FRANCE: Biarritz – Seaside Splendor

Biarritz is a welcome introduction to French seaside resort living. Scenic coastal walks, a beautiful beach, and a regal hotel on a hill. This elegant city by the sea is truly sublime.

Just a minute from my hotel I sidled up to the beach and had my first of many delicious meals in Biarritz. Le Galien on the left served up a tasty seafood couscous with a sumptuous ocean view. Paris, Bordeaux, and Biarritz what a knockout trifecta of French charm.

COASTAL WALK – Just Breathtaking

FISHING PORT

CHEZ ALBERT – Classic Seafood Restaurant In The Fishing Port

Filet Of Sole Meuniere – My Dad Introduced Me To This Famous Dish In Paris 1965

URINOIRS – Even The Urinals In Biarritz Have A Certain Je Ne Sais Quois

VIRGIN ON THE ROCKS

Look Out Mary!!! A SkyRat Prepares To Drop His Payload.

                              FOLLOWING THE SUNSET

SOME FOUR-STAR PAMPERING

My Dream Hotel – Hotel Du Palais – Not in the budget

Originally A Palace Built For Napoleon III

The Galeries Lafayette Also Has A Location In Biarritz

The emaciated young woman draped in the French flag and sporting an amazingly well-abstracted French beret has been the figurehead of the Galeries Lafayette for over ten years. It’s very unusual to have the same model with the same picture in an ad campaign for so much time, but I’ve kind of gotten used to her. And I’ll never get tired of that beret.

There is also quite a lot of good shopping in Biarritz, something I don’t have the luxury of indulging in since I’m carrying all of my belongings on my back. I did, however, make an exception in Biarritz, and went on a bit of a shopping spree. I purchased a nice white Egyptian cotton shirt, followed by a couple of leather luggage tags, and finished up with the beret I am pictured wearing below. Not quite as radical as the bulimic lady’s above, but it does the trick nonetheless. Hopefully, she’s gotten something to eat in the meantime.

Digging My New Hat, Baby!

My Favorite Tearoom And Pastry Shop With An Ocean View

You can see the large picture window in the back. Such a large piece of glass was quite an opulent novelty when the tearoom opened in 1872.

BEWARE OF THE UNPLEASANT CORPULENT WAITRESS BEHIND THE COUNTER

ELYSEES PARFUMS

LES COLONNES – A fine restaurant.

The Shows Over – That’s All Folks – Off To San Sebastian

I’m really falling into a nice groove, planning things on the fly, and just going with the flow. Looking forward to experiencing the cities, people, and food while not getting too bogged down in attractions and endless museums. After all, Europe truly is an open-air museum. Things are taking shape now, and I look forward to putting my newfound mellow vagabonding to the test. Every day brings a new adventure, new flavors, and new people. So much beauty out there to experience in contrast to all of the ugliness that goes on in the world.