History Biarritz

The history of Biarritz: In the 19th Century, the city developed as a whale hunting place. Before this, it was a fishing village, a tradition that carried it into the 11th Century and onward almost one thousand years. Today, Biarritz is one of the most frequented tourist destinations on the Atlatic French Coast.

This region was conquered in the 6th Century by the Romans, who baptized that area as Aquitania, or Aquitaine, a town of Iberians whose main tradition was horse raising, this is where it get s its name in Latin, from Equites. During the Roman Empire, the Aquitaine was extended throughout the region, and evolved to having its own language, Aquitano, a language that today no longer exists.

Later, in the middle ages, the city of Biarritz was founded for its interest in whale hunting. It was a region controlled by the Visigoths and later by the Francs.

Gascony, Guyenne, were names with which this region was baptized, with more than 40,000 km2 of area.

The first name for the city was Beariz, a name from the middle ages what was used when the town began to grow with the whale hunting. Its population is of Basque origin, who were the first to arrive here. Later they mixed with the people of Gascony after the 14th Century.

During the 19th Century, Biarritz was converted into a holiday centre for the rest of Europe. Napoleon III and his wife built a palace in 1855. When they sold it, above this building was built the Hotel Casino Palais, the biggest casino in the area. Luxury, diversity, and beauty, all in one.

During the French Revolution, the region was known as the Lower Pyrenees, and was one of the few tranquil areas during this turbulent time. In 1969, the area became known as the Atlantic Pyrenees.

Today, Biarritz is a southern city of France, and one of the most preferred tourist destinations on the French Atlantic coast. There is a lot of accommodation here for travelers. Hotels, holiday houses, chalets and more. While on holiday in Biarritz, enjoy cultural activities and pieces of its past.