We recently decided at the last minute to make a trip to the French Basque region. We spent three days there, visiting three different cities-Biarritz, Bayonne, and San Sebastien, Spain, which is just across the border.

Day 1-Biarritz

On our first day in the Basque Region, we went to Biarritz. It is a lovely city that sits on the Bay of Biscay, and it is beautiful! We wandered over to Rocher de la Vierge (Rock of the virgin), a rocky outcropping that Napoleon III used as an anchor point for the port. After that we had a lovely lunch at a restaurant called Le Corsaire down by the pier. We tried gâteau basque, which is a traditional french cake that this region is known for. I highly recommend trying it if you get the chance to visit!

After that we wandered for a bit, and I wanted to get a closer look at Hôtel du Palais, which was a palace built by empress Eugénie. Unfortunately, I could only get a view from a distance, as we are mere peasants and the guard wagged his finger at me when we sat foot inside the open gate! It was still very cool to see even from afar, though.

We took a stroll to see the “Phare du Biarritz” also known as the Lighthouse of Biarritz. It offered an amazing view of the coastline! Unfortunately we couldn’t go inside because it was closed. There were several paved trails along the top of the cliffs, however, and we got some great views of the lighthouse from a distance, too!

As in all major cities, one thing that is consistent is…rats. We happened to encounter a rather large one while waiting in line for a public bathroom (which, by the way, were self cleaning…strangest thing I’ve ever seen.) Poor Remy apparently got lost on his way to Gusteau’s and ended up scampering around in a panic looking for a place to hide. Have you ever seen a rat run into a crowd of people? It’s like being inside a Disney movie. …and hilarious, at least until he makes a beeline for your own foot!

The day started out cool, but eventually the sun came out. We dipped our toes in the water, but it was *way* too cold!! Instead we wandered around the shopping area and stopped for some ice cream. I tried the gâteau basque ice cream, which was just as delicious as the real thing.

We finished out the day with dinner at a Michelin recommended restaurant called Le Table D’Aranda. After dinner we caught a glimpse of the lighthouse as we were walking back to the parking garage! We both really loved Biarritz and would definitely like to go back one day.

Here are some links in case you’re interested in finding out more!