Biarritz

I never really feel that a holiday has begun until I am out of the destination airport and far away from the madness that usually accompanies such places.

And jumping on a train out of the airport is my ideal way to begin an adventure in a foreign country, primarily because you don't have to encounter any of the ubiquitous scavengers trying to rip you off before you even set foot in your new country of choice.

Well, Biarritz airport, or Aéroport de Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne to give it its full title, appears to have found the ideal solution, because you can easily stroll out of Arrivals straight into the heart of the town centre in less than half-an-hour.

And it is actually a very pleasant walk, as it is downhill all the way to the sea, but make sure to pay attention to your map, otherwise you could easily end up walking on the side of a very busy motorway.

So aside from my little detour down the Biarritz highway, I arrived at my hotel 20 minutes after leaving the airport. And while I was delighted with the proximity of the hotel to both the airport and the town centre, I was immediately disappointed with the dwellings that I had booked for my week by the beach.

The Tulip Hotel should have been the ideal spot for my stay in Biarritz. The rooms are quite cheap, about €70 per night, it's very close to the beach and town centre and it has a swimming pool and sunbathing area.

As it turned out, my room was very disappointing: it fell somewhere between the 'in need of modernisation' and the 'in need of cleaning' tags. And it definitely wasn't helped by the pungent swimming pool aroma that appeared to be a constant throughout the corridors of this 'peach-toned' hotel.

Even though I hadn't planned on spending too much time in the hotel throughout the week, I made a conscious effort to seek out somewhere new as I deposited my still-packed bag inside the door of the bedroom.

And, in fairness to the hotel manager, he had no problem cancelling the reservation as I quickly moved to the other side of town to a self-catering apartment, which was a palace in comparison, snugly located in the attic of what was once a hotel near the main square in the town centre.

A quick detour to the basement supermarket of the Galeries Lafayette and I was well stocked up on essentials that would save me a few quid over the course of my stay.

So with a cup of Lipton's finest tea inside me, I set off to discover the main thing that tempted me to Biarritz in the first place, the world-famous surf that pounds the sandbanks of La Grande Plage.

Being high season, the beach was choc-a-bloc with a rare mix of tourists. Surfer-types and stylish Parisian holidaymakers shared the huge beachfront that is sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the shopping promenade that houses a casino, surf shops and a handful of stylish cafés, which are a great spot for dining out or to grab a coffee and enjoy the sea views.

There is another beach on the far side of the town, which is not great for sunbathing, as the water comes all the way into the rocks at high tide, but it's another great surfing spot. In fact, you can easily walk between the two, along the pretty pathway that runs around the coastal cliffs of Biarritz, stopping off at any of the many seafront bars or restaurants to break up the scenic stroll.

If it's food and drink that you are after, then Biarritz ticks all the boxes with great restaurants all over the town centre and along the seafront. It must be noted that the bars in these parts do have a habit of charging huge prices for beer, so either stick to the vino or try a bit of 'Al Fresco' drinking as the beer in the supermarket costs as little as 20c a bottle.

The weather can be a bit hit and miss and even in mid-summer, be prepared for some Irish style conditions - St Tropez it is not - as many a cold front rolls in from the Bay of Biscay. But don't let that put you off, as there are no shortage of things to do and see in Biarritz and the surrounding area.

And, sure enough, all of my plans to take the plunge and learn how to surf came undone on the last day of the trip when I eventually plucked up the courage to pay a visit to the surf school for a lesson.

By chance, the school was closed for the day. I can't say I was too disappointed, though, because when I went down the hill to the beach, the surf was battering the seaboard with waves as high as 15 feet. A lucky escape methinks.

Five Things to Do

1) Go surf - you can get a lesson at one of the surfing schools down near the beach or if you know what you are doing then you can hire the equipment from one of the surf shops on the promenade. If that sounds too much like hard work, you can always take a pew up on the cliffs and watch the surfers in action. The professional surfing circuit comes to town in July, so expect huge crowds, great surfing competitions and beachfront gigs by some of the biggest bands in the world.

2) Take a stroll around the hills of Biarritz to see some very strange looking houses that look like they should be in a Dracula movie and not a seaside resort in the south of France. There are also a lot of other attractions about the place, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Asiatica Museum and the Museum of Chocolate are just a taster of the many places to visit.

3) Support the local rugby side BO, or Biarritz Olympique Pays Basques to give them their full title. Biarritz are one of the best club sides in Europe and nowhere is the Basque heritage more evident than at the fantastic Stade Aguiléra, where the locals wave their Basque flags and sing traditional Basque songs throughout the game. Don't worry: if you don't pick up the words, just shout, "Allez BO." and you'll blend in just fine. Click here to read about a previous visit to a rugby game in Biarritz.

4) Make the most of the dull days by jumping on a bus to the neighbouring town of Bayonne. The bus is a standard €1.50 from the beach all the way to the centre of Bayonne (about 15 minutes) and you will have no problem passing a day in the historical town that sits on the confluence of the Nive and Ardour rivers.

5) Escape the crowded beaches of Biarritz and head towards the Spanish border to one of the many seaside towns within 20 minutes of Biarritz. Regular buses travel all the way to San Sebastián and beyond to Bilbao with many scenic stops along the way. St Jean de Luz is one of the more popular destinations, with a great beach and plenty to keep you occupied in the town centre.

Eating and Drinking

Venta Biarroit: Probably my favourite restaurant in Biarritz. Located across from La Grand Plage on Avenue Edouard VII, this traditional Basque restaurant is quite small but boasts a great atmosphere and a very tasty menu to boot.

Hotel du Palais: It's probably out of budget for most to stay here at the Eugenie Palace - this grandest of hotels sits proudly on top of the hill overlooking Biarritz. Drop in for a coffee and experience the grandeur of the place and enjoy the panoramic views of the beach and the town.

Patisserie Miremont: This chic little café is well worth a visit if, like myself, you are fond of a cake. A fantastic selection of pastries and coffee on offer with a view to match. The big bay window at the back of the café looks out over the beach and the sea.

Hotel Le Caritz: Located in between the two main beaches on Rue du Port Vieux, this restaurant has one of the best views in the town. The upstairs open-air terrace is the perfect place to unwind with a nice bottle of red wine and watch the sun set over the Atlantic. The food is excellent as well, and make sure to try the chevré chaud (goat's cheese) starter.

Bar Jean: One of the most popular places in the town with a great selection of tapas on the menu and always a great atmosphere about the place.

Getting to Biarritz
Ryanair flies directly from Dublin three times a week. Alternatively, you could fly into Bordeaux or Paris and jump on a train down to Biarritz. At the time of writing, a return flight to Biarritz in May with Ryanair would cost as little as €60 return including taxes.

Ed Leahy