IF you’re looking for glitz and glamour, ditch the likes of Monaco or Nice – this is the town you need to visit.
With seaside casinos, newly renovated 4-star hotels and a royal history, it’s got everything you need for a holiday of luxury.
Biarritz sits on the Bay of Biscay and has always been known for its glamour, particularly as it was once the must-visit destination for royals.
Now, it still keeps its class, but also blends it with surf culture, spas and plenty of beautiful beaches.
The Times revealed that the town would soon have a “glitzy new reason” to visit – and that’s the renovation of the Hotel Maison Chiberta.
The 4-star hotel sits near the seafront and reopened after a huge renovation in 2025.
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Inside are 58 rooms and suites ranging from standard all the way up to the Chiberta Suite which is a private apartment.
It has plenty of food options, once restaurant serves Basque, Iberian and Latin American dishes.
Every Sunday, the hotel offers its guests to enjoy Brunch à la Braise which is cooked outside on a brazier.
It has a fully renovated spa too with a large heated indoor pool that looks over the golf course, as well as three treatment rooms, a sauna and steam room.
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During the warmer weather there’s a large outdoor pool too surrounded by sunbeds and parasols.
The hotel doesn’t just offer comfy beds and great food, there are experiences too from surf school to an equestrian club, golf courses, tennis, nature workshops and even a treasure hunt.
Outside of the hotel, there’s plenty to see from The Grand Plage which is the main stretch of sand.
But there’s a total of six beaches lining the coastline.
The town often attracts surfers, and has even been named the surfing capital of Europe.
Another popular stop is the Casino Barrière Biarritz which is filled with slot machines, table games, roulette and blackjack.
In history, it was less about the games and more about the glamour.
The well-known seaside town was often visited by King Edward VII during his reign in the early 1900s.
He even took UK ministers to the city for meetings.
Other famous faces included fashion designer Coco Chanel, who lived in Biarritz, and Napoleon II often visited during the summer.
Another popular site is the 5-star Hotel du Palais which was originally the summer residence of Emperor Napoleon III and his wife, Empress Eugénie.
It officially opened as a grand hotel in 1893, after being converted from a casino in 1880.
And it’s still a hit with visitors and locals – earlier this year, Biarritz was named the best place to live in France.
The study was conducted by Le Journal du Dimanche and Biarritz was named the best, beating other well known French cities like Lyon and Paris.
For those who want to head further afield, Biarritz is one of the closest beach cities to Spain and San Sebastián is just a short drive away.
You can get a direct flight from London Stansted to Biarritz with Ryanair.
This town is the ‘Pearl of the Riviera’ – it has 300 days of sunshine and lemon festivals…
Located on the border between France and Italy, the seaside town of Menton has been dubbed the “Pearl of the Riviera” by holidaymakers.
Home to pastel-coloured buildings, quaint streets, a picturesque harbour and vast lemon groves, Menton is a picture perfect.
Before officially becoming part of France in 1860, Menton had been part of Sardinia and Monaco.
In the middle of the 19th century, Menton broke away from Monaco after heavy tax impositions were imposed on its lemon trade, which was its main industry.
Every year, the town holds a lemon festival to celebrate the production of citrus fruits in the seaside town.
Menton is the last large town on the border with France and Italy, which means there several attractions geared towards tourists.
Travel Blogger Sophie wrote: “Menton is the pearl of France because of its sheer beauty.
“It’s the kind of destination that you’ll be thinking of for years to come after departure and is often touted by visitors as one of the towns that they would most like to return to along the French Riviera.”
For more on France, check out the epic French holiday resort you can get to by ferry with kids club and laid back vibes.
And if you’re tempted to up sticks and move abroad – here’s the place in France where you can still get cheap holiday homes according to one A Place in the Sun presenter.