christmas period we decided to go out this afternoon for our first walk of the New Year around Biarritz. As usual, the intensity of the light seemed to crank itself up a notch or two as we drove through Biarritz's winding streets towards the sea. A few minutes later we were walking along the sea front and we did what pensioners do best - we found a seat in the sun!☺
Place Bellevue
We couldn't take our eyes off the hypnotic display of towering waves that were rearing up and crashing in thundering explosions of dazzling white foam against the rocks. It was difficult to estimate the size of the breakers but I'd put the highest of them up around 4-5 metres high. There were a few hardy surfers out there mixing it with the choppy waves, but the conditions didn't look ideal for surfing to my untutored eye.
After a while the dog became impatient for some action and so he led us along the front to the
Place Saint-Eugénie before we turned back to walk up through town via the
Rue Mazagran to the
Place Bellevue where we stopped at the newly opened extension of the temple to the art of the
pâtissier and legendary tea room (
salon de thé sounds better!) - the
Miremont (above) - that faces the sea.
If you're going to stop somewhere in Biarritz in the late afternoon for a cup of tea or coffee, there isn't anywhere better. Then there are the cakes.. I'm not normally a great cake eater but I have to admit that these are pretty special:
A favorite watering hole for us in the center of Biarritz is the well-situated
Royalty in the
Place Clémenceau - ideal for people-watching
.
Another is the 1930s Art Deco
Hôtel Plaza - which is ideally situated to watch the to-ing and fro-ing of daily life outside - or, in the case of adverse weather, there's a very comfortable bar and lounge inside. There's often a cool jazz trio/quartet who play here too. Madame gives the Plaza top marks for its hot chocolate by the way!
