A PRETTY seaside city in France has been named the best place to live in the country and Brits can fly there with Ryanair.
Biarritz, in the southwest of the country, is one of the closest beach cities to Spain with San Sebastián a short drive away.
Biarritz has been named the best place to live in France[/caption]
The seaside city has also attracted royalty and celebs[/caption]
And a recent study looked at 500 destinations across France in regards to livability.
Conducted by Le Journal du Dimanche, factors included infrastructure, the local environment and safety.
And Biarritz was named the top, beating other well known French cities such as Lyon (79) and Paris (101).
The city’s mayor said: “Since 2020, we have been working to enhance our heritage, improve daily life, all while preserving our way of life – close to nature and deeply rooted in our culture.”
The city, also sometimes nicknamed Paris on Sea, was a popular seaside resort even with royalty and celebs.
King Edward VII often visited during his reign in the early 1900s, and even took UK ministers to the city for meetings.
Other famous fans included fashion designer Coco Chanel, who lived in Biarritz while Napoleon II often visited during the summer.
Nowadays, the town often attracts surfers, having been dubbed the surfing capital of Europe.
It was introduced in the 1950s, after Californian film producer Richard Zanuck brought his surfboard while filming the movie “The Sun Rises” there.
The Grand Plage is the main stretch of sand, although there are six beaches lining the city’s coastline to choose from.
And there are more than a dozen surf schools too, if you want to try your hand on a board.
The Great Destinations Radio Show even said it has a “feel of a number of quality British seaside resorts rolled into one.
Comparing it to Woolacombe and Newquay, they also said: “There’s a touch of posh Bournemouth here.”
If the weather turns when there, one of the most popular attractions is Cite de l’Ocean, with indoor VR attractions.
Lots of the hotels have seafront swimming pools[/caption]
And the city has six beaches along the coastline[/caption]
Some families said they spend “six hours inside” with so much to explore.
Ryanair launched flights to the city last year, with £17 fares from Edinburgh and £23 fares from London Stansted Airport.
Or you can fly with easyJet from London Gatwick from £28
Flights take around 1hr55 from the UK.
If you fancy splashing out, one of the most famous hotels is the five-star Hôtel du Palais Biarritz which has a sea-view swimming pool.
Other hotels will pools include the Hôtel du Garage, built in a former flying club and motoring garage from the 1900s, and the seafront Sofitel.
On a budget? More affordable hotels can be found for around £90 a night.
Flights take less than two hours and cost around £20 each way[/caption]
