Rooftops in Biarritz: the Atlantic seen from above
A resort born of sea bathing
At the far end of the Bay of Biscay, less than 25 kilometres from the Spanish border, Biarritz unfurls around four kilometres of seafront in the Basque Country. Once a whaling port, the town changed face in the 19th century with the fashion for sea bathing. Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie made it their holiday retreat and built the villa Eugénie there, which has since become the Hôtel du Palais. In their wake, European high society adopted the resort, from the Belle Époque to the Roaring Twenties.
Today a town of more than 25,000 inhabitants, Biarritz still lives to the rhythm of the ocean, between its hotels, surfing and the Basque art of living.
Beaches, rocks and a lighthouse
Seen from above, the town reads like a series of coves. To the north, the lighthouse, inaugurated in 1834, overlooks the pointe Saint-Martin. Next come the Miramar beach and the Grande Plage, lined by the Hôtel du Palais and the casino, then the port des Pêcheurs (the fishermen's harbour) and the Atalaye plateau. Beyond rises the Rocher de la Vierge, topped by its statue, before the Port-Vieux beach and the long Côte des Basques, popular with surfers. On clear days, the view reaches as far as the Pyrenees.
Where to get a view from above in Biarritz
The town centre and the Grande Plage
Right in the centre, on place Georges-Clemenceau, Biarritz Bonheur opened a restaurant, a bar and a rooftop on the roof of the Galeries Lafayette in May 2025. Beneath the striped parasols, the view stretches over the rooftops to the Grande Plage and the lighthouse, and the terrace welcomes guests without a reservation.
Around the Rocher de la Vierge and the Port-Vieux
The Port-Vieux area is where rooftop terraces are most numerous. On the Atalaye plateau, the Rooftop Olatua sets out its tables on the roof of a pavilion facing the Rocher de la Vierge, from mid-April to mid-October. Close by, on rue du Port-Vieux, Roc Seven Biarritz, which opened in 2025, spreads its double rooftop over two levels above the Port-Vieux beach, while the rooftop of the Hôtel de la Plage reopens its terrace on the esplanade every spring, between the villa Belza and the Rocher.
Facing the Côte des Basques
A little further south, at the top of the Le Talaia hotel, La Petite Plage looks out over the Côte des Basques from its fifth-floor rooftop. The restaurant and its bar are open all year round, and a summer bar sets up on the roof when the weather is fine.
Food and cocktails facing the ocean
From sharing plates to chefs' tables
On the rooftops of Biarritz, food is often made for sharing: baby squid, croquettes, platters of Iberian ham or Pyrenean cheeses, ceviche and fish from the coast. Two big names also sign menus up on the roofs: Matthias Marc at Biarritz Bonheur and Éric Frechon at La Petite Plage. Where prices are displayed, signature cocktails are around €13, with mocktails for those who would rather go without.
Music and sunsets
Facing the Atlantic, the Biarritz coast is at its most beautiful at the end of the day, when the sun sinks into the ocean. Several rooftops set this moment to music: deep house-tinged DJ sets several evenings a week in summer at Roc Seven, and a music programme curated by Bon Entendeur on the roof of the Talaia.
A rooftop for every occasion
As a couple or with friends
For a dinner for two facing the Rocher de la Vierge, the terraces of the Atalaye and the Port-Vieux offer an ideal setting at sunset. With friends, the festive atmosphere of Roc Seven, with its DJs and painting workshops on the roof, or the central terrace of Biarritz Bonheur lend themselves to lingering aperitifs.
With family or colleagues
Families will feel at home at the Rooftop Olatua and La Petite Plage, which offer dishes for children, or at Roc Seven, which has high chairs. For companies, the Biarritz Bonheur pavilion hosts seminars overlooking the Grande Plage, and several rooftops can be hired for drinks receptions or evening events.
Getting around easily
Biarritz's rooftops are grouped within a small area, between place Georges-Clemenceau, the Port-Vieux and the Côte des Basques. It is easy to walk from one to the next along the seafront, which saves having to hunt for a parking space in high season.
Tips for making the most of Biarritz's rooftops
Choosing your season and time
Some of Biarritz's rooftops follow the seasons: the Rooftop Olatua opens from mid-April to mid-October, the Hôtel de la Plage's from April, and the rooftop bar at Roc Seven extends its hours in July and August. Others, such as La Petite Plage, welcome guests all year round. The terraces open depending on the weather, and some do not take reservations: to watch the sun set over the ocean, it is best to arrive early in the evening and check opening hours before you go.
Photo : SimonCourtecuisse / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
