Welcome to the corner of France that feeds everything Hélène Elisabeth stands for: the light, the colour, the effortless elegance. This is Biarritz, and the Basque coast that stretches south from it. This is the region that inspired our Biarritz Capsule edit. We are delighted to share the favourite places of our partner at Villa Kittera, a beautiful address in Biarritz itself, as the starting point for this guide. Whether you are planning your first visit or your tenth, these are the spots worth knowing.
Things to Do in Biarritz
Biarritz is one of those towns that rewards wandering. The Atlantic light here is unlike anywhere else in France, soft and golden in the mornings, almost violet at dusk, and it is no coincidence that it finds its way into the marbled beads and gold-plated details of the ocean turquoise versions of our leaf earrings and statement beaded bracelets.
For lunch, Bokado at Milady Beach is a place where the locals go: a relaxed restaurant celebrating fresh local produce, right on a stretch of coast that is as beloved by surfers as it is by those simply looking for somewhere beautiful to sit and watch the Atlantic roll in.
The afternoon belongs entirely to Biarritz's legendary pâtisseries. Maison Adam and Maison Pariès are the two great houses of Basque confectionery, and their macarons and kanougas, the signature Basque caramel, are must tries. Henriet rounds out the trio with some of the finest Basque chocolate you will find anywhere.
If you are looking for something to take home beyond the edible, La Maison des Arts on Avenue Victor Hugo is a wonderful papeterie and creative space: journals, watercolours, supplies to keep little ones happily busy and much more besides. And the independent Bookstore on Place Georges Clemenceau is worth an unhurried hour — French bookshops have a way of making you want to stay forever. But if you have the little ones with you, you won't want to miss La Nounourserie, a lovely little gift and toy boutique.
For dinner, L'Auberge 22 on Rue Harispe is a Côte des Basques institution for meat lovers, the kind of address that does not need to advertise because its reputation does the work. The cooking is honest and precise: fresh local produce, mastery of fire, and meat treated with the respect it deserves.
Things to Do Near Biarritz: The Villages Worth the Drive
One of the great pleasures of the Basque coast is that within twenty minutes of Biarritz you can be somewhere that feels entirely different. Here are the stops that Villa Kittera's team love most.
Saint-Jean-de-Luz is perhaps the most beautiful town on the French Basque coast: all tiled rooftops, coloured shutters and a harbour that has been at the heart of Basque life for centuries. For food, Chez Bidaian on Rue de la Baleine and Chez Pablo on Rue Mademoiselle Etcheto are both beloved local addresses, and you won't want to miss a sneak peek at Helena, a family-run home linen boutique with roots going back to 1947 and three generations of Basque weaving heritage behind it.
Just across the bridge, Ciboure is Saint-Jean's quieter twin and often overlooked by visitors, which is precisely why locals love it. With Ekaitza and Chez Mattin both calling it home, it is quietly one of the Basque coast's most rewarding foodie destinations.
Guéthary is a tiny jewel of a village perched above the ocean, surfed by the best, photographed by everyone. Parlementia is a coffee shop, vintage clothing store, record label and web radio all in one, a laid-back creative hub where you can flick through Hawaiian shirts and mythic vinyl records while watching the waves roll in. Le Madrid on the main avenue is another heart of village life here, and Hétéroclito near the beach path is an eclectic little address that perfectly captures the Guéthary spirit, relaxed, creative, and slightly impossible to categorise.
A Day Trip to San Sebastián
If you are spending more than a few days in Biarritz, the journey across the Spanish border to San Sebastián is absolutely worth making, it is barely an hour by car and one of the world's great food cities awaits.
The old town's pintxos bars are the main event. Bar Antonio on Bergara Kalea and the legendary Bar Nestor are perennial favourites, arrive early or expect to queue, particularly at Nestor where the tortilla is cooked to order and runs out fast. Borda Beri on Fermín Calbetón is another essential stop on the pintxos trail.
For a different perspective on the city, take the funicular up to Monte Igueldo for views over the bay of La Concha that will stay with you. And the Aquarium at Plaza Carlos Blasco Imaz is one of the finest on the Atlantic coast — dramatic, immersive and far more beautiful than the word aquarium suggests.
What to Pack
The Basque coast has its own particular quality of light and colour — the ocean, the terracotta rooftops, the greenery of the hills behind. It calls for jewellery that catches light rather than competes with it. Our leaf earrings in ocean turquoise were made for exactly this landscape, and our statement beaded bracelets in gold with turquoise are, we think, the closest thing to wearing the ocean on your wrist. For the full packing picture, our Biarritz Capsule guide has everything you need.
Bon voyage, and do send us a photograph if you find yourself at Milady Beach at golden hour or even better at the terrasse from Villa Kittera over looking the Atlantic.
