Our Thoughts on Biarritz: 8 Years Later

This Halloween marks a special date in our hearts as it will have been 8 years since we first discovered Biarritz and the greater Basque Country. First, allow me to be nostalgic on remembering our first trip to the area, then I will get into our take on Biarritz as it is today and our recommendations for those of you wanting to move here or abroad in general.

8 Years Ago

It was August of 2013 and Alex had finally convinced me to sell everything and move abroad for his MBA program at EDHEC Business School in Nice, France. As we began to settle into France and the MBA program, it became apparent that as wonderful as Nice was (truly, the SE region of France holds a special place in my heart) it didn’t really “fit” our lifestyle—-there were no waves to surf and the city was transient as it was a huge college town. So, we decided to take our first break from the program to visit the SW region and surf.

We flew from Nice to Bordeaux and rented a quirky PURPLE Fiat Panda. I remember the sheer amazement I had as we started in Arcachon and walked across the Dune du Pila, which is a marvel as the largest dune in all of Europe. As we continued to drive down the highway towards Hossegor the pine forests flanked each side, accompanied every few miles by large agricultural fields. Having nature all around, even on the side of the highway felt calming as I had been raised in the barren concrete jungles of Southern California.

We stopped in the iconic surf town of Hossegor to walk the beaches and get a feel for the vibe in “Les Landes.” Hossegor felt like the long, wide beaches of California to me. The waves were pretty heavy at the time and the town was sleepy back then as the high season of Summer had long passed. I remember thinking, “Wow, this side of France definitely looks like home but with large forests!” Hossegor had more of the American feel to it with it’s big houses in housing tracts where you would use your car to get around.

It was sunset when we finally drove our Panda into the center of town in Biarritz. As we drove past the Grande Plage, I had an immediate “coup de coeur” as they say—-I fell in love with this town. Everything was so clean. Nature was intermingled throughout the town, not stripped of it. Walking around town was so easy. Everyone we came in contact with in town was just really nice. I remember renting a surfboard from the Hastea Surf Shop and when the guy found out I was from California we had a conversation about different surf spots and then he invited us to a local Halloween party at Cote des Basques! Ironically, our weekend rental was just one street over from our first home we would later purchase in Biarritz.

In October of 2013 Biarritz was, much like Hossegor, pretty sleepy. There certainly weren’t the big city organized Halloween parties you see today. Many of the restaurants were taking a break from the high season too. Despite how quiet the town seemed at the time, we both wanted to spend more time getting to know Biarritz after this long weekend. We decided that after the MBA program was finished, we would fly back to Biarritz to spend a month getting to know the town more, surf and enjoy a bit of Summer before trying to figure out what to do next in our lives.

So we returned to Biarritz for respite and reflexion and rented a place at the top of Cote des Basques. We enjoyed the fresh foods from les halles (the market), I surfed as much as I could and we shared our time there with friends and family until we had to leave. Upon leaving, my heart sank and Alex admitted he had really grown fond of the lifestyle we had in Biarritz. So, we decided to make it our goal in life to get back to the Basque town that had made us dream of what could be. We returned to the US in June of 2014 and it took us 3 years to gain stable employment here, that part was the hardest of all. And as we wait on the renewal of our visas this month and anticipate applying for French citizenship next year, we don’t regret a thing in following our hearts. For the full story, read: Finding Biarritz & Choosing Biarritz .

How Biarritz has changed over 8 years

The region has continued to expand with new residents and it has made the town feel more international than before. New restaurants of varying cuisines have opened, giving much more variety to what had been lacking. There are also many co-working spots and start up incubators that are allowing people to have amenities offered in the bigger cities. Speaking of amenities, there is a 100% electric Trambus that connects Bayonne to Biarritz in around 20 minutes.

The most obvious thing that has changed is that demand for housing has drastically increased in the past 4 years, so rentals and homes for sale can be a pretty tricky thing to navigate.

While the town grows ever more international, it is the Basque culture that makes our lives here so unique, so I hope to see the Basque culture grow here instead of disappear. Also, I know that with a growing year-round population comes crowds and a bit of an end to the “ease” of movement through town, but that is something we can assess further if it gets to be a real problem.

Our Thoughts

I have never regretted our decision to Basque Country, even during the hard times. Before putting our roots down in 2017, we were able to compare the US to Basque Country several times as we went back and forth—-although it was not by choice but rather by happenstance, it allowed us to really see the contrasts of life in each place.

Personally, Biarritz still feels like a part of me that I have been reunited with, one that pushes me to keep growing, learning and keeping in close contact with the ocean and mountains. For Alex, it has been all that I feel and also a sense of excitement and confidence that came with working for himself in a foreign language and having the quality of life and food this region provides.

So what do we recommend for you if you are dreaming of a life in Biarritz, the greater Basque Country or a life abroad in general? We have compiled 10 do’s and don’ts below:

• DON’T settle on the first place you land. Tour around multiple towns or countries you feel you would really enjoy living in day to day. Unsure which towns would click with you? Look to your hobbies, your passions, and your lifestyle to help guide you.

• DON’T settle on the first neighborhood you live in just because it’s what you know. Get to know and live in a few neighborhoods before you commit to one. Biarritz has several very unique neighborhoods and based on what you are looking for, multiple neighborhoods could suit you, not just the one you know.

• DO get to know the history of the Basque people and respect the culture, customs and traditions.

• DO learn some basics of Euskara (the Basque language) such as greetings, manners, etc. The effort goes a long way.

• DO take time to learn proper French. Biarritz becomes a lot bigger if you can converse with more people!

• DON’T rely on local people to know English or only visit places that speak English, this will not help you grow and will limit your sense of community.

• DO the proper due diligence on moving abroad and all the changes it will have in your life. What will you be ‘giving up’ in your home country to move abroad? What will you gain abroad that you don’t have in your home country?

• DO understand that moving abroad is a rollercoaster of emotions, even if you are happy about where you are going to live.

• DO move decisively on your lodging situation. Be smart but be quick if you truly like a home, supply is limited.

• DO take advantage of the local abundance of activities! Go explore. Be adventurous. Biarritz is a great place and within a two hours drive there are other uniquely wonderful towns to visit and enjoy.

If you are thinking about a move to Biarritz or the greater Basque Country and you would like to consult with us, we would be happy to help. To request a phone call or video conference, we ask that you please purchase a 30 minute or 60 minute call here: SERVICES When we receive the request we will promptly email you back with our availability. Due to the time constraints of both our jobs, this is the best way for you to get the information you need and for us to be compensated for it. Thank you for your understanding.