Ah the beaches of the Basque Coast… ⛱️
Many of you ask us the question, and we are delighted to be able to answer you without blushing and in all objectivity: yes our beaches are hot! 😋
Whether framed by cliffs, in the immediate vicinity of the road, family-friendly, more confidential, covered at high tide, magnificent at low tide, easy to access, difficult to reach, they are worth the detour!
Here again, you can guess, the diversity of the beaches is prime in Bidart!
One thing that everyone agrees: there are 6 supervised beaches in season & one of them is even labeled Handiplage and that's great.
The MNS monitor the beaches on a daily basis during the season. Do you know the bathing rules and the practice of the Coastal Rescue at Sea discipline? We tell you more in the blog article dedicated to the Bidart Océan Club HERE.
The quality of bathing water is checked daily to ensure safe swimming. Controls are also carried out by theARS (Regional Health Agency).
→ Information relating to bathing conditions (color of the flag and opening of the beach) on all the beaches of the Basque Coast is broadcast in real time on the free application Kalilo. Available on Android and Apple.
And to find out a little more about our beaches, we present them to you from north to south, all you have to do is make your choice!
Our beaches
Ilbarritz
North of Bidart, and a stone's throw from Biarritz, it is overlooked by its emblematic castle. It is very beautiful and easy to access with its car parks nearby. At low tide, it reveals rocky areas that make it even more 😍.
Royal pavilion
The wildest and largest of Bidart's beaches. It is difficult to access and has no parking. You have to take a long path at the end of a dead end to get there.
It owes its name to the beautiful house which overlooks it, built for the Queen Nathalie of Serbia, which was a casino and tea room during the “crazy years".
Erretegia
Below a remarkable natural circus qualified as a sensitive natural space by the department, Erretegia is also the starting point of the Sentier du Littoral.
Transformed by man a few decades ago to make it more urban and conducive to tourism, it fortunately benefited from an ambitious renaturation plan last year.
The concept: eliminate roads and invasive exotic plants, adapt to climate change and let local nature regain its rights and promote the development of biodiversity.
Center Beach
At the heart of the village, it is the meeting place for families and surfers. Its dike makes it recognizable among 1000, it is reduced at high tide, but you can still enjoy its promenade and the terrace of the snack restaurant. Anaia Open all day.
Playground for the children of Bidart licensed at the surf club of Bidatekko, the beach of the Center has a special place for bidartars. To learn more check out the blog post on “BKO😉.
Uhabia
Attractive and easy to access, it is located close to many shops and restaurants. It is labeled Handicap and offers a tiralo service by reservation.
→ Do you want to book a tiralo? click HERE.
This beach is located at the mouth of the eponymous river and also marks the starting point of the Greenway of Uhabia, cycle path and footpath, which crosses Bidart along the river.
In summer, Allyson de Bidarte'O installs a heated swimming pool on the beach to animate his swimming lessons, more information HERE.
Parliamentia
South of Bidart, it is known to surfers for its mythical wave. It is surrounded by rocky areas which are real small pools at low tide 🌊
Speaking of tide… It's always useful to know when it's high, or when it's low! And for that, nothing beats a little tide calendar ! But you can always watch what it looks like, via our live cam from the Center Beach!
Be careful, our beaches change with the rhythm of the tides, which sometimes lead to the formation of formidable baïnes...
But in fact ? What is a bath? How and why is it formed? What are the risks for swimming? Answers provided in video by theNew Aquitaine Coast Observatory