Welcome to France! Southern France is a very scenic and beautiful region that includes many French-Basque cities such as Sain-Jean-De-Luz and Biarritz. The aura and atmosphere are immaculate in both of these cities as they encapsulate all the positivity in their little world. The people who live in these cities are the real reason for that which can be depicted by their overjoyous faces. Their city may not be the biggest or richest but they have everything a human could ask for: a beach with beautiful scenery, modern architecture with rich history, and delicious food as well. True appreciation doesn’t come from materialistic items but rather from the little things in life we can enjoy and look back on one day and realize “Wow I did that!”

Saint-Jean-de-Luz was the smaller town compared to Biarritz but that doesn’t make it any less significant than the other. My first impression when getting off in Saint-Jean-de-Luz was it looked like a city where everyone was out and about doing normal things and enjoying their day. That was true but what surprised me was the city’s buildings and “streets.” I thought it would be more of a suburban town where there would be houses and a community. Rather there were stores selling clothes, food, etc everywhere, and on top of these local stores, there were living complexes such as apartments. That is very unusual, especially coming from America where we don’t see that at all. But it’s common, especially in the French Basque Country. Another aspect I loved was the scenery on the Port de Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Picture a small dock with about 10-20 boats enclosed in a small body of water with a fantastic view of the mountains in the mere distance. That’s exactly the Port de Saint-Jean-de-Luz a nice relaxing area where you can sit and eat crepes with your friends and family and appreciate natural beauty. Another piece of modern architecture was the Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste which is the Church of Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Walking into the church it was massive considering that it has been around for centuries. The interior colors of the church all complemented each other so well making it a sight for the eyes. Very archaic feeling walking inside but I loved every moment of it, having the ability to put anyone’s soul to peace. Saint-Jean-de-Luz was amazing in all of the mentioned aspects and I highly recommend visiting the city for a relaxing and enjoyable time!

Biarritz is a much bigger city compared to Saint-Jean-de-Luz populating about 25,000+ civillians. Biarritz, France is known for its beach and amazing coastline alongside the European Atlantic. By far, in Europe, the best city for oceanic views as you can see the coastline horizon trailing miles all the way into Spain. Biarritz is often known as the city of arrival for surfing in Europe. How this became known is an American film director named Peter Viertel was in Biarritz back in 1957 and one of his friends from California came to visit. The friend’s use of a surfboard in Biarritz is recognized as the first time surfing was practiced in Europe. Since then Biarritz eventually became one of the most popular surfing spots throughout Europe. The waves in Biarritz are very aggressive which is a major reason why surfing is so popular there as well. After walking along the coast of the beach we had the opportunity to venture out into the city for a couple hours. Although it might’ve only been a couple hours it felt like an eternity there. We walked up the mountain slowly taking in the breathtaking views along the way. Some would say the views came straight out of a Microsoft wallpaper screen but I think it’s the other way around, quite impressive. How the rocks were eroded was fascinating to me as well, as it was such perfection which allowed for the bridge to be built for people to stand above the ocean hanging off like a peninsula. Once we made it all the way up we saw the Biarritz aquarium. The aquarium was intriguing cause it had more European fish and animals so it was enjoyable compared to the regular American animals we see usually. We then walked into the city shying away from the ocean which was incredible as well. The scenery all around this city was magnificent regardless of the coast and the people and food there just makes it all that much better!

If I could live in either one of these cities for the remainder of my life I would in a heartbeat. The energy and views are impeccable and vibrant and anyone should be grateful for such a colorful world we live in holding such power in culture and location. Want to take a vacation in Europe? I promise the French Basque Country will not disappoint your expectations.