First Impressions 

Before heading over to the French Basque city of Biarritz, the only place I had seen in France was Paris. I visited Paris the weekend prior and stayed for four nights with some classmates. The city gave the same feeling as New York City: loud, busy, and full of life. After taking note of this, it was really interesting to see the shift in culture from a big city to the coastal city of Biarritz. 

Biarritz at first glance gave some similar vibes to San Sebastián. It seemed small and tight-knit, with many little places to eat and shop. I quickly learned that they also have a similar system to San Sebastián in terms of eating times when I went to a restaurant and was told food was not being served until 7 pm. After this, we went to a bakery to get some desserts and then arrived at a panini place. It was very convenient to get around the area and super helpful that there are not only sit-down meals, but tons of walk-up food that you can grab when you’re in a time crunch. That being said, the views were what captivated me. The beautiful water and rock formations all around were breathtaking. I realized that compared to Paris this is more my speed. The quality of life in this area and the amazing sense of comfort was something that I enjoyed. On top of this, the city itself wasn’t extremely packed. I am usually not a big fan of places where you can’t take two steps without walking into someone. Here, I felt like it was relatively quiet and calm, and it made it much easier to take in everything and not get overwhelmed exploring a new place.

Macarons 

Before visiting Biarritz I already had an obsession with macarons. When visiting Paris I tried the best macarons of my life and ate way more than I should have. 

Due to this, I had high expectations for Biarritz, and I was not disappointed. 

Macarons are a French dessert described as a meringue-based cookie sandwich filled with ganache, buttercream, or jam since the 19th century. These cookies are also made and sold in the United States, but from this experience, I realized how much better they are when made in France. I have always loved them, and when I saw this giant raspberry-flavored one in Biarritz I couldn’t resist. 

The food in Biarritz proved to stand just as tall as the food I got when in Paris, and this dessert was better than any American macaron I have tried so far. The flavors of these desserts here are more authentic and fresh compared to those at home, and it packs a flavor punch.

Aside from this, I was also made aware that Biarritz also has a Basque version of these cookies. I was unable to try one during my time there, but from what I have heard it is a much simpler cookie that is a bit crunchier and lacks the filling and sandwich approach. The bakery named Madison Adam is where most people will try these cookies because it is their specialty, and it is situated right in 

Basqueness in Biarritz

During the bus ride to the city, I was told all about the culture of Biarritz and how they express their Basqueness. As expressed by Professor Z, the French Basque country is much less forward and expressive of its culture. The Spanish Basque country is very proud of their Basqueness and they possess a very strong idea of what it truly means. This is due to it being much more institutionalized and practiced. The Basque language is the first of 3 that are taught in school, ahead of traditional Spanish. The Spanish also had the Spanish Civil War which created a stronger morale and idea of it, which is something that the French did not experience.

In contrast to this, the French don’t have this strong idea. The French underwent World War 2 which took Basque men away from their homes and tainted the unity and strength of the culture. It is also just much less institutionalized and practiced there. With this being said, the French Basque Country developed councils and departments to attempt to evolve and institutionalize. The process has been recent and slow, but with these steps taken the French Basque Country can be recognized.

Closing Statements 

With everything that I experienced while on my day trip to Biarritz, I now understand why Professor Z recommended we visit it sooner than we were able to as a class. I was unable to make this trip before this week, but I can say without a doubt that it is one of the most beautiful places I have seen. The history and culture of the city is extremely interesting to hear about, and the atmosphere creates an amazing vibe that makes you never want to leave. Since I am planning on coming back to San Sebastián next year, I will be sure to leave a day to come back and experience this amazing city all over again.