La Belle Biarritz
By Curt Leviant and Erika Pfeifer Leviant


Oh yeah, they said, Biarritz. That fancy resort in Switzerland, next to Davos, with great skiing, right? No, you say? Oh, then it must be that ritzy Riviera spot near Cannes.
Still wrong. Strange, but to the non-cognoscenti, Biarritz is still a mystery. To solve it, look at a map of France and see it at the southwest corner, right on the Atlantic Ocean just below Bayonne, in sight of the blue foothills of the Pyrenees.

Once you’ve visited Biarritz you will never forget it: its civilized elegance, the majesty of its oceanside setting, its gracious Old World architecture, its pink luminosity at sunset, and its ubiquitous tamarisk trees, looking like ballet dancers in various poses.
Built around a bay, Biarritz is a gem of a city, with Basque, French and Russian influences. Victor Hugo commented on its special qualities in the 1840’s and in the mid-19th century it was put on the international map by Napoleon III and his Russian-born wife, Eugenie, who built a grand palace by the water’s edge for their summer diversion. Later, the palace was turned into one of the most beautiful hotels in the world, the luxurious Hotel du Palais.

Many famous personalities were attracted by Biarritz and its mild climate. Picasso visited at the turn of the 20th century and painted his famous “The Bathers” here.
More recently, superstars like Frank Sinatra (for whom a suite is named at the Hotel du Palais), Bing Crosby and Rita Hayworth vacationed in Biarritz, drawn by the ambience of tranquility, top-level golf courses and the best surfing in Europe.

Biarritz is built on undulating topography, so up and down walking is inevitable. But the two-mile beachside promenade is almost level, with sea, dramatic coves and gigantic boulders on one side and shops, restaurants and the Casino on the other. On a Sunday afternoon, well-dressed people strolled quietly on the promenade; lacking only was an occasional parasol to complete a scene out of a late 19th century French or Russian novel. Don’t miss the little tram at the center of the promenade that gives you an hour-long tour of the major sites in town. On the main streets you will see designer shops, specialty stores, cafes, and more palatial buildings and villas made of the local beige stone.

We stayed at the Hotel du Palais and marveled at its carefully tended, flower-filled formal gardens, its palatial lobbies with period furniture and glittering chandeliers and its vast high-ceilinged dining room that faces the sea. In the morning a sumptuous buffet breakfast is served, while at night, with candle-lit tables, it becomes a formal area for superb gourmet dining. From the balcony of our large room we could see the ocean, the curve of the city, and the Pyrenees in the distance. Even with doors closed we could hear the rhythmic pounding of the surf, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

The genial general manager, Jean-Louis Leimbacher, who has been with the hotel for forty-two years, has shaped the Palais du Royal into that rare combination of luxury and homey atmosphere. He said he grew up in Alsace, where his best friend was the local rabbi’s son. Beloved by his loyal guests and his friendly staff, Monsieur Leimbacher summed up what he has learned over the years: “the most important thing in the world is to be a mentch,” using the Yiddish word for a decent, caring human being.

A block or so away from the Hotel du Palais, at the corner of rue de la Russie and rue Pellot, stands the Biarritz synagogue, built in 1904. Until eight years ago it was open during the summer for vacationing Jews, especially those from the hotel. Now it is slowly undergoing renovations. We visited it one morning when bright sunlight filled its interior, empty except for three long dust-covered benches. The Aron Kodesh is empty too and some windows near the ceiling are broken. The Jewish community of Bayonne, which is only a ten-minute drive away, is a kind of caretaker for the synagogue, for Biarritz itself does not have an organized Jewish community; its few Jews are scattered in the smaller towns between it and Bayonne.

Near the ballet theater, opposite a little park, is a fine vegetarian restaurant, “Marie Nature”, with indoor and outdoor seating, where you can have delicious home-cooked soups, quiches and vegetable pies, all moderately priced, and all created by chef-owner Marie.

We came to Biarritz from Paris on the 4 hour swift TGV, using of course our France n’ Spain Pass, perfect for rail travel in both these countries. The Pass is a great travel bargain (call 888 382-7245, or www.raileuroope.com for more info) that saves you not only plenty of money but also lets you choose your itineraries at will and avoid long lines at ticket counters.

Everyone who experiences Biarritz becomes an ambassador for its elegance and élan – and also its exact location on the map of France.

Curt Leviant is the author of the critically acclaimed two-novella work, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Original Music of the Hebrew Alphabet and Weekend in Mustara.
Erika Pfeifer Leviant has contributed travel articles and essays about Jewish art to various publications.

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