43.39° N · 1.66° W
From Hendaye to Biarritz in half an hour: surf beaches, the port of Saint-Jean-de-Luz and, inland, the La Rhune train and Espelette.
Part of Bay of Biscay
What to do
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
A rack railway that has climbed since 1924 from the Col de Saint-Ignace to the summit of La Rhune, at 905 m: 2 h 30 round trip, €26 per adult.
A 1 h 30 beginner lesson on Biarritz's school beach, with board and wetsuit, from €45; April to November, depending on the tide.
The first stage of the GR 8: 13 km and 340 m of ascent along cliffs and coves from Bidart to Saint-Jean-de-Luz, in about 3 h 30, returning by bus.
Itineraries
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
June and September have warm water, surf lessons running and room on the beach. In July and August everything fills up and prices rise. From November to March the La Rhune train doesn't run and the surf schools close.
How you travel
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
The car is what takes you to Espelette, Ainhoa and the La Rhune train, which are far from the railway. On the coast, though, parking is expensive and slow: leave the car at the hotel and get around on foot or by bus.
It is one of the few coasts that works well without a car. From San Sebastián you take the Topo to Hendaye and there catch the regional train, which stops at the coastal towns as far as Bayonne.
Biarritz was born as a spa resort for Napoleon III's court and it still feels like one. Here luxury is sleeping above the beach and spending the afternoon in a seawater spa.
The Saint-Jean-de-Luz campsites are concentrated in the bay of Erromardie, north of the town, with the coastal path at the door and the centre 2 km away.
In the centres of Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz there is no room for a motorhome. Sleep at the Hendaye area or at an Erromardie campsite and get around by train or bus.
For anyone coming from far away, there are two gateways: Biarritz airport, right on the coast, and San Sebastián airport, in Hondarribia, a step from the border and about 20 minutes from Hendaye. From northern Spain, it is quicker by car. With a hire car you can combine Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Biarritz and the inland villages in a day; without a car, the coastal train and the Txik Txak buses link the towns.
Who you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
The French Basque coast works with children because each day has a short plan and the beach next door. Distances are small: from Hendaye to Biarritz is half an hour.
Here surfing is an everyday sport, and that is enough for a teenager. A few days of lessons give them something of their own to do while the rest stroll.
The French Basque coast works well with a dog: the coastal path from Bidart to Saint-Jean-de-Luz can be done with it on a lead, it goes up the La Rhune train with its own ticket and four places to stay admit it. On the sand, the rules change from one beach to another: check the signs at each.
Where to stay
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Why we like it: The former summer villa of Empress Eugénie, a hotel since the late 19th century and a Palace-rated hotel since 2011. For a special night with the beach below.
Why we like it: On the Saint-Jean-de-Luz beach promenade, with a seawater spa opened in 2007 and a club for children aged 4 to 12. The railway station is a short walk away.
Why we like it: A small hotel in a Basque house on rue Gambetta, 300 m from the beach and the station. No lift: bear it in mind with large suitcases.
Why we like it: A small campsite, 2 km from the centre, that stretches 300 m along Erromardie beach. The coastal path passes in front.
Why we like it: A larger family campsite, in the same bay of Erromardie, open from late March to early November. Useful if Bord de Mer is full.
Why we like it: The municipal area on rue Ansoenia, the first on crossing from Irún, with water, electricity and waste disposal (paid separately). Pay by card; it is close to the train and the tourist office.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
What to order: Chipirones in their ink or the hake à la Pablo; for dessert, mamia or Basque cake.
What to order: veal axoa with Espelette pepper.
Takeaway and markets
Nearby
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
Tips
At high tide, several Biarritz beaches and the coves on the path almost disappear. Surf schools set lesson times according to the tide.
In summer the centres of Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Biarritz gridlock. Leave the car at the hotel or in a car park at the entrance.
This coast is Atlantic: the weather changes within an hour and on La Rhune it is chilly even in August.
Do the coast without a car and hire one for just one day for the interior. The regional train reaches almost all the seaside villages.
Traffic jams on the way in, full car parks and not a space on the Grande Plage. If you go in August, arrive by train and get up early.
It depends on what you are after. Saint-Jean-de-Luz is the most convenient base: it has a railway station, an old town for evening strolls, a beach in a bay closed off by breakwaters where hardly any waves come in and it is fifteen minutes from the La Rhune train. Biarritz is more of a city and more expensive, with the surf beaches, the aquarium and the traditional spa-resort atmosphere. Hendaye, right up against Irún, is the option if you are in a motorhome or want to cross to San Sebastián for dinner.
Inland, Espelette, Ainhoa and Sare are villages of white houses with red or green shutters. They are visited by day; for sleeping, the coast has more choice.
By car, on the AP-8 to Irún and the French A63, which is a toll road. The free alternative is the corniche road between Hendaye and Socoa, slower and with better views. Without a car, Euskotren's Topo links San Sebastián with Hendaye station, and from there leaves the regional train that stops at Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Guéthary, Biarritz and Bayonne. San Sebastián airport, in Hondarribia, is opposite Hendaye.
Go up La Rhune on the first clear day: from the top you understand the whole coast. Then spread things out: one day for Saint-Jean-de-Luz and the coastal path, another for Biarritz with a surf lesson or the aquarium, and an afternoon for the inland villages.
Questions
Two days are enough for Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Biarritz and La Rhune. With four you add the coastal path, a surf lesson and the inland villages.
Yes. The Topo reaches Hendaye and from there the regional train runs along the coast to Bayonne. For Espelette or the La Rhune train there is a bus, with few timetables.
In the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, protected by breakwaters. Beaches open to the ocean, such as the Côte des Basques, have waves and currents.
In 2026, €26 return for an adult and €18 for children aged 4 to 12. It runs from late March to early November.
In a lesson of an hour and a half you stand up on the foam. To catch waves on your own, allow for a five-day course.
Few. Many schools, such as Biarritz Surf Training, close from December to March. From April to November lessons are given daily, wetsuit included.
Geocaliahttps://www.geocalia.com/en/france/nouvelle-aquitaine/french-basque-coast
